Prestigious Competitive Scholarships for Undergraduate and Graduate Study

Undergraduate Study:

Boren Scholarships

  • Boren Scholarships and Fellowships provide unique funding opportunities for U.S. undergraduate and graduate students to study less commonly taught languages in world regions critical to U.S. interest, and underrepresented in study abroad including Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America and the Middle East.

  • Boren Award amounts are based on the length of time the Boren Scholar or Fellow spends overseas and the cost of the program. Boren Scholarships can provide undergraduate students with up to $20,000 and Boren Fellowships can provide graduate students with up to $30,000.

  • Boren Scholars and Fellows represent a vital pool of highly motivated individuals who wish to work in the federal national security arena. In exchange for scholarship and fellowship funding, Boren Award recipients commit to working in the federal government for at least one year after graduation.

  • Deadline: Fellowship deadline is Jan. 24, 2024 at 5 p.m. Scholarship deadline is January 31, 2024 at 5 p.m.

  • WMU deadline: Early January

  • WMU campus representative is Michelle Metro-Roland.

Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship

  • Up to 300 scholarships for up to $7,500 per year for tuition, fees, books, room and board.

  • Renewable if received in junior year.

  • May nominate up to four sophomore or junior students per institution.

  • Must plan to pursue career in STEM (medical not allowed unless medical research).

  • GPA of at least 3.0; upper quartile of class; U.S. citizen, resident alien or national.

  • Requires a statement of interest (must intend to pursue advanced degree in STEM) and biography from student; nomination by institution; three letters from recommenders; transcripts.

  • For more information, visit the Goldwater website.

  • Campus nominations due last Friday in January.

  • WMU campus representative is Dr. Irma Lopez.

 Morris K. Udall Foundation Undergraduate Scholarships

  • 50 scholarships of up to $7,000 and 30 honorable mentions for $350 each.

  • Must have sophomore or junior standing; GPA 3.0 or better; full time student; U.S. citizen, U.S. National or U.S. Permanent Resident; and

  1. Must be committed to a career related to the environment (police, science, engineering, education, urban planning/renewal, business, health, justice, economics or related fields); OR

  2. Must be a Native American or Alaska Native student with a demonstrated commitment to careers related to tribal public policy (including fields related to tribal sovereignty, tribal governance, natural resource management, cultural preservation and revitalization, Native American economic development, other areas affecting Native American communities); OR

  3. Must be a Native American or Alaska Native student with a demonstrated commitment to careers related to Native health care (health care administration, social work, medicine, dentistry, counseling, research into health conditions affecting Native American communities and related fields).

  • University may nominate up to six candidates.

  • Requires a nomination by the institution; 11-questions application form; 800-word essay; official college transcripts; three letters of recommendation.

  • Deadline: Early March.

  • WMU deadline: February 1.

  • WMU campus representative is Dr. Irma Lopez.

Amgen Scholars

  • The Amgen Scholars Program provides hundreds of undergraduate students (primarily STEM disciplines) with the opportunity to engage in a hands-on summer research experience at 17 of the world's leading institutions.

  • Amgen Scholars is an international program funded by the Amgen Foundation with direction and technical assistance provided in the United States by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and in Europe by the University of Cambridge.

  • Deadline: Varies by institution.

  • WMU campus representative is Dr. Irma Lopez.

Critical Language Scholarship

  • Fully-funded overseas language and cultural immersion program for American undergraduate and graduate students.

  • Goal is broadening the base of Americans studying and mastering critical languages and building a relationship between the people of the United States and other countries.

  • Provides study opportunities to a diverse range of students from across the United States at every level of language learning.

  • The CLS Program is a program of the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

  • Students of diverse disciplines and majors are encourage to apply.

  • Participants are expected to continue their language study beyond the scholarship period, and later apply their critical language skills in their future professional careers.

  • Languages include: Azerbaijani, Bangla/Bengali, Hindi, Indonesian, Korean, Punjabi, Turkish, Urdu, Arabic, Persian, Chinese, Japanese and Russian.

