Scholarship recipients applied for the opportunity and were selected based on academic achievement, demonstrated leadership, community involvement, work experience, future goals, and financial need. Amazon surprised the 400 students with news of the award. Since 2019, Amazon has awarded 1,650 AFE scholarships and internships totaling $66 million in college tuition for students from underrepresented communities across the U.S. Since its inception, the program has reached 3.9 million students from underrepresented communities globally.