Program Overview

Introduction to the PASS-CS Program

The Path to Achieving Success and Sense of Belonging in Computer Science (PASS-CS) is an NSF S-STEM scholarship program at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). This program aims to support undergraduate students pursuing degrees in Computer Science.

Program Details

The PASS-CS program will support three cohorts of 8-10 Computer Science undergraduate students, totaling 28 scholars and 112 scholarships. Each scholar is supported for four consecutive academic years at up to $15,000/year and is part of a cohort immersed in several activities to support the transition to college, navigating WPI, and graduating with a Bachelor of Science from WPI.

Program Components

The PASS-CS Grant includes:

• Up to $15,000 scholarship covering unmet need (guaranteed for up to 4 years)
• A Two-Part Extended Immersion Program with early arrival, consisting of:
  • Summer Mini Bridge: geared towards developing relationships with other students and faculty, academic preparation, goal setting, mentoring, and familiarity with the university
  • Participation in Connections Program: incorporates social engagement, academic success, and identity development opportunities to ease the transition into the WPI community
• Faculty-led mentoring and academic support
• Shared academic experience where students are registered together for the same set of courses during the first two terms (where applicable)
• Near-peer tutoring and mentoring with Computer Science and Math students
• Weekly events focused on professional development topics
• Additional support for research and career development experiences
• Continued programs and support from grant personnel through all 4 years at WPI

Eligibility and Application

Eligible students receive an email from the PASS-CS team notifying them that they are eligible to apply for the PASS-CS Scholarship program. Eligible students must complete a short application indicating their interest in participating in the program. The review committee will make decisions and notify the awardees.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How do I apply? Eligible students will be notified and must complete a short application.
• Must you enroll in WPI before learning about eligibility for the PASS-CS Program? Yes, this program is only available to students after they indicate their commitment to attend WPI.
• How do you know if you are Pell eligible? Pell eligibility rules are set by the federal government, and the Financial Aid office will identify those who are eligible.

NSF Award

The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded WPI a $2.5 million grant to support 3 cohorts of Pell-eligible computer science students. Over its six-year duration, this project will award a total of 112 scholarships to 28 talented undergraduate students pursuing degrees in computer science at WPI.