Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship is given to college sophomores and juniors who major in math, science, engineering, or research psychology. Students who are eligible for the grant have considerable research experience and intend to pursue undergraduate studies.
Level/Field of Study
This scholarship is designed for students interested in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) courses. The scholarship is applicable to both undergrad and postgraduate studies.
Host Nationality
The Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation is a foundation founded in honour of, soldier and statesman, Senator Barry Goldwater.
Criteria for the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship
- Students in their sophomore or junior year of college who intend to major in mathematics, the natural sciences, or engineering,
- have a minimum 3.0 GPA in their undergraduate studies, and
- are citizens, nationals, or permanent residents of the United States.
Priority is given to the following set of students:
- The student’s dedication to a research career, his or her ability to significantly improve her discipline, and
- plans to continue their education after graduation.
Required Supporting Documents to Apply for Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship
The following are papers that are required for the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship
- Three recommendations: two from STEM professors and, if applicable, one from a research advisor. REMEMBER that the official website contains instructions for recommenders here as well as requirements for letter submission format here. If your recommenders experience any problems with the online form, ask them to email their letters to [email protected] so that they can be submitted before the campus deadline.
- Official online application form (found on the Goldwater website); note that you must first finish a very brief pre-application with introductory information before you will have access to the full application; this shouldn’t be too challenging but does require some extra planning ahead of time). Students can discover a list of the questions requested on the Goldwater website even before the formal online application opens.
- One essay, no longer than three pages, discussing a research issue or subject in your field of study that really interests you and usually describes research in which you are engaged.
- CV/resume (not part of your official application, but valuable to the campus committee, thanks) (not part of your official application, but helpful to the campus committee, thanks)
- Unofficial copies of all relevant transcripts (such as Wellesley, transfer, and study abroad transcripts; see the official website’s note about transcripts for more information); for the campus competition, all that is required for a Wellesley transcript is the unofficial grade report that students can access online.
Deadline for the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship
The deadline for the scholarship is as follows;
- FIRST TUESDAY IN SEPTEMBER: Online Application Opens
- EARLY SEPTEMBER TO LATE JANUARY: Individual internal campus deadlines
- LAST FRIDAY IN JANUARY: Nomination deadline (5:00 PM CT)
- LATE FEBRUARY: Nomination packets reviewed
- MID-MARCH: Board of Trustees vote on Scholars/Honorable Mentions
- LAST FRIDAY IN MARCH: Scholars/Honorable Mentions Announced (11:00 AM Central Time)
Application Process for the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship
To enter the national competition, you must be nominated by your university. The UConn application deadline for nominations to the 2022 Goldwater competition is November 11, 2024.
All nomination applications will be filed via the Goldwater Scholarship national website. You can find the nomination application here. Students must submit the pre-application by October 14, 2024 in order to be considered, however they are encouraged to do so immediately after the application is ready. ONSF will assess each pre-eligibility, applicant and only qualified applicants will be allowed to proceed. Students that are approved to continue the process will require the following materials to finish the application at that point:
- Unofficial UConn transcripts and any other institution’s grade reports (may be unofficial at this stage, but would need official transcripts upon nomination). Please keep in mind that students must have a GPA of 3.5 or better to be considered for campus nomination.
- A letter of reference from your faculty research mentor or supervisor (this letter should be provided directly to [email protected] from the recommender)
- A well-written and edited research paper (2 pages)
Students are nominated by faculty from the scientific and mathematics departments at Pomona. However, sophomores and juniors with exceptionally strong academic records who wish to be considered for nomination should feel free to speak with their major advisor (or likely major, for sophomores) or department chair in the early fall, after consulting the Goldwater website. Students may not submit applications independently.
Scholarship Reward
These scholarships are provided by the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation to provide a steady supply of highly qualified persons for academic study and research in the fields of science, mathematics, and engineering. Each scholarship covers qualified undergraduate tuition, fees, books, and room and board expenses up to a maximum of $7,500 per year. Junior-level scholarship holders may receive up to two years of scholarship support, while senior-level scholarship recipients may receive up to one year of scholarship support.
About the Sponsor
The Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation was founded by Congress in 1986 as a living monument to honour Senator Barry Goldwater’s career efforts as a soldier and statesman, including 30 years in the United States Senate.
The Goldwater Foundation helps ensure that the United States produces the quantity of highly qualified professionals that the country requires in the natural sciences, mathematics, and engineering by awarding scholarships to college sophomores and juniors. Over the course of its 30-year history, the Goldwater Scholarship has been awarded to thousands of undergraduate students, many of whom have gone on to win other prestigious awards such as the National Science Foundation’s Graduate Fellowship, the Rhodes Scholarship, the Churchill Scholarship, and the National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship, which support our Scholars’ graduate school work. Today, Goldwater alumni can be found performing research that aids national defence, discovering treatments for deadly diseases, and instructing future generations of scientists, mathematicians, and engineers.
FAQ
The Senator Barry Goldwater Scholarship Program was created to support and encourage exceptional students to pursue research careers in the natural sciences, engineering, and mathematics. In these subjects, the Goldwater Scholarship is the most prestigious undergraduate prize of its kind.
The grant is only available to students planning to attend graduate school in mathematics, the natural sciences, or engineering and pursue a career in research. Winners’ average GPAs in prior years ranged from 3.9 to 4.0.
Being a Goldwater Scholar is unquestionably a tremendous accomplishment, but extraordinary things rarely happen overnight. Every year, a little over 200 college sophomores and juniors from universities all around the United States receive the Goldwater Scholarship.