Amazon has announced the addition of 500 new scholarships for 2026 under its Amazon Future Engineer (AFE) program in India. The initiative is designed to provide female engineering students from low-income families with financial assistance, mentorship, and career opportunities in the technology sector. With this recent expansion, the global computer science education program now supports 2,000 active scholars in the country.
The announcement was made alongside the inaugural Together India Summit. It aligns with Amazon’s broader initiatives, including “Together at Amazon” and “In This Together,” which focus on skills development, workplace support, and creating accessible career pathways for students and communities.
Scholarship Benefits and Structure
The AFE scholarship is targeted at female students from low-income backgrounds who are pursuing B.E. or B.Tech degrees in computer science or allied disciplines. The program provides comprehensive support beyond tuition:
- Financial Aid: ₹2 lakh distributed over the four-year degree program.
- Hardware: A laptop provided to each scholar.
- Skill Development: Access to technical bootcamps and webinars hosted by Amazon Women of the World (WoW).
- Mentorship: One-on-one guidance from working Amazon engineers.
- Industry Experience: Paid eight-week internship opportunities at Amazon following the students’ second year of study.
Program Outcomes and Graduate Placement
The AFE program was initially launched in 2022 with a cohort of 200 scholars and was expanded to offer 500 annual scholarships starting in 2023. Applicants are selected through an evaluation of academic merit, financial need, and leadership potential.
The program’s first graduating cohort in 2025 reported an 89% placement rate, with graduates securing positions at Fortune 500 companies, including Amazon itself. To date, approximately 400 scholars have completed internships across various technical roles at Amazon, with more scheduled to begin as newer cohorts reach eligibility.
Demographic Reach and Regional Impact
The scholarship program heavily features first-generation college students from underserved regions, particularly tier-2 and tier-3 cities. Recent graduates who have transitioned into the technology workforce include:
- Sreya Mula (Telangana) – Software Development Engineer
- Keerthi Sankara (Andhra Pradesh) – Cloud Support Associate
- Anjali Ashtake (Nagpur, Maharashtra) – Graduate Analyst at Deutsche Bank
Broader Educational Investments
Since 2022, Amazon has invested approximately ₹50 crore (USD 6 million) into the AFE program to build a structured pathway for young women entering the tech industry. The initiative is implemented in partnership with the Foundation for Excellence, while technical training and internship preparation are delivered by NavGurukul.
In addition to its higher education scholarships, the broader Amazon Future Engineer program has reached 4.8 million students across more than 50,000 government schools in India between 2021 and 2025, focusing on foundational computer science and artificial intelligence education.
Regarding this, Candi Castleberry, Vice President of Amazon eXperiences and Upskilling, said:
Every student deserves the opportunity to discover their potential. With the Amazon Future Engineer Scholarships, we’re investing in the leaders who will shape the future of work—the talented, determined students in communities across India.