Urban Planning Scholarships (2026) — Verified Links & Deadlines

A hand-checked list of scholarships and fellowships for Urban Planning students (undergrad, MURP/MUP, PhD).

January

Planning & the Black Community Division (APA) — Dale V. Catlin & Mel Scott Long Student Fellowships
💥 Why It Slaps: Equity-focused fellowships backing students committed to Black community planning.
💰 Amount: $1,500 (each)
⏰ Deadline: January 5 (most recent cycle)
🔗 Apply/info: https://blackcommunity.planning.org/community-outreach/fellowships/

Women & Planning Division (APA) — Student EDI Scholarship
💥 Why It Slaps: Funds students advancing equity, diversity & inclusion in planning; includes NPC experience boost.
💰 Amount: $1,000
⏰ Deadline: January 31 (most recent cycle)
🔗 Apply/info: https://women.planning.org/community-outreach/funding/equity-diversity-inclusion-scholarship/

Economic Development Division (APA) — Holzheimer Student Scholarship
💥 Why It Slaps: Recognizes standout work in economic development planning; great résumé signal.
💰 Amount: $500
⏰ Deadline: Late January (call announced in Nov; due late Jan)
🔗 Apply/info: https://economic.planning.org/awards-scholarships/scholarships/

February

APA Florida — Andre Anderson Minority Scholarship
💥 Why It Slaps: Direct support for graduate planning students from underserved groups at Florida PAB programs.
💰 Amount: $2,000
⏰ Deadline: February 7, 2025 (5pm ET; typical early-Feb cycle)
🔗 Apply/info: https://florida.planning.org/connect-apa-florida/students/minority-scholarship-application/?cmp=connect

March

Lincoln Institute of Land Policy — C. Lowell Harriss Dissertation Fellowship
💥 Why It Slaps: Premier PhD funding for research on land policy/taxation — highly relevant to urban planning scholars.
💰 Amount: $10,000
⏰ Deadline: March 3, 2025 (6:00 PM ET; annual cycle)
🔗 Apply/info: https://www.lincolninst.edu/research-fellowship-opportunities/2025/c-lowell-harriss-dissertation-fellowship-program/

April (typical)

APA Foundation — Charles Abrams Scholarship
💥 Why It Slaps: APA’s flagship Abrams award for students at five top planning programs (Columbia, Harvard GSD, MIT DUSP, The New School, UPenn).
💰 Amount: $5,000
⏰ Deadline: Varies by school nomination (typically April)
🔗 Apply/info: https://www.planning.org/foundation/scholarships/ (Charles Abrams section)

APA Foundation — Judith McManus Price Scholarship (Women & Minorities in Planning)
💥 Why It Slaps: Targets women and minority students planning public-sector careers; PAB-program enrollment required.
💰 Amount: $5,000
⏰ Deadline: Varies by APA cycle (school nominations often spring)
🔗 Apply/info: https://www.planning.org/foundation/scholarships/ (Judith McManus Price section)

May

Latinos & Planning Division (APA) — Undergraduate & Graduate Scholarships
💥 Why It Slaps: Supports Latinx planners at both undergrad and grad levels; strong community & mentorship network.
💰 Amount: $750 (each)
⏰ Deadline: May 23, 2025 (most recent cycle)
🔗 Apply/info: https://latinos.planning.org/community-outreach/scholarships/

California Planning Foundation (APA California) — Statewide Planning Student Scholarships
💥 Why It Slaps: Dozens of awards across categories; one of the largest chapter-run planning scholarship pools.
💰 Amount: Varies ($1,000–$5,000+; $80,000+ total annually)
⏰ Deadline: Opens each spring (call posted May 7, 2025 for 2025–26 cycle; due late May/early June in typical years)
🔗 Apply/info: https://www.cpfapa.org/

Summer (varies)

APA Foundation — Diversity Scholarship
💥 Why It Slaps: 20 awards to students diversifying the profession; undergrad & grad planning majors eligible (APA student membership is free).
💰 Amount: $5,000 (each; 20 scholarships in 2025 cycle)
⏰ Deadline: Recommendation letters due July 11, 2025 (application window closes early summer; check page for next cycle)
🔗 Apply/info: https://www.planning.org/foundation/scholarships/ (APA Foundation Diversity section)

