This program provides scholarships for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines to low-income, academically talented students with demonstrated financial need. The program helps low-income students to enter the STEM workforce or graduate study following associate, baccalaureate, or graduate degrees in STEM. Awards are made in two strands:
Strand 1: S-STEM Institutional Capacity Building to increase participation of institutions with limited experience with designing and conducting relevant activities.
Strand 2: S-STEM Design and Development to leverage S-STEM funds with institutional efforts and infrastructure to increase recruitment, retention, student success, and degree attainment in STEM.

Funding agency particularly encourages proposals from two-year institutions, minority serving institutions, historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, tribal colleges, and rural institutions.
Strand 1 applicants can submit one proposal, either as a single institution or as part of a consortia.