AWS, in partnership with Intel and Udacity, has a new scholarship program to prepare students for careers in artificial intelligence and machine learning. Aimed at "under-represented and under-served" high school and college students, there are 2,000 places on Udacity's AI Programming with Python Nanodegree program. The entry requirements are via the AWS DeepRacer Student program.

Explaining the focus of the new AWS AI & ML Scholarship Program, Udacity states:

While job opportunities in technology are growing, women, LGBTQ+ people, people with disability, and people of color are underrepresented in science and technology careers. For example, female workers make up an estimated 26% of workers in Data and AI roles, according to The Future of Gender Parity report by the World Economic Forum.

Accordingly students over the age of 16 and currently enrolled in high school or higher institutions around the globe who identify with one or more of the under-represented and under-served groups are invited to apply.

The first step in the application process is to enrol in AWS DeepRacer Student. This is a new student division of the popular AWS DeepRacer program, a cloud-based 3D car racing simulator that since 2018 has provided a fun way to learn about machine learning.

Of course, you don't have to be part of an under-represented and under-served group to join in AWS DeepRacer Student. Courtesy of Intel, it lets all students access 20 hours of AWS AI & ML content and receive 10 hours of model training, and 5 GB of storage per month to participate in the AWS DeepRacer Student League.  And if you are not a student you can join in the AWS DeepRacer League which also includes 10 hours of model training that you can undertake during the one-month Free Tier. 

You don't need an AWS account to use AWS DeepRacer Student. Your AWS DeepRacer Student account is separate from an AWS account and doesn’t require a credit card.  At the end of each month, the top 2 racers on the leaderboard will advance to the AWS DeepRacer Student League Finale, which awards prizes:

1st Place - $1,000 USD towards tuition
2nd Place - $500 USD towards tuition

1st - 8th Place - AWS DeepRacer Car

The top three winners will have the opportunity to go on to DeepRacer League Championships at re:Invent 2022 Las Vegas which has a top prize of $5,000 USD towards tuition.

In the past Udacity has run its own preparatory training courses for the selection phase of its scholarship programs. In the case of the AWS AI & ML Scholarship, it is using AWS DeepRacer. Applicants can access 20 hours of free training modules and tutorials on the basics of machine learning which is then put into practice training ML models that drive a virtual race car. To prequalify for the Udacity scholarships students need to achieve a score of 80% or better on all learning module quizzes on AWS DeepRacer Student while learning about the foundations of ML and complete a time trial lap in less than 3 minutes on any AWS DeepRacer Student League track. Successful students will receive a unique code to complete their scholarship application, which entails writing an essay.

Udacity is planning to award 2,000 students with a scholarship for the AI Programming with Python Nanodegree, a 4-month program that teaches the foundational skills for obtaining a career in AI & ML. Tuition takes place in collaborative virtual class environment with mentorship from Udacity, Amazon, and Intel advisers. 1,000 students will be accepted for a summer cohort participating in the program starting July 27, 2002 and a second application round, starting July 4th will select a winter cohort of another 1000 students.  All 2,000 students will have the opportunity to attend monthly virtual mentoring events with industry experts.

The top 500 performing students in this Nanodegree will be eligible to earn a second scholarship for an advanced Udacity Nanodegree specifically curated for the AI & ML scholarship recipients. Students in the advanced Nanodegree will also receive one-to-one mentoring from AWS and Intel experts to further prepare them in their career journey. 

Applications have just opened  at awsaimlscholarship.com for the first cohort of 1,000 students and the deadline is July 13th.  

If you don't meet the eligibility criteria for the scholarship there is currently a 3-month AI Programming with Python Nanodegree the pre-requisites for which as are basic algebra and programming knowledge.

More Information

AWS AI & ML Scholarship program (AWS)

AWS AI & ML Scholarship Program (Udacity)

AWS DeepRacer Student 

AI Programming with Python Nanodegree

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