APA ENRE Division — Graduate Student Fellowship
💥 Why It Slaps: Funds second-year grad planners focusing on environment, natural resources & energy — perfect for sustainability/ESG tracks.
💰 Amount: $2,500
⏰ Deadline: Annually (date varies; typically summer)
🔗 Apply/info: https://www.planning.org/scholarships/divisions/

August

APA Iowa (Upper Midwest) — DEI Scholarship Program (NPC & Regional Conference)
💥 Why It Slaps: Covers conference costs (registration/travel support) to attend APA regional & NPC — huge networking ROI.
💰 Amount: Varies (registration/travel support)
⏰ Deadline: August 22, 2025 (for 2025 Upper Midwest; NPC 2026 cycle noted)
🔗 Apply/info: https://iowa.planning.org/diversity-equity-inclusion-committee/dei-scholarship-program/

Fall (varies by NOFO / cycle)

U.S. DOT FHWA — Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship Program (DDETFP)
💥 Why It Slaps: National, merit-based fellowships (local & graduate tracks) for transportation planning and allied fields; often includes stipend/tuition support and TRB exposure.
💰 Amount: Varies (multiple awards annually)
⏰ Deadline: Varies by annual NOFO (posted on Grants.gov; check current cycle)
🔗 Apply/info: https://highways.dot.gov/careers/dwight-david-eisenhower-transportation-fellowship-program

AICP Certification — Diversity Scholarship (Exam Fee Support)
💥 Why It Slaps: Reduces cost barriers for new planners seeking the AICP credential — a strong early-career boost.
💰 Amount: Reduced exam fees (varies)
⏰ Deadline: Aligns with AICP exam windows (see page)
🔗 Apply/info: https://salesforce.planning.org/certification/scholarship/

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Additional, Always-On Planning Awards & Fellowships

APA Divisions — Centralized Scholarship & Fellowship Hub
💥 Why It Slaps: One place to discover Division-specific scholarships (e.g., Planning & Law Curtin Fellowship; ENRE; Women & Planning; Latinos & Planning; Economic Development; etc.).
💰 Amount: Varies by division ($500–$2,500+ typical)
⏰ Deadline: Rolling by division (generally Jan–Aug)
🔗 Browse: https://www.planning.org/scholarships/divisions/

APA Planning & Law Division — Daniel J. Curtin, Jr. Fellowship
💥 Why It Slaps: 10-month fellowship at the planning-law intersection; includes stipend + APA membership/NP C stipend.
💰 Amount: $2,500 total ($1,500 award + $1,000 APA membership/NPC stipend)
⏰ Deadline: Annually (most cycles due in late summer/early fall)
🔗 Apply/info: https://www.planning.org/divisions/planningandlaw/fellowship/

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Quick Picks (School/Chapter Ecosystems to Watch)

(Useful because they post multiple awards every year — link into the hub, then apply to individual awards they list.)

APA California — Scholarship Hub (plus section-level awards)
💥 Why It Slaps: Dozens of awards statewide; good odds if you’re enrolled in CA planning programs.
🔗 Info: https://www.apacalifornia.org/about-us/affiliates/california-planning-foundation/

APA Hawaii — Student Scholarship
💥 Why It Slaps: Chapter-level funding aimed at growing local planning talent.
🔗 Info: https://hawaii.planning.org/

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Funding the Next Generation of Planners: Urban Planning Scholarships in the U.S.

Urban planning is a public-facing profession with unusually high societal leverage: planners shape housing supply, transportation access, climate resilience, and economic opportunity through decisions that allocate land, infrastructure, and public resources. Yet the educational pathway into planning—typically a master’s degree from an accredited program—sits at the intersection of (1) rising graduate education costs, (2) public-sector wage structures, and (3) a demonstrated need to diversify the profession to better reflect the communities it serves. This paper synthesizes labor-market data, graduate tuition benchmarks, and field-specific education and scholarship programs to evaluate the scholarship “ecosystem” supporting urban planning students in the United States. Using evidence from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the Planning Accreditation Board (PAB), the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP), and the American Planning Association (APA), it identifies where scholarship dollars are most impactful (access, persistence, and professional credentialing), where current supports are thin (mid-program financial shocks; part-time and working students; unpaid practicum and internship costs), and how scholarship design can be optimized to improve equity and workforce readiness. We conclude with actionable recommendations for students, universities, professional associations, and philanthropic and public funders.

