SPIE's main scholarship programme for students studying optics, photonics, or a related discipline, open to SPIE Student Members anywhere in the world at high school, community and technical college, undergraduate, and graduate level. Individual awards range from US$3,000 to US$11,000 and may be applied to tuition, fees, books, supplies, and required equipment. In 2026 SPIE awarded US$351,000 across 85 recipients, selected on their potential contribution to the field.