Scholarships & Aid
There are many opportunities for scholarships and grants from generous individuals, foundations and organizations to help make affording your welding training & education a reality.
Pulte Family Charitable Foundation
Past Scholarship Recipient Summary Report
Information & Eligibility
- Four scholarships of $7500 for each cohort (January and August)
- All payments will be made directly to the recipients’ school.
- INCOMPLETE SCHOLARSHIP PACKETS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED!
Scholarship Guidelines
1. Student must be a U.S. Citizen
2. Student must complete an online application to the Industrial Arts Institute for their Comprehensive Industrial Welding Program.
3. Student’s complete “Pulte Scholar” Application Packet which must include:
• Application
• Essay Questions
• Two (2) Letters of Recommendation from teacher, mentor, community leader, or a personal reference from a non-relative
• Resume with Employment History, Extracurricular Activities/Community Service
• Proof of U.S. Citizenship (birth certificate)
• Proof of Exemplary Attendance (High School Transcript within 3-year time frame and/or letter from most recent employer)
Please email your COMPLETE “PULTE SCHOLAR” APPLICATION PACKET with all attachments as PDF documents to Tamara Ward; Executive Director at tward@iaiworks.com.
Incomplete scholarship packets will not be considered.
Deadlines
–January Cohorts- Scholarship Packet DUE by or before November 21 of the previous year.
–August Cohorts- Scholarship Packet DUE by or before July 21 of the same year.
Scholarship recipients will be notified the first week in December for January Cohorts, and the last week of July for the August Cohorts.
Woods Charitable Trust Scholarship
Past Scholarship Recipient Summary Report
Information and Eligibility
- Four scholarships of $4500 for each cohort (January and August)
- All payments will be made directly to the recipients’ school.
- INCOMPLETE SCHOLARSHIP PACKETS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED!
Scholarship Guidelines
- The student must be a U.S. citizen
- Student will complete Woods Charitable Trust application packet with the following documents:
-Woods Charitable Trust Scholarship Application
-Essay questions
-Two (2) letters of recommendation from a teacher, mentor, community leader, or a personal reference from a non-relative
-Resume including employment history, extracurricular activities, and community service
-Proof of U.S. citizenship (birth certificate or U.S. passport)
-High school transcript within three years of graduation and/or a letter from most recent employer verifying skillset
Please email your complete Woods Charitable Trust Scholarship Application packet with all attachments to Executive Director Tamara Ward at tward@iaiworks.com.
Deadlines
–January Cohorts- Scholarship Packet DUE by or before November 21 of the previous year.
–August Cohorts- Scholarship Packet DUE by or before July 21 of the same year.
Scholarship recipients will be notified the first week in December for January Cohorts, and the last week of July for the August Cohorts.
Johnson Seitz-Lopez Family Skilled Trades Scholarship
General Information & Eligibility
- One (1) $500.00 scholarship will be awarded for each cohort. (August cohort and January cohort)
- All payments will be made directly to the recipients’ school
- INCOMPLETE SCHOLARSHIP PACKETS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED!
Scholarship Guidelines
Students will complete Johnson Seitz – Lopez Family Scholarship application packet with the following documents:
- Johnson Seitz – Lopez Family Scholarship Application
- 1 Essay Question
- 1 Letter of Recommendation
Please email your complete Johnson Seitz – Lopez Scholarship Application packet with all attachments to Executive Director Tamara Ward at tward@iaiworks.com.
Questions? Please contact Tamara Ward at tward@iaiworks.com.
Deadlines
–January Cohorts- Scholarship Packet DUE by or before November 21 of the previous year.
–August Cohorts- Scholarship Packet DUE by or before July 21 of the same year.
Scholarship recipients will be notified the first week in December for January Cohorts, and the last week of July for the August Cohorts.
Download the Application Packet
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Grant
WIOA is designed to help job seekers access employment, education, training, and support services to succeed in the labor market and to match employers with the skilled workers they need to compete in the global economy. Contact your local MI Works! Office for information on how you can apply for a WIOA Grant today.
For more information on the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Grant, visit https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/workforce-investment/adult
St. Marys Cement Grant DUE BEFORE JULY 21ST
General Information and Eligibility
1. 1 scholarship of $2000 for the August – December 2023 semester
2. All payments will be made directly to the recipients’ school.
3. INCOMPLETE SCHOLARSHIP PACKETS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED!
Scholarship Guidelines
1. Student must be a U.S. citizen.
2. The application packet should include the following documents:
–St. Marys Cement Grant Application
-Essay questions
-Two (2) letters of recommendation from teacher, mentor, community leader, or
personal reference from a non-relative
-Resume including employment history, extracurricular activities, and community
service
-Proof of U.S. citizenship (birth certificate or U.S. passport)
-High school transcript and/or a letter from most recent
employer verifying skill set.
