NSHSS Foundation scholarships have been created to help reduce financial barriers for high school seniors entering college to pursue STEM majors (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), business, economics, or public policy. The Foundation seeks to engage these future leaders in order to help fuel the global economy, stimulate innovation and creativity, and yield a strong ethical foundation for decision-making.

The scholarships are targeted to entering college freshmen who belong to groups generally under-represented in these careers. The scholarships are for the student's first year of college.