  • Please visit the Critical Language Scholarship website for more information.

  • Deadline: November 15, 2023.

Environmental Protection Agency Greater Research Opportunities (GRO) Fellowships for Undergraduate Environmental Study

  • Approximately 40 fellowships.

  • Must be pursuing a degree in an environmental science related field.

  • Support for junior and senior year of study (up to $20,700 per academic year) and three month internship at an EPA facility in summer of junior year ($8,600).

  • Eligibility: full time student; U.S. citizen or resident alien; must not have already earned a bachelor's degree; must be entering last two years of undergraduate; GPA 3.0 or better.

  • Application: online form; personal statement; background information; three letters of recommendation.

  • Deadline: dates vary - visit EPA website for detailed information.

  • WMU campus representative is Dr. Irma Lopez.

Ernest F. Hollings Scholarship (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)

  • Approximately 100 scholarships of up to $28,425: includes $9,500 per year for full time junior and senior years and a 10-week full-time summer internship at NOAA or partner institution ($700 per week plus household subsidy); also provides travel expenses for end of program conference (approximately 900 applications received each year).

  • Must be a major in: oceanic, environmental, biological, and atmospheric sciences; mathematics; engineering; remote sensing technology; physical and social sciences including geography, physics, hydrology, geomatics;computer and information sciences; teacher education that supports NOAA's program and missions.

  • Requirements: GPA of 3.0 or better (overall every semester and cumulative in major); U.S. citizen.

  • Requires completion of an online application; essay; official college transcripts for each institution attended; two academic references from university or college faculty members.

  • Evaluation rubric: 30% relevant course work; 40% education plan/statement of career interest; 20% recommendations; 10% additional relevant experience (diversity of education; extra-curriculars; honors and awards; non-academic/volunteer work; interpersonal, written and oral communication skills.

  • Please visit the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's website for detailed information.

  • Application is open annually from Sept. 1 though Jan. 31.

  • WMU campus representative is Dr. Irma Lopez.

Freeman Awards for Study in Asia (Freeman-Asia)

  • Freeman Awards for Study in Asia (Freeman-Asia) provides scholarships for U.S. undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need to study abroad in East or Southeast Asia.

  • Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents studying at the undergraduate level who demonstrate financial need to study abroad in East or Southeast Asia.

  • A Freeman-Asia Award provides need-based funding to assist the recipient with the cost of the study abroad program related expenses, including airfare, basic living costs, local transportation, books, etc.

  • Applications are accepted for study abroad in Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Macao, Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand or Vietnam.

  • Awardees must complete a service project after returning to America.

  • Interested students should apply to Freeman-Asia in the academic term before their study abroad program begins. Applications must also be endorsed by both the study abroad advisor and the financial aid advisor by the specified deadline.

  • Deadline: All applications for Academic Year 2023-2024, including the following terms: Summer 2023, Fall 2023, Academic Year 2023-2024, Spring 2024, and Calendar Year 2024, are now open.

  • WMU campus representative is Dr. Michelle Metro-Roland.

Humanity in Action - John Lewis Fellowship

  • Offers 30 American and European university students the opportunity to explore race and civil rights, immigration and Native American issues in the United States.

  • Eligibility: Current sophomores, juniors and seniors as well as graduates from the undergraduate classes of 2017 and 2018.

  • 2022 Program dates TBD.

  • Applications typically due in January.

  • Please visit the Humanity in Action website for detailed information.

  • WMU campus representative is Dr. Irma Lopez.

National Institutes of Health Undergraduate Scholarship Program

  • Approximately 15 awarded each year.
  • Up to $20,000 per year for tuition, fees, books, room and board; can be renewed for up to four years; paid research training at NIH for ten weeks in each summer (required); paid employment/training at NIH after graduation (commitment to one year employment for each year of scholarship required).
  • Requirement: students from disadvantaged backgrounds (see website for income requirements) interested in pursuing biomedical, behavioral and social science careers at the NIH.
  • GPA of 3.3 or greater or in top 5% of class.
  • Online application form; financial need form; three letters of recommendation.
  • Application typically opens in January with a March deadline.
  • Please visit the NIH website for detailed information.
  • WMU campus representative is Dr. Irma Lopez.

