Aftermarket scholarships applications now open

Scholarship applications for the 2022-2023 school year are now being accepted by the University of the Aftermarket Foundation (UAF).

Applicants can go to the foundation’s Automotive Aftermarket Scholarship Central website. Candidates have until March 31, 2022, to apply. Scholarships from UAF and more than 40 donor organizations are available.

In just one application, candidates — students interested in a career in the automotive aftermarket — can be considered for more than one scholarship, so long as they qualify. For this school year, one in five winners received more than one scholarship, noted said Danielle Sonnefeld, trustee and chair of the UAF scholarship committee.

“We recently awarded 427 scholarships totalling a record $706,250 for the current academic year and expect to award over 500 scholarships for the 2022-23 school year, so start your application now,” she urged.

To be considered, applicants must be planning to attend a full-time program at an accredited two or four-year college or university, or an ASE/NATEF certified post-secondary automotive, collision or heavy-duty vocational program. In addition to technician training, qualified candidates may pursue other career paths including engineering, IT/cybersecurity, sales and marketing, supply chain, accounting, finance and others.

“Since the aftermarket’s scholarship program was introduced 25 years ago, more than 5,700 students have been awarded scholarships totalling nearly $6 million,” said UAF chairman Bob Egan.  “This important program has helped make it possible for deserving young people to become the professionals and future leaders our industry needs to prosper and be competitive.”