1. Why scholarships matter in urban planning

The social return on investing in planning talent is large because planning decisions affect long-lived assets and spatial outcomes. A single well-executed zoning reform, corridor plan, or hazard mitigation plan can influence thousands of housing units, millions in infrastructure spending, and decades of exposure to climate risk. Despite this leverage, the profession’s entry pipeline is sensitive to cost and opportunity constraints.

BLS data underscore both the stability and public-sector anchoring of the occupation. In 2024, the U.S. had 44,700 urban and regional planner jobs; median pay was $83,720; employment growth is projected at 3% from 2024–2034 with ~3,400 openings per year, and the largest employer is local government (75%). This employment structure matters because public-sector wage scales can compress early-career earnings, increasing the importance of scholarships (and paid experiential learning) to reduce reliance on debt.

2. The cost side: graduate tuition as a structural barrier

Scholarship impact can only be interpreted relative to cost. NCES reports that in academic year 2021–22, average graduate tuition and required fees were $20,513 overall, $12,596 at public institutions (in-state), and $28,017 at private institutions.

Planning master’s degrees are commonly two years. Even using these broad national averages (which exclude living expenses), a two-year tuition benchmark is approximately:

• Public (in-state): ~$25,192

• Private: ~$56,034

• Overall average: ~$41,026

Against those benchmarks, a $5,000 scholarship is not symbolic—it can represent ~20% of an in-state public two-year tuition benchmark, or ~9% of a private two-year benchmark (tuition-only). That is before considering the “hidden” costs that scholarships often fail to cover: studio materials, software, professional travel, fieldwork, licensing/credential fees, and the income foregone by reducing work hours during studio or practicum-heavy terms.

3. Supply-side realities: accredited programs and the pipeline

A scholarship ecosystem can only be effective if it is mapped to where students actually are. Planning accreditation is a major signal for employers and for program quality. As of January 1, 2025, PAB reported 80 accredited master’s programs and 16 accredited bachelor’s programs in the U.S. and Canada.

This structure implies a pipeline dominated by master’s-level training, reinforcing two scholarship priorities:

1. Graduate entry (year 0–1) affordability: deciding to enroll at all.

2. Graduate persistence (year 1–2) stability: staying enrolled through high workload and high-cost semesters.

4. Demand signals and the “counter-cyclical” planning school problem

Planning programs do not operate like purely demand-driven professional schools because enrollment is influenced by macroeconomic conditions. ACSP’s analysis of enrollment patterns describes graduate planning as “counter-cyclical,” where strong job markets can reduce graduate school demand. In a chair/director survey summarized by ACSP, 86% agreed that students choose other schools with better funding packages, and 51% agreed that planning salaries are not attractive given higher-education costs.

ACSP also documents shifts that matter for scholarship design:

• Part-time enrollments dropped 44% from 2009–2018.

• For master’s programs, combined full- and part-time enrollment averaged ~62 students (median 45), indicating many programs are small and therefore less able to “self-fund” large aid packages through scale.

• Chairs reported that, on average, 88.5% of master’s graduates find employment in planning or related fields within 1 year.

These findings point to a central scholarship paradox: planning appears to have strong placement outcomes, but prospective students remain price-sensitive due to cost and perceived salary constraints. Scholarships are therefore not just a “nice-to-have”—they are a recruitment and retention mechanism for a profession whose public benefits exceed private returns early in the career.

5. The scholarship ecosystem in practice: what exists today

Urban planning funding comes from a layered ecosystem, with distinct roles:

5.1 National professional scholarships (APA Foundation)

The APA Foundation operates some of the most visible national scholarships in U.S. planning. In the 2025 cycle, the APA Foundation Diversity Scholarship awarded 20 scholarships at $5,000 each (total $100,000). Two additional $5,000 scholarships were also offered in 2025: the Charles Abrams Scholarship (one award) and the Judith McManus Price Scholarship (one award). Across these three programs alone, the direct scholarship total in that cycle equals $110,000.