Please email your complete scholarship application packet to with all attachments to Brenda Young at brenda.young@vcimentos.com and Tamara Ward at tward@iaiworks.com
Deadline
August Cohorts- Scholarship Packet DUE by or before July 21 of the same year.
Scholarship recipients will be notified by the last week of July for the August Cohorts.
Questions? Please contact Tamara Ward at tward@iaiworks.com.
CLICK HERE TO FOR THE APPLICATION
RJ Industrial Recycling Scholarship
Past Scholarship Recipient Summary Report
Information & Eligibility
1. One (1) $5,000 scholarship will be given out for per Cohort.
2. All payments will be made directly to the recipient’s school.
INCOMPLETE SCHOLARSHIP PACKETS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED!
Scholarship Guidelines
1. Student must be a U.S. Citizen (verification of birth certificate required)
2. Student must complete an online application to the Industrial Arts Institute for their Comprehensive Industrial Welding Program
3. Students create a RJ Industrial Recycling Application Packet including:
• Application
• Reponses to essay questions
• One (1) letter of recommendation from teacher, mentor, community leader, or a personal reference from a non-relative
• Resume with employment history, extracurricular activities/community service
Deadline
Please email your COMPLETE RJ INDUSTRIAL RECYCLING SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION PACKET with all attachments to BOTH Jen Roughton at jen@rjind.com and Tamara Ward – Executive Director – tward@iaiworks.com
For August cohorts, scholarship packet is DUE by June 1 of the same year.
For January cohorts, scholarship packet is DUE by November 21 of the previous year
Scholarship recipients will be notified via email by the end of the second week of June for August cohorts/ and by the end of the second week in December for January Cohorts.
Questions? Please contact Tamara Ward at tward@iaiworks.com.
Download the application packet, here.
Veteran Benefits / GI Bill®
We are pleased to announce that Industrial Arts Institute is approved to train GI Bill® eligible students in our Comprehensive Industrial Welding Program.
Getting Started As A Student
Utilize the Veteran’s Financial Aid Shopping list to help calculate the cost of your education/training at IAI. Apply to determine your VA Education Benefits and apply to the Comprehensive Industrial Welding program at IAI. Then arrange an appointment with the Student Services department at IAI to provide your VA Form 2384- Notice of Basic Eligibility or Certificate of eligibility to
Veteran’s Financial Aid Shopping List
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.
Baiardi Family Foundation, Frey Fouindation and Petoskey Sunset Rotary Industrial Arts Institute Scholarships - APPLY BY April 1st
The Baiardi Family Foundation in partnership with the Rotary Club of Little Traverse Bay Sunset is offering three $2,000 Vocational Scholarships to Emmet County seniors and recent graduates for the Industrial Arts Institute Welding Certification program in Onaway, MI.
*Baiardi Family Foundation Scholarship Application
The Frey Foundation in conjunction with the The Rotary Club of Little Traverse Bay Sunset is offering, $1,000, one year vocational education scholarships, three of which are funded by the Frey Foundation and administered by Sunset Rotary. These scholarships are available to students and recent graduates in the Petoskey, Harbor Springs, Pellston and Alanson areas.
*Frey Vocational Scholarship application.
For additional questions, contact jillandkentwarner@gmail.com
AWS Foundation Scholarships
The AWS Foundation awards over $1 million annually to help students achieve their dreams through education. If you are currently enrolled in a welding program or a related field, then consider applying for our scholarships. Scholarships are available for students attending trade schools, community colleges, and four-year universities. Regardless of who you are, where you’re from, or what you aspire to be, receiving an AWS Foundation scholarship can be the extra push that helps you fulfill your goals.
1) Welder Training Scholarships
The AWS Welder Training Scholarship is for students seeking training to become a welder in a program up to two years in length at a trade school, community college, or other facility providing welder training.
Each AWS District has twenty-five (25) $1,000 scholarships to award.
Applications are accepted year-round and selections are made on a rolling basis until the District awards the designated funds for the year. The current application cycle is open to students attending school or training prior to May 2020.
More Information
2) District Scholarships
The deadline to apply for District, and Section is March 1st each year.
District Scholarships
A minimum of $10,000 is available in each of AWS’s 22 Districts for students pursuing a certificate, associate degree, or bachelor’s degree. Scholarships typically range from $500 to $2,500+.
More Information
Noble Path Student Lending Program
Private Investor -Student Lending Program
To maintain our institutional independence, we do not accept federal student aid. Thus, we have developed a private investor- student lending program through gifts from generous donors that believe in the principals that define and exemplified the Industrial Arts Institute since its founding.
