A new scholarship for students pursuing a master’s degree in engineering at the University of Texas at Dallas will be available starting next year, according to a news release from the university.

What you need to know

The scholarship—launched by the North Texas Semiconductor Institute, or NTxSI, at UT Dallas—will provide students with financial and professional development opportunities to build a career in the semiconductor industry, including:

• Tuition help
• A stipend
• Industry-relevant curriculum
• Summer research opportunities
• Access to a network of industry mentors

The institute’s MS Scholar Program aims to address an ongoing demand for highly skilled engineers in the semiconductor industry, as its workforce is projected to grow significantly by 2030, according to assistant director Eden Zielinski.

Applicants must be accepted into a UT Dallas engineering master’s degree program, including materials science and engineering, electrical engineering or mechanical engineering.

The program will support 20 full-time students beginning in 2026 and 2027, with 10 in each academic year. Applications will be accepted through Jan. 15, and recipients will be notified in March, according to the release.

Some context

UT Dallas opened the institute in 2023 to accelerate research on semiconductor technology and develop its workforce in North Texas.

Challenges affecting the physical capabilities of integrated circuit technology and a growing onshore manufacturing effort will lead to “unprecedented demand” for high-skilled engineers in this industry, Rick Wise, NTxSI research affiliate, said in the release.

“This master’s program is specifically designed to give students more expertise that will be valuable to meeting this industry need and advancing semiconductor technology,” Wise said.

The scholarships will be funded by the Texas Institute of Electronics, a consortium of state and local governments, semiconductor companies, national labs and academic institutions.