Interpretation: This is meaningful national support, but it is also limited relative to the scale of need. If even a modest fraction of planning master’s entrants require several thousand dollars to make enrollment feasible, national awards cannot cover the field by themselves; they function as catalytic signals, not comprehensive financing.

5.2 Division/interest-area micro-scholarships and fellowships (APA Divisions)

APA divisions provide smaller, targeted awards that function as “specialization accelerators.” Examples include a $2,500 ENRE fellowship for second-year graduate students, and multiple $500 awards in other divisions. These micro-awards may not transform tuition affordability alone, but they can finance field-specific barriers: conference travel, research costs, software, and time-intensive capstones.

Interpretation: In planning, specialization often drives employability (transportation, housing, resilience, economic development). Micro-scholarships strategically reduce the marginal cost of becoming “job-ready” in a niche.

5.3 Professional credentialing support (AICP)

Credentialing is a second financial hurdle after tuition. APA lists the AICP exam fee as $305 for the standard 2026 window (and the experience assessment fee is also $305). APA’s AICP Certification Scholarship provides a direct cost reduction: scholarship recipient fees are $85 (instead of $305) for program/exam registration and for the experience assessment, with 50 scholarships awarded via lottery in each application window described.

Additionally, the APA Women & Planning Division provides flexible AICP funding awards with published maximums, including up to $305 for exam registration, up to $305 for the AICP application/experience assessment fee, and up to $300 for exam preparation support.

Interpretation: Credential scholarships are highly efficient. They directly remove a discrete “paywall” that can delay advancement—especially for early-career planners in local government who may have limited discretionary income.

6. Where the funding gaps are largest

A doctorate-level view of scholarships requires identifying not only what exists, but what is systematically underfunded.

Gap A: “Persistence funding” for the middle of the program

Many scholarships are front-loaded (incoming or first-year). But financial crises often occur mid-program: studio-heavy semesters limit work hours; practicum requirements can conflict with paid employment; unexpected expenses arise (moving for internships, fieldwork travel). Scholarship models that disburse only once, or only at entry, can fail when it matters most—during the retention crunch.

Design implication: Scholarships should consider staged disbursement tied to milestones (e.g., completion of core methods + studio; placement in a practicum; thesis/capstone completion).

Gap B: Support for part-time, working, and caregiving students

ACSP’s documented decline in part-time enrollments suggests structural stress for students who cannot exit the labor force. The planning curriculum often assumes flexibility for meetings, charrettes, or community engagement outside business hours—ironically creating barriers for the very students most likely to bring grounded, community-based experience.

Design implication: Aid eligibility criteria should explicitly include nontraditional attendance patterns, and fund childcare, transit, and technology—not only tuition.

Gap C: Paid experiential learning (internships, practicums, studio fieldwork)

Planning employers value applied experience: GIS competence, community facilitation, policy analysis, and regulatory familiarity. Yet many internships remain underpaid or unpaid in some regions, and studio fieldwork can add costs. When experiential learning is unfunded, access becomes stratified by family resources.

Design implication: Treat “paid practice” as an equity intervention. Scholarships that bundle stipend + placement (or partner with agencies for paid internships) reduce inequity more than tuition-only awards.

Gap D: Equity goals without measurement infrastructure

Scholarships frequently state diversity and inclusion aims (as APA does explicitly in its scholarship framing). But without transparent metrics—retention, time-to-degree, placement quality, early-career wage progression, credential attainment—programs cannot learn which designs work.

Design implication: Scholarship providers should fund evaluation as part of the scholarship budget (even a lightweight annual outcomes survey can transform program learning).

7. A quantitative way to think about “scholarship ROI” in planning

Scholarships in planning should be evaluated as a mix of private and public returns:

• Private return: lower debt, reduced work hours during school, faster entry to stable employment.

• Public return: improved planning capacity in local governments (75% of jobs), better plan quality, more equitable community engagement, and more representative decision-making.

A simple heuristic: If a $5,000 scholarship increases the probability that a student completes a planning master’s degree (and enters a high-impact public role), the downstream value can dwarf the initial cost. The BLS indicates thousands of openings annually, and planners’ work affects high-cost domains: housing, transportation, and hazard mitigation. In this context, scholarship programs are not merely student aid—they are workforce and governance capacity investments.