National Organization of Gay and Lesbian Scientists and Technical Professionals "Out to Innovate" Scholarships

  • Two $5,000 awards made annually. Intent is to award scholarships to LGBT or LGBT-supportive students currently enrolled in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) or STEM-related teaching fields and honors students who support a creative educational community that increases the visibility and accomplishments of LGBT and LGBT-supportive students. It is also intended to encourage students to be out in their careers and support diversity in the STEM workforce.
  • Successful completion of a minimum of two years of post-high school education at an accredited college or university.
  • Maintenance of a minimum GPA of 3.0 for the entirety of college or university enrollment.
  • A declared major in an accredited STEM or STEM-related teaching field.
  • Be an active supporter of and participant in programs or organizations that promote LGBT inclusion and visibility.
  • Students must be eligible for fall term registration and must not be under disciplinary sanction.
  • Please visit the NOGLSTP website for detailed information.
  • Deadline: New deadline not currently available.

Pat Tillman Scholarship

  • 60 of the best-poised leaders who show strength in character, academic excellence and incredible potential are chosen as Tillman Military Scholars.
  • Awarded to individuals who will apply the best lessons they've learned in life and the military to impact our country for years to come in medicine, business, law, education and the arts.
  • The scholarship covers educational expenses, including tuition and fees, books and living stipend.
  • Eligibility: Veteran or active-duty military service members or their spouses pursuing a degree full-time.
  • Application requirements: online form; military service history, educational history, enrollment plans, and expected academic/living expenses and income for the upcoming academic year. Must have submitted a FAFSA to be considered.
  • Applications for 2024 academic not yet available.
  • WMU deadline TBD.
  • Please visit the Tillman website for detailed information.
  • WMU campus representative is Anthony Helms.

Elie Wiesel Prize in Ethics Essay Contest

  • First prize $5,000; second prize $2,500; third prize $1,500; two honorable mentions of $500 each.
  • Submit: 3,000 to 4,000 word essay; faculty sponsor must review and electronically verify the essay; enrollment verification.
  • Open to full-time juniors and seniors.
  • Deadline is typically in early December.
  • Please visit the Wiesel website for detailed information.
  • WMU campus representative is Dr. Irma Lopez.

Graduate Study

Boren Scholarships

  • Boren Scholarships and Fellowships provide unique funding opportunities for U.S. undergraduate and graduate students to study less commonly taught languages in world regions critical to U.S. interest, and underrepresented in study abroad including Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America and the Middle East.
  • Boren Award amounts are based on the length of time the Boren Scholar or Fellow spends overseas and the cost of the program. Boren Scholarships can provide undergraduate students with up to $20,000 and Boren Fellowships can provide graduate students with up to $30,000.
  • Boren Scholars and Fellows represent a vital pool of highly motivated individuals who wish to work in the federal national security arena. In exchange for scholarship and fellowship funding, Boren Award recipients commit to working in the federal government for at least one year after graduation.
  • Deadline: Fellowship deadline is Jan. 26, 2022 at 5 p.m. Scholarship deadline is Feb. 2, 2022 at 5 p.m.
  • WMU deadline: Early January
  • WMU campus representative is Dr. Michelle Metro-Roland.

