Please refer to the Nationally Competitive Scholarships homepage for the most up-to-date information. For all scholarships, contact Mychal Machado at mmachado2@alaska.edu if you have questions, to make an appointment, or to request information.

Information for Applicants

• Eligibility

  Applicants must be:

  • sophomores or juniors who are currently enrolled in university classes
  • US citizens or permanent residents
  • studying natural sciences, mathematics, or engineering
  • students with a 3.00 GPA or higher

   

  Who cannot apply:

  • students who have already completed an undergraduate degree
  • students who are not currently enrolled in university classes
  • international students

   

  For more information about eligibility requirements, visit https://goldwaterscholarship.gov/.

• Additional Requirements

  A UAA Institutional Endorsement is required. The Goldwater Scholarship Campus Interview Committee will evaluate the overall merits of the candidate and the application material submitted and will make a decision of endorsement or non-endorsement at the end of the campus interview.

  You must meet with an advisor to discuss your intent to apply. Contact TBD for information about advising for this scholarship.

  Interview requirements:
  Campus interview: Yes
  National interview: No

• Award Benefits

  Up to $7,500 per year for tuition, fees, books, and room and board.

  Award cannot be deferred or renewed.

• Candidate Profile
  • has an excellent academic record
  • demonstrates interest in research careers in mathematics, the natural sciences, or engineering
  • demonstrates potential in one of these fields

   

  Applicants should make a compelling case that they intend to and will actually pursue a research career. Extensive undergraduate research experience, publications, a long list of challenging coursework, an ambitious research program, and graduate school plans are necessary to be able to craft a competitive application for the Goldwater Scholarship.

• Application Procedure
  1. Find a faculty member willing to serve as your mentor throughout the application process.
  2. Notify the Goldwater Scholarship Campus Representative of your intent to apply the semester before you plan to apply for the award. (Contact TBD for information about the campus representative for this scholarship.)
  3. Schedule an advising appointment with the Goldwater Scholarship Campus Representative to discuss internal processes and timelines.
  4. Start completing the application once the Goldwater Scholarship Campus Representative registers you with the Goldwater Scholarship Foundation.
  5. Three letters of recommendation are required. Select three instructors from whom you have taken upper-division courses in your discipline or have supervised your research/lab experiences to write letters of recommendation on your behalf. Choose instructors who are familiar with your undergraduate research experience and graduate school plans, and who can comment in great detail on your academic merit, your researching potential, and your post-Goldwater plans. Tips for recommenders are available at https://goldwaterscholarship.gov/.
  6. Start developing your research essay early. This is one of the most challenging and critical components of the application.
  7. Submit complete application online, including all letters of recommendation, by the campus deadline. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.
  8. Prepare for the individual campus interview, which will take place 1-2 weeks after the campus deadline. The Goldwater Scholarship Campus Interview Committee will evaluate the overall merits of the candidate and the application material submitted and will make a decision of endorsement or non-endorsement at the end of the campus interview. The decision of the Goldwater Scholarship Campus Interview Committee is definitive. If you are endorsed by the committee, an institutional endorsement will be formally submitted by the Goldwater Scholarship Campus Representative to the Goldwater Scholarship Foundation.

   

  About 22% of students who apply receive a scholarship.