Educator Arduino Scholarship Presented by Qualcomm

Educator Arduino Scholarship — FAQ

• Who is eligible to apply?

  This scholarship is open to middle and high school teachers, afterschool program leaders, club sponsors, librarians, STEM educators, and other adult mentors supporting students in grades 6–12.

• What will selected educators receive?

  Selected educators will receive a classroom set of Arduino boards. Educators can apply for between 5–30 boards per educator, depending on classroom need, student participation plans, and available program resources.

• Can individual students apply?
  No. This scholarship is designed for educators to apply on behalf of students or student teams. Students interested in using Arduino for the Congressional App Challenge should ask a teacher, club sponsor, or school-based educator to apply.
• Do students need to participate in the Congressional App Challenge?
  Yes. Arduino boards awarded through this scholarship must support students or student teams committed to submitting a project to the 2026 Congressional App Challenge.
• Does every student need their own Arduino board?
  Not necessarily. Educators may request the number of boards that best fits their classroom or team structure. Some students may work individually, while others may share boards as part of a team.
• What kinds of projects can students build?
  Students can build any eligible Congressional App Challenge project that uses Arduino in a meaningful way. Examples may include environmental monitors, accessibility tools, smart home prototypes, health and wellness devices, agriculture sensors, robotics projects, or apps that connect software to real-world data.
• Do students or educators need prior Arduino experience?
  No. Prior Arduino experience is helpful but not required. The scholarship is designed to help more classrooms and student programs get started with physical computing.
• Will educators receive curriculum support?
  Yes. Educators who receive the scholarship will also receive resources and support from Qualcomm to help them introduce Arduino to students and incorporate it into Congressional App Challenge projects.
• How will applications be evaluated?
  Applications will be reviewed based on demonstrated need, student impact, geographic distribution, school and regional context, and the educator’s plan to incorporate Arduino into Congressional App Challenge projects.
• When do applications close? When will educators be notified?
  Applications will close Wednesday, July 22nd. Applicants will be notified by August 14th and receive their Arduino Boards by August 22nd.
• When is the Congressional App Challenge deadline?
  The 2026 Congressional App Challenge deadline is October 26, 2026, at 12 PM ET.
• Are educators required to submit reports?
  Educators may be asked to provide light-touch updates and complete a survey regarding student participation, project themes, and how the Arduino boards were used. CAC and Qualcomm may also invite select classrooms to participate in optional storytelling opportunities.
• Will selected classrooms be featured publicly?
  Some classrooms may be invited to participate in optional spotlights, classroom profiles, local media stories, or short video features. Participation in these opportunities is optional.
• Is there a cost to apply?
  No. There is no cost to apply for the scholarship.
• Can homeschool, charter, private, or public school educators apply?
  Yes, as long as the educator is working with eligible middle or high school students who plan to participate in the Congressional App Challenge.
• Can an educator apply for fewer than five boards or more than 30?
  The standard award range is expected to be 5–30 boards. Educators should request the number that best matches their student participation plan. Requests outside that range may be considered based on available resources, but are not guaranteed.
• Do students keep the boards?
  Yes. Arduino boards awarded through the scholarship are intended to be distributed to individual students participating in the Congressional App Challenge. 

  
  

  The boards may not be retained as classroom sets or kept by schools, classrooms, educators, or programs. To ensure broad and fair access, each participating student may receive no more than one board.

  
  

  Educators receiving scholarship awards will be responsible for distributing the boards to eligible students or student team members and confirming that the boards support student participation in the Challenge.

  
  
• Where can students learn more about the Congressional App Challenge?
  Students can learn more at the Congressional App Challenge website and by checking whether their congressional district is participating in the current Challenge cycle.