Winston Churchill Scholarship

  • 11 one-year scholarships per year (worth $45,000-50,000); tuition, fees and living expenses; ~$25,000 for tuition and fees, living allowance, travel allowance and research grant.
  • For graduate study in science, mathematics or engineering at Cambridge University; must complete program of study at Cambridge.
  • Eligibility: U.S. citizen, senior undergrad; will have a bachelor's degree but not a doctorate; between ages 19 and 26.
  • Selection criteria: exceptional academic talent and achievement (GPA usually 3.7 or better); capacity to contribute to advancement of knowledge in STEM by pursuing original, creative work at advanced level as evidenced by awards, prizes, research, letters of recommendation; extensive laboratory experience, internships or related work for science/engineering; substantial independent work for math; outstanding personal qualities - talents and activities outside of academics (e.g. music, athletics, social service).
  • Up to two students may be nominated from each undergraduate institution.
  • Application: choose program  of study; apply for admission to Cambridge (due mid-October but recommend early applications); complete online application: four letters of recommendation; scholarships and prizes, research experience, proposed program of study, personal statement docs; institutional letter of nomination; official transcripts.
  • Please visit the Churchill website for more detailed information.
  • Deadline: Nov. 1, 2023.
  • WMU campus representative is Dr. Irma Lopez.

Environmental Protection Agency NCER's Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Fellowships

  • NCER's Science to Achieve Results, or STAR Program, funds research grants and graduate fellowships in numerous environmental science and engineering disciplines through a competitive solicitation process and independent peer review.
  • Engages the nation's best scientists and engineers in targeted research that complements EPA's own outstanding intramural research program and those of our partners in other federal agencies.
  • Through this same competitive process, NCER periodically establishes large research centers in specific areas of national concern. At present, these centers focus on children's health, hazardous substances, particulate matter, and estuarine and coastal monitoring.
  • STAR research is funded through Requests for Applications(RFAs) that are derived from the ORD Strategic Plan and from research plans for specific topics developed by ORD. RFAs are prepared in cooperation with other parts of the Agency and concentrate on areas of special significance to the EPA mission.
  • At present, STAR is focusing on the health effects of particulate matter, drinking water, water quality, global change, ecosystem assessment and restoration, human health risk assessment, endocrine disrupting chemicals, pollution prevention and new technologies, children's health and socioeconomic research.
  • Please visit the EPA website for more detailed information.
  • Deadline: varies, depending on program. RFAs are announced on the website.
  • WMU campus representative is Dr. Irma Lopez.

Fulbright Grants

  • Fulbright is the flagship international exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government.
  • The Fulbright U.S. Student Program provides grants for individually designed study or research projects or for English Teaching Assistant Programs in more than 140 countries.
  • Eligibility: Graduating seniors, alumni up to five years after graduation, MA and Ph.D. students.
  • Institutional applicants should contact the WMU Fulbright Program Advisor (FPA), Dr. Michelle Metro-Roland to initiate the application process.
  • Online awards catalog opens in May.
  • Campus Evaluation Committee interviews with applicants take place in late September.
  • Please visit the Fulbright website for more detailed information.
  • Deadline: 2024-2025 Competition Deadline: October 10, 2023 at 5 p.m.

Gates Cambridge Scholarships

  • Approximately 230 scholarships, 100 from the U.S.
  • Covers full tuition, fees and maintenance allowance for graduate study at Cambridge.
  • Selection criteria: outstanding intellectual ability; leadership potential; commitment to improving the lives of others; good fit between applicant's qualifications and aspirations and the postgraduate program at Cambridge for which they are applying.
  • Must be admitted through regular university admissions process.
  • Application: online form; two academic letters of recommendation and one personal recommendation; transcripts; documents required for specific graduate study program.
  • Please visit the Gates Cambridge website for more detailed information.
  • Applications for 2024 open in Sept. 2023.
  • WMU campus representative is Dr. Irma Lopez.

Hertz-Gates Fellowship in Global Health and Development

  • Eligible applicants for Hertz Fellowships must be students of the applied physical and biological sciences, mathematics and engineering who are citizens or permanent residents of the United States, and who are willing to morally commit to make their skills available to the United States in time of national emergency.
  • Must plan to pursue a Ph.D. at an approved institution. (Please visit the Currently Participating Schools section of the website.)
  • Please visit the Hertz Foundation website for more detailed information.
  • 2024 Fellowship applications will open in mid-August.
  • WMU campus representative is Dr. Irma Lopez.

