Full-ride Scholarship and Monthly Stipend for Program and Living Expenses
- The four-year, full scholarship covers tuition, room and board, fees, books and more.
- Loya Scholars receive $1,000 for monthly spending.
Engineer a New Standard. Become a Loya Scholar.
The Most Prestigious Merit-Based Scholarship for Elite Engineering Students
Apply nowEngineer a New Standard. Become a Loya Scholar.
ApplyFall 2026 Applications open: October 1
Spring 2027 Deadline to apply: January 31
Fall 2027 First Loya Scholars cohort begins
Loya Scholarship Benefits
Full-ride for tuition, room and board, fees and more
$1,000 for monthly spending for 4 years
Bonus $30K graduation award for top honors
Funded study abroad and leadership development
The Loya Scholar
Elevate Your Exceptional Engineering Talent
Loya Scholars are exceptional, ambitious and confident engineering students who demonstrate academic excellence and engineering aptitude, possess leadership potential, exemplify outstanding character and are determined to succeed.
As a Loya Scholar, you’ll receive paramount recognition for what you have already accomplished and premier investment in what you’re certain to achieve next.
Applications open October 1
First Loya Scholars cohort begins Fall 2027
Eligibility Requirements
The Loya Scholars Program is a highly competitive opportunity for high-performing candidates. Applicants will be evaluated through a holistic approach that considers academic, leadership and service accomplishments as well as personal virtue.
You’re eligible to apply for the Loya Scholarship if you meet the following criteria:
- You are a first-time college student who will enroll full-time
- You are a future engineering major with clear career goals in engineering
- You are a high academic achiever
- You have exemplary leadership and service experience
- You possess strong character and work ethic
- You are a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident
More than a Full-Ride Scholarship:
Utmost Recognition and Uncommon Benefits
Loya Scholars receive a rare and innovative dual-benefit scholarship and can graduate with substantial funding.
Up to $30,000 College Graduation Award for Honors Students
- $3,000 for honors
- $15,000 for high honors
- $30,000 for highest honors
Free from post-graduation service commitments, you get to choose where and how you want to change the world.
- Continue your education
- Launch a business
- Give back to the next generation
- Build your financial future
Up to $30,000 College Graduation Award for Honors Students
Fully-funded Opportunities for Study Abroad and Leadership Development
Gain access to advanced engineering leadership development, professional conferences and international study abroad experiences.
Fully-funded Opportunities for Study Abroad and Leadership Development
The UTEP Advantage
Global Industry Connections
Located in an international, tri-state borderplex, UTEP offers a unique opportunity to embrace a binational perspective, engage with an international industry network and prepare to lead global industries. You’ll benefit from career pipelines to commercial and government research institutions, including Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories, as well as technology, aerospace and natural resource companies, including Boeing, Blue Origin, Amazon and Freeport-McMoRan.
Research Excellence
Learning at an R1 institution, you will contribute to high-level research within field environments and state-of-the-art facilities, utilize advanced technology and collaborate with reputable industrial partners, including Oak Ridge and Pacific Northwest National Laboratories, NASA Johnson Space Center, Lockheed Martin and Intel. Whether you’re designing 3D-printed batteries for space exploration, improving wearable robotics for the workplace or building autonomous aircraft, you’ll have real opportunities to better the world and shape your industry.
National Distinction and Engineering Innovation
At UTEP, you can pursue diverse, industry-driven engineering programs, including the first Engineering Innovation and Leadership program in the U.S., the only Mining Engineering Program in Texas and a federally funded Aerospace Engineering program.
Become the Loya Scholar that You Know You Are.
Start your journey to join the Fall 2027 cohort. Create a ScholarMine profile and complete the scholarship application for high school seniors.
Interested in Discovering What it Takes to Be a Loya Scholar?
If you want to learn more before you apply, fill out the form below to receive important updates and get answers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What sets the Loya Scholars Program apart as a premier STEM scholarship?
As a highly selective and competitive STEM scholarship program, the Loya Scholarship is reserved for first-time undergraduate students with an unquestionable engineering trajectory and exceptional engineering talent.
In addition to a full-ride engineering scholarship with comprehensive, multiyear benefits, the program offers a $30,000 merit-based award for scholars graduating with top honors.
Who is Mike Loya?
Miguel A. “Mike” Loya is a distinguished engineer, industry leader and prolific philanthropist. A UTEP mechanical engineering graduate, Loya earned an MBA from Harvard and went on to become a global energy executive.
Loya has a history of giving back and looking forward through an enduring partnership with UTEP. Prior to becoming the namesake of UTEP’s College of Engineering, Loya founded the Mike Loya Center for Innovation and Commerce to advance research, student development and entrepreneurship.
Now, through his visionary scholarship program and the largest gift in UTEP history, Loya is continuing to change the face of engineering by investing in the next generation of elite STEM students who will carry that legacy forward.
How can students prepare to become Loya Scholars?
As a future Loya Scholar, you are confident in your future as an engineer and actively preparing for your field.
- Keep Leading: Continue active involvement in academic clubs, STEM-informed education, leadership roles and community service.
- Keep Preparing: Learn about the Miguel A. Loya College of Engineering and select the degree program that will elevate your future career.
- Stay Connected: Fill out the inquiry form to receive emails and stay informed on important program updates and deadlines.
What type of extracurricular experience is valuable for the Loya Scholars application?
You are a strong candidate for the Loya Scholarship if you are a well-rounded student with evident achievements and activities that demonstrate leadership, ambition and preparedness to pursue an engineering degree.
Activities may include academic clubs such as student government and STEM-based competitions or extracurriculars like athletic teams and community volunteerism.