8. Recommendations

8.1 For students (how to build a “stacked funding plan”)

1. Start with accreditation leverage: prioritize PAB-accredited programs where possible and search for department-controlled fellowships (often larger than external awards).

2. Layer national + division scholarships: combine APA Foundation awards (large, competitive) with division micro-awards (specialization-aligned).

3. Budget for credentialing early: treat AICP fees as part of your education financing plan and apply for credential scholarships that convert $305 fees to $85.

4. Target persistence funding: if your program allows, pursue second-year fellowships aligned with your concentration (environment, economic development, planning law) and negotiate staged aid with your department when possible.

8.2 For universities and planning departments

1. Shift aid to retention points: allocate a portion of aid specifically for the second year or for high-cost studio/practicum terms.

2. Fund paid placements: co-design paid internships with local governments and MPOs; treat them as recruitment pipelines for public service.

3. Reduce the “information barrier”: ACSP notes many students don’t know about planning as a field; combine scholarships with outreach and bridge programs (community college pathways, undergraduate “intro to planning” modules).

8.3 For professional associations, foundations, and public agencies

1. Scale credential scholarships: small-dollar fee supports can unlock advancement and diversify leadership; they’re also simple to administer.

2. Convert micro-awards into “capstone completion grants”: $500–$2,500 awards are most powerful when aimed at specific completion barriers (software, travel, data purchase, childcare during capstone crunch).

3. Measure outcomes: require a short annual follow-up (completion status, job type, sector, credential pursuit) to learn what scholarship designs are most effective.

9. Conclusion

Urban planning scholarships occupy a distinctive policy space: they are simultaneously educational subsidies, workforce development tools, and investments in democratic governance capacity. Data suggest a stable occupation anchored in local government, with consistent annual openings and a median wage that can support a middle-class life—but often under public-sector pay constraints. Meanwhile, graduate tuition levels remain high enough to deter or derail talented candidates, especially those from underrepresented and lower-income backgrounds.

The current scholarship ecosystem—anchored by APA Foundation awards, division micro-scholarships, and credentialing supports—demonstrates a viable multi-layer architecture. The strongest next step is not merely “more scholarships,” but better designed scholarships: staged persistence funding, explicit support for working/caregiving students, paid experiential learning, and routine outcome measurement. If implemented, these reforms would improve both equity and capacity in a profession that helps determine whether communities become more affordable, resilient, and opportunity-rich over time.

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FAQs — Urban Planning Scholarships (2026)

Q1) What counts as an “Urban Planning” major for scholarship purposes?
Awards typically accept Urban/City & Regional Planning (BUP/MUP/MURP), Urban Studies, Community & Regional Planning, Transport Planning, Housing/Real Estate Development (policy-oriented), Environmental/Regional Planning, and Planning-adjacent pathways (Geography with planning/GIS focus, Public Policy with urban concentration). If you’re “pre-major,” a statement of intent or proof of admission usually works.

Q2) I’m a high school senior. Are there planning-specific scholarships for me?
A few chapter/community-based awards support incoming freshmen, but most “planning” awards target current undergrads or grad students. HS seniors should combine (a) local planning/APA chapter awards that allow incoming students, (b) city/county foundation scholarships tied to civic leadership, (c) GIS/geo/spatial awards, and (d) broader STEM/public-service funds.

Q3) Do I need to be in a PAB-accredited program to qualify?
Many national planning awards prefer or require enrollment in an accredited planning program; others don’t. Read eligibility carefully. If your school has a “Planning” program inside Geography or Public Policy, look for wording like “planning-related field” or “urban studies with a planning focus.”

Q4) Are non-U.S. citizens or DACA students eligible?
It varies. Some APA division/chapter awards are school-agnostic and citizen-status-agnostic; others require U.S. citizenship or permanent residency. When in doubt, email the scholarship contact before you invest time—ask specifically about DACA/International eligibility.

Q5) Typical deadlines by season?

• Winter (Jan–Feb): Many APA division awards and chapter DEI funds open/close here.
• Spring (Mar–May): Major research fellowships and large chapter programs run.
• Summer (Jun–Aug): Foundation diversity and division fellowships; some travel grants.
• Fall: Federal/transportation fellowships and exam-fee support tied to AICP windows.

