Nordson BUILDS Scholarship Program (Nordson BUILDS):
Building Success in Education and Career
Welcome to the Nordson BUILDS Scholarship Program (Nordson BUILDS) home page!
At Nordson, we believe it’s our responsibility to make a positive impact in the communities where we live and work. We do that in many ways, including support for education to ensure students in our communities have access to opportunities to build a brighter future for themselves.
The mission of Nordson BUILDS is to attract and develop a diverse, highly skilled talent pool for careers in the manufacturing industry. It is designed to help bright and motivated students access and complete post-secondary education by lessening the financial barriers of enrolling in college for many and decreasing the loan burden for individuals that apply for financial aid. Students must demonstrate financial need by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or equivalent to be eligible to receive a Nordson BUILDS Scholarship.
Manufacturers need engineers, scientists, production technicians, lawyers, financial analysts, IT specialists, accountants, salespeople, marketing and human resource professionals: all types of bright and talented people to succeed.
These manufacturing industry scholarships are targeted at individuals whose permanent residence or college is near a Nordson facility, and are pursuing majors in manufacturing, engineering-related STEM disciplines, or business leading to a career in industry and corporate America. Scholarships ranging from $4,000 to $10,000 will be awarded to students planning to enroll or already enrolled in an accredited public or private not-for-profit postsecondary institution including a 4-year college/university, 2-year community college or trade school.
Selection will be based on an overall assessment of academic performance, leadership skills, character, community service, school involvement, and the applicant's career/college major fit.
Nordson delivers innovative precision technology solutions to our customers, helping them succeed and adding value to countless products people use every day. Collaboration drives our success as a market leader, an employer of choice and an outstanding corporate citizen. Our employees thrive in a team environment where we enable each other to continuously improve and grow. In each of our interactions, we strive to bring integrity, respect for others, passion, energy and excellence.
Nordson Corporation has partnered with OFIC’s (Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges) Scholarship Management Resources (SMR), an independent scholarship services provider to manage the scholarship program, including selecting the recipients. This ensures a fair and objective-based selection process. The number of recipients will be determined by the number of applications received and the quality of the applications.
Children/dependents of Nordson employees are also eligible to apply.
The Nordson BUILDS scholarship application is available online between January 15 and May 15 each year.
The application is now closed.
Please see the frequently asked questions (FAQs) below.
Please contact with questions to scholarships@ofic.org
Online application will be available January 15th, 2027.
Nordson Locations
Below, is a list of cities where Nordson offices and/or production facilities are located and relevant majors hired at those locations. Nordson BUILDS scholarship winners may also apply for summer internship positions in select locations. Nordson has a limited number of summer internships each year for which BUILDS Scholars may apply.
Nordson Locations Across the United States
Arab, Alabama – Engineering, Manufacturing majors
Carlsbad, California – Engineering, Manufacturing, Business (Accounting, Finance Marketing, Sales, Supply Chain) majors
Huntington Beach, California – Engineering (Biomedical, Mechanical, Industrial) majors
Ventura, California –Engineering, Manufacturing majors
Loveland, Colorado – Engineering (Biomedical, Mechanical, Industrial), Manufacturing, Business (Accounting, Finance, Supply Chain) majors
Norwich, Connecticut - Engineering (Biomedical, Mechanical, Industrial), Manufacturing, Business majors
St. Petersburg, Florida – Engineering, Manufacturing majors
Duluth, Georgia – Engineering, Manufacturing, IT, Business (Supply Chain, Accounting, Finance, Marketing) majors
Swainsboro, Georgia – Engineering, Manufacturing majors
Elk Grove Village, Illinois – Engineering, Manufacturing majors
Wixom, Michigan – Engineering, Manufacturing majors
Minneapolis, Minnesota – Engineering (Mechanical, Industrial), Manufacturing, and Business (Finance, Accounting, Supply Chain, Operations) majors
Salem, New Hampshire – Engineering (Biomedical, Mechanical, Industrial), Business (Accounting, Finance, Supply Chain, Sales, Marketing) majors
Hickory, North Carolina –Engineering majors
Amherst, Ohio – Engineering, Manufacturing, IT, Business majors (Finance, Accounting, Marketing, Human Resources, Supply Chain) majors
Austintown, Ohio – Engineering, Manufacturing majors
Dayton, Ohio – Engineering, Manufacturing, Business (Accounting, Finance, Marketing, Sales, Supply Chain) majors
Westlake, Ohio (Headquarters) – Business (Accounting, Finance, Marketing/Communications), Purchasing, Product Development and Quality majors
Easton, Pennsylvania – Engineering, Manufacturing majors
East Providence, Rhode Island – Engineering, Manufacturing, Business (Accounting, Finance, Marketing, Sales) majors
Clinton, South Carolina – Engineering, Manufacturing, IT, Business (Finance, Accounting, Marketing, Human Resource, Supply Chain) majors
Chattanooga, Tennessee - Engineering (Biomedical, Mechanical, Industrial, Quality), Manufacturing majors
Allen, Texas – Engineering, Manufacturing and Sales majors
Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin – Engineering, Manufacturing, Business (Accounting, Finance) majors
Q&A’s
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Complete the online application on the Nordson BUILDS Scholarship Program (Nordson BUILDS) website (www.ofic.org/smr/nordson) by clicking " begin online application". It is not necessary to apply to each scholarship individually (CEIS, CTS, USS).
