MPE Scholarship Program

Deadline is February 5, 2027

The MPE Scholarship Program consists of three categories:

ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION: This is the standard scholarship for college-bound students or those continuing in their post-secondary education. It has a total annual available fund of up to $75,000.
TRADE SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION: This category will help students seeking education and/or certification in various trade programs, many of which provide workers in fields that are in high demand for our area. It has a total annual available fund of up to $25,000.
ELECTRIC-INDUSTRY SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION: This category will support students seeking a career field in the electric industry, including linemen, engineer, staker, GIS, electrician, accountant, etc. It has a total annual available fund of up to $25,000.

Two Ag-based scholarships will be awarded annually from the categories listed above for high school students from farming, ranching, agriculture, and 4-H families pursuing post-secondary education in agriculture, energy, trades or technical fields. Introduced in June 2025, this new category supports rural youth from agricultural backgrounds, helping them pursue education and careers that contribute to the long-term strength of rural industries, including agriculture, energy, and natural resource management. This is a part of MPE's New ERA Community Benefits Plan.

Each of the three categories listed above provides single-year scholarships from MPE's unclaimed capital fund. They are available for traditional (enrolling in college directly following graduation from a high school within MPE's service territory) and continuing or returning students.

Because college students are facing rising costs for tuition and expenses, the individual scholarship amounts were increased starting in 2024 to be a minimum of $2,500 and up to $10,000.

Award recipients are determined by a scholarship committee, while MPE staff review the Trade School and Electric-Industry applications that come in following the spring application deadline as long as funds remain available.

The criteria include how compelling and impactful each applicant’s required essay is, along with academic performance, community involvement, and work experience.

Applicants entering college/trade-school directly after high school (“Traditional Applicants”), are required to have completed high school within MPE’s service territory. Applicants other than Traditional Applicants must prove residency within the territory when applying. See the full Scholarship Program Policy.

Note: If you are selected as a scholarship recipient, a requirement to receive the funding is to attend MPE's Annual Meeting, usually held on a Saturday morning in late April or early May. For those with a school/athletic conflict on the date of the Annual Meeting, alternative accommodations can be made for attendance at an MPE Board Meeting during the summer.