The Goldwater Scholarship Program, one of the oldest and most prestigious national scholarships in the natural sciences, engineering and mathematics in the United States, seeks to identify and support college sophomores and juniors who show exceptional promise of becoming this Nation’s next generation of research leaders in these fields. Most Goldwater Scholars plan to pursue PhDs in their chosen field.

The natural sciences, engineering and mathematics fields and sub-fields used by the Goldwater Foundation to determine eligibility are those used by the National Science Foundation for its Graduate Research Fellowship Program. These include: Chemistry, Computer and Information Sciences and Engineering, Engineering, Geosciences, Life Sciences, Materials Research, Mathematical Sciences, Physics and Astronomy, and Psychology.

About the Award

How to Apply

Goldwater Scholarship Website

Timeline

About the Award

AWARD
Scholarships of up to $7,500 a year are provided to help cover costs associated with tuition, fees, books, room and board. A sophomore who receives a Goldwater Scholarship will receive up to $7,500 in each of his/her junior and senior years. A junior who receives a Goldwater Scholarship will receive up to $7,500 in his/her senior year.

Students who are nominated who do not receive a scholarship but who show particular promise will be recognized with an Honorable Mention. Students who receive an Honorable Mention do not receive financial support.

ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible for nomination for a Goldwater Scholarship, a student must:

1. Be a full-time matriculated sophomore or junior pursuing a degree at an accredited 2- or 4-year institution of higher education during the academic terms when receiving scholarship support from the Foundation.
2. Intend to pursue a research career in a natural science, mathematics or engineering,*
3. Have a college grade point average of at least a 3.00 on a 4.00 scale, and
4. Be a U.S. citizen from the 50 states or the District of Columbia; a U.S. national for those students nominated by institutions in Puerto Rico, Guam, Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; or a permanent resident**.

*The natural sciences, engineering and mathematics fields and sub-fields used by the Goldwater Foundation to determine eligibility are those used by the National Science Foundation for its Graduate Research Fellowship Program. These include: Chemistry, Computer and Information Sciences and Engineering, Engineering, Geosciences, Life Sciences, Materials Research, Mathematical Sciences, Physics and Astronomy, and Psychology. While research in medicine is not supported by the National Science Foundation, students interested in pursuing careers in medicine or veterinary medicine are eligible for a Goldwater Scholarship IF RESEARCH IS A CENTRAL PART OF THE STUDENT’S CAREER GOALS.

**A permanent resident nominated for the scholarship must include a letter stating his/her intent to become a U.S. citizen. A photocopy of the nominee’s Permanent Resident Card, also known as the Alien Registration Card or Green Card, must also be submitted.

Definition of Sophomore, Junior, and Resident

How to Apply

For more information about the application process, and/or to determine program eligibility, please schedule an appointment with Dr. Brenda Tooley by emailing [email protected] or calling the Office of Undergraduate Research at (616) 331-8100.

The campus deadline for the Goldwater Scholarship is November 20, 2024. For more information about the program or to determine eligibility, please contact Dr. Brenda Tooley by emailing [email protected] or calling the Office of Undergraduate Research at (616) 331-8100.

Proposal Requirements

To be considered for a nomination for a Goldwater Scholarship by your academic institution, you must first complete and submit a short Student Profile (Name, email address, telephone number, etc.) and Pre-application (Year in school, major, GPA, brief career interest statement, highest degree anticipated, etc) that will help your campus' Goldwater Representative make an initial determination of the strength of your application. You should expect to hear from your Goldwater Campus Representative within a week, possibly sooner, after submitting your pre-application and profile.

The application must include the following:

• Student Questionnaire
• Research Essay
• Three (3) Letters of Recommendation
• Transcript(s)
• When applicable, a copy of the student’s Permanent Resident Card and Letter of Intent to become a U.S. Citizen

Review Process

Applications are reviewed by the Goldwater Campus Representative and a faculty committee, including:

• Erik Fredericks, College of Computing
• Sarah Hamsher, Biology and the Annis Water Resources Institute
• Ben Holder (one-year replacement for Bradley Ambrose), Physics
• Sok Kean Khoo, Cell and Molecular Biology
• Susan Mendoza, Center for Undergraduate Scholar Engagement
• Rachel Powers, Chemistry
• J. Chris Reed, Biomedical Sciences
• Akalu Tefera, Mathematics
• Brenda Tooley, Center for Undergraduate Scholar Engagement (Goldwater Campus Representative)

 Feedback will be provided to the applicants by December 13, 2024.