These supporters GIVE because they believe in our vision to build a professional trades workforce utilizing a new education model standard that develops students with time honored training and connects talent with industry.
Students will need to fill out a form, but many families find that the Noble Path application and selection process is far simpler to fill out and less invasive than other Lending Applications or Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) documents.
Annual Percentage Rate
3.5%
Loan Use
Tuition Only
Up Front Costs:
Minimum Down payment- 10% of requested loan amount
Effective beginning JAN 2021
Term of Contract
MUST have a co-signer
Up to 60 months
First payment not due till 45 days after graduation
Application Deadlines
For August Cohort- Application due by July 30th
For January Cohort- Application due by December 23th
IAI / North Central Partnership
FEDERAL FINANCIAL AID OPTION
IAI / North Central Associates of Welding Student Enrollment Steps:
- Complete Application for BOTH the Industrial Arts Institute Basic Welding AND CIW100 courses online.
- Apply to North Central Michigan College’s Associate of Welding program.
- Complete your FAFSA using North Central’s Federal Code – 002299
- Each Semester that you are enrolled at IAI:
– You must contact Virginia Panoff at the North Central Financial Aid Office to update and sign the Student Contractual Agreement Authorization Form
– North Central will calculate your financial aid for the semester based upon your concurrent enrollment at North Central and IAI
– Financial Aid for students enrolled with IAI will be provided for the North Central Fall and Winter semesters only:
Fall Semester Dates = September – December
Winter Semester Dates = January – May
– Students that are using their financial aide refund to pay their balance at IAI will be responsible for paying IAI directly with these funds. North Central does not send any of your refund to IAI on your behalf.
IAI Contact Person:
Tammi Ward (989) 733-4369 tward@iaiworks.com
North Central Michigan College Contact Person:
Katie Malone (231) 348-6698 kmalone@ncmich.edu
Professional Trades Scholarship Fund
Straits Area Community Foundation Scholarship / CFNEM Scholarship Fund
This scholarship is for a graduate (any year) from a high school in the counties of Montmorency, Presque Isle, or Cheboygan, studying in the areas of welding, machining, electrical, or automotive. No minimum GPA required. For study at any school in Michigan.
APPLY FOR PROFESSIONAL TRADE SCHOLARSHIP
(This link will re-direct you to www.cfnem.org where you will need to complete the AwardSpring Online Scholarship Form for this scholarship.)
Eligibility requirements:
- You are a graduate (any year) from a high school in the counties of Montmorency, Presque Isle, or Cheboygan, studying in the areas of welding, machining, electrical, or automotive.
- You have a teacher recommendation as part of your application.
- You are studying at any school in Michigan. (There is no minimum GPA required.)
Professional Trade Application
Michigan Reconnect Skills Scholarship Program
The Michigan Skills Scholarship program is an opportunity to apply for up to a $1,500 state scholarship to help cover part of the tuition cost at a private training school or program if you are 25 years or older.
To be eligible for the Michigan Reconnect Skills Scholarship, you must:
- Be at least 25 years old when you apply
- Have lived in Michigan for a year or more
- Have a high school diploma or equivalent
- Have not yet completed a college degree (associates or bachelor’s)
- Choose an occupational field of study in business management, construction, healthcare, manufacturing, or information technology.
To receive the Skills Scholarship, you must:
- Apply online for the Michigan Skills Scholarship. The application takes less than five minutes to complete and can be done on a mobile phone.
- Apply to your eligible training provider – Industrial Arts Institute.
- Enroll and state classes. You must be in school at least half time and stay enrolled continuously through graduation.
Apply Online
Horatio Alger National Career & Technical Scholarship Program
The Career & Technical Scholarship Program is funded by the generosity of association members and awarded to students who have faced obstacles and wish to pursue a career or technical education at an accredited non-profit, post-secondary institution in the U.S.
To qualify for the Career Education Scholarship, an applicant must:
- Be enrolled in a career or technical degree / certificate program in the Fall semester that will lead to employment (2 years of less)
- Attend a not-for-profit post-secondary institution
- Demonstrate financial need; applicants must be Pell eligible
- Be under the age of 30
- Be a citizen of the United States
Priority Deadline: July 15, 2021
Applications will continue to be accepted until all scholarships have been awarded, but those received before July 15, will be given priority.
Start Your Journey at IAI
Think a career in welding could be right for you? When you attend the Industrial Arts Institute, you will train with welding instructors with real-world, industry experience. They will provide expert support with the goal of producing workforce-ready employees with welding certifications and qualifications.