Q6) What GPA do I need?
Common floor is 2.5–3.0+. Competitive national awards trend higher; chapter awards may be more flexible if your application shows impact (studio work, community engagement, planning internships).

Q7) What materials do planning scholarships usually require?

• Short essays (purpose, equity/impact, career goals)
• Résumé (include studio projects, GIS, codes/ordinances coursework, public meetings)
• Unofficial transcript
• 1–2 recommendations (professor, studio lead, planning supervisor)
• Proof of major/admission (offer letter or degree audit)
• Optional: portfolio (maps, before/after site plans, public engagement artifacts), policy brief, or poster.

Q8) How do I show “planning impact” in my essays?
Tell one crisp story with measurable outcomes: e.g., “Led 6-block walkability audit; 42 crosswalk defects logged; city fixed 11 by August.” Tie it to planning competencies (equity, engagement, land use, mobility, climate, housing).

Q9) I’m in Architecture/Environmental Science/GIS—can I still apply?
Often yes, if your coursework/practicum centers on planning practice (site planning, zoning, community engagement, transportation, housing policy, hazard mitigation, or GIS for planning). Make the nexus explicit in your essays and résumé bullets.

Q10) How competitive are national vs. chapter awards?
National = bigger audience, higher bar, stronger brand signal. Chapter/division = smaller applicant pools, great odds, and networking perks (mentors, conference travel). Apply to both.

Q11) Do I need the GRE for grad-level planning scholarships?
Scholarships rarely require GRE. Some MURP/MUP programs have optional or waived GRE. Scholarships care more about your statement, community experience, and fit with the award’s mission.

Q12) Can part-time or online planning students apply?
Many awards allow part-time or online if you meet credit/enrollment minimums. Check fine print for “full-time” language and ask the contact person when unclear.

Q13) How do I verify a scholarship is legit?
Use this 3-step check:

1. The URL is an official organization/school/chapter/foundation (not a generic aggregator).
2. The page lists a current cycle with dates/requirements.
3. A contact email matches the org’s domain. If any fail, email the org or your department chair to confirm before applying.

Q14) What if the new cycle dates aren’t posted yet?
Apply last cycle’s month-pattern as your planning calendar and prep materials in advance. Most reputable awards run annually with similar windows; set alerts and check weekly during the prior month.

Q15) Tips to win planning-specific awards?

• Align your project/essay to the funder’s mission (equity, EDI, climate, housing, mobility, land policy, economic development).
• Include community voices: meeting notes, quotes, photos (with permission).
• Show skills in action: GIS layers, zoning text you drafted, design alternatives, stakeholder maps.
• Quantify impact; include before/after visuals where permitted.

Q16) Where do I find “hidden” planning scholarships?

• APA chapters/divisions/sections (many small awards).
• Regional planning commissions, MPOs, transit agencies.
• City/county foundations and neighborhood associations (civic leadership).
• University planning departments & alumni councils (internal scholarships).
• Environmental justice, housing advocacy, and mobility nonprofits.

Q17) Does conference travel funding count as a scholarship?
Yes—many division/chapter funds cover registration/travel for APA/NPC or regional conferences. Treat them like micro-scholarships that also unlock mentorship and recruiting opportunities.

Q18) How should I format a planning portfolio for scholarships?
Keep it 8–12 pages max (PDF): project title, problem, your role, methods (GIS/engagement/policy), results (metrics), and 1–2 visuals per project. Use alt-text and clear legends. Link only if the application allows external files.

Q19) Are there service or post-award requirements?
Some require a short report, a blog, presenting at a chapter meeting, or volunteering at a conference. Put those on your résumé—it’s extra signal.

Q20) How do I track multiple deadlines without missing one?
Build a simple tracker with: award name, eligibility, amount, month, required docs, status, and reminder dates (two weeks and 72 hours before due). Export reminders to your calendar. (Want a downloadable tracker + .ics? Say the word and I’ll generate both.)

Q21) Can I stack multiple awards?
Usually yes, but notify your financial aid office; some awards will adjust to avoid exceeding cost of attendance.

Q22) What if my major changes after I win?
Tell the sponsor. Some allow a related field switch; others may rescind. If you shift to a non-planning path, apply for broader public-service or policy scholarships next cycle.