The deadline for submission of the online application includes uploading of your academic transcript, one letter of recommendation, resume, and a copy of your 2026-27 student financial aid award letter or FAFSA Submission Summary (formerly SAR) or financial ad letter by May 15, 2026.
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CTS:
Applicants must be enrolled in a credit-based certificate or associate degrees at an accredited community college or technical school. Preferred programs of study include Engineering (Electrical, Industrial, Mechanical, or Software), Engineering Technology, Information Technology, Machining, and Manufacturing Operations.
USS:
Applicants must be pursuing careers in manufacturing, engineering, STEM, and business leading to a career in industry and Corporate America. Preferred programs of study include Engineering, Engineering-related disciplines, Manufacturing Operations, Supply Chain Management, Marketing, Accounting, Finance, Industrial Management, Information Technology, and STEM majors leading to a career in industry.
CEIS:
Students pursuing studies in manufacturing, STEM, or business fields that lead to careers in industry and Corporate sectors, who have high financial need as determined by the FAFSA. Preferred programs of study include Engineering, Engineering-related disciplines, Manufacturing Operations, Supply Chain Management, Marketing, Accounting, Finance, Industrial Management, Information Technology, and STEM majors leading to a career in industry.
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Selection will be based on an overall assessment of academic performance, leadership skills, character, community service, school involvement, and the applicant's career/college major fit. You must demonstrate financial need by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or equivalent in order to be considered for a Nordson BUILDS Scholarship.
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All applicants will be notified of the final results by July 1, 2026 via email.
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Award funds will be distributed directly to the scholars' institutions at the end of July 2026. It is the student’s responsibility to make payment arrangements with their institution.
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No, Nordson BUILDS Scholars must re-apply for consideration each year and along with the other required materials.
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Yes. Your personally identifiable information is kept secure. Only OFIC authorized employees and agents (who have agreed to keep information secure and confidential) have access to this information. To protect the information being gathered, the scholarship application site has security measures in place including firewalls, encryption, and authenticated access to internal databases where needed.
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Yes, students with an F-1 or M-1 visa may apply for a BUILDS Scholarship. International students do not have to provide the FAFSA Submission Summary to demonstrate financial need, though they should upload a financial award letter from their campus or tuition statement that shows their expected cost of attendance. Special consideration will be given to F-1 or M-1 students planning to apply for STEM OPT.
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Yes, graduate students may be considered for the USS or CEIS awards (see above), particularly if their majors or career paths are in alignment with the Nordson Corporation.
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Founded in 1954 in Amherst, Ohio, Nordson Corporation delivers precision technology solutions to help customers succeed worldwide. Over the course of its more than 50 years in business, Nordson Corporation has grown from a local company with sales under $1 million, to a multinational organization with sales in excess of $2 billion and direct operations in more than 30 countries.
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The Nordson BUILDS Scholarship Program (Nordson BUILDS) is administered through Scholarship Management Resources (SMR), a division of OFIC. Scholarships managed through SMR are open to students from any state attending an accredited, not-for-profit college or university. The Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges (OFIC) was founded in 1950 and conducts annual solicitations of corporations and foundations to benefit its 31 member private colleges and universities. The majority of funds raised support student scholarships.