Jacob K. Javits Fellowship Program

  • 60 to 100 new fellowships awarded each year.
  • Stipend of up to $30,000 per year for up to four years and tuition and fees.
  • For graduate study in the arts, humanities and social sciences; must intent to enroll in graduate program leading to doctorate or terminal master's degree.
  • Selection based on superior academic ability, financial need and exceptional promise.
  • Eligibility: accepted to or attending grad program in eligible field.
  • Must be U.S. citizen, national or permanent resident.
  • Please visit the Javits website for more detailed information.
  • Deadline: end of September.
  • WMU campus representative is Dr. Irma Lopez.

James Madison Graduate Fellowships

  • One awarded in each state.
  • $12,000 per year doe up to two years for full-time graduate study of the roots, principles, framing, history and development of the U.S. Constitution leading to a master's degree at any accredited U.S. institution.
  • Must intend to become secondary school (G7-12) teacher of American history, American government and/or social studies.
  • Eligibility: U.S. citizen; must be a teacher of plan to become one; must receive bachelor's by August of year applying.
  • Please visit the Madison Foundation website for more detailed information.
  • Application online; transcripts; letters of recommendation.
  • Deadline: March 1, 2024.
  • WMU campus representative is Anthony Helms.

Marshall Scholarships

  • Up to 40 per year.
  • May be used for graduate study at any British university, in any field of study, for two years (occasionally extended to three years).
  • Pays for university fees, living expenses, research/travel grants and travel to and from the U.S.
  • Eligibility: U.S. citizen; GPA of 3.7 or greater; graduate by April before year to begin study; you do not need to have already applied/been accepted to the British university where you wish to study.
  • Selection criteria: academic merit; leadership potential; ambassadorial potential.
  • Please visit the Marshall Scholarships website for more detailed information.
  • Application: online application; university endorsement; four letters of recommendation; transcripts.
  • Application opens in June 2023.
  • WMU campus representative is Dr. Irma Lopez.

George Mitchell Scholarships

  • Up to 12 scholarships awarded annually to complete one year of postgraduate study at an Irish university.
  • Provides tuition and housing, stipend for travel and living expenses for one year.
  • Must be between 18 and 30 years of age.
  • Successful applicants have documented evidence of significant achievement in academics, leadership and commitment to community and public service.
  • Please visit the Mitchell website for more detailed information.
  • Deadline: Sept. 28, 2023 at 5 p.m.
  • WMU campus representative is Dr. Irma Lopez.

National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowships

  • 100 to 300 new fellowships each year.
  • $27,500 fellowship in first year, $28,000 in second year and $28,500 in third year plus full tuition and required fees.
  • Must intend to pursue doctoral degree in STEM.
  • Must be college senior; U.S. citizen or national.
  • Please visit the NDSEG website for more detailed information.
  • Deadline: 2024 information not yet available, please check back with their website.
  • WMU campus representative is Anthony Helms.

National Physical Science Consortium Fellowship

  • Scholarship to pursue Ph.D. in physical sciences at more than 100 participating universities.
  • $20,000 stipend, tuition and fees for up to six years.
  • Must have GPA of 3.0 or better; apply in senior year; U.S. citizen.
  • Please visit the NPSC website for more detailed information.
  • Site has not yet been updated for 2024.
  • WMU campus representative is Dr. Irma Lopez.

National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships

  • 900 to 1,000 new awards each year.
  • Graduate students in STEM.
  • Stipend of $30,000, one time $1,000 travel allowance; $10,500 toward tuition and fees.
  • Must be U.S. citizen, national or permanent resident; apply in senior year.
  • Deadline: Varies. Please visit the NSF website for more detailed information.
  • WMU campus representative is Dr. Irma Lopez.

Lionel Pearson Fellowship

  • Seeks to contribute to the training of American and Canadian classicists by providing for a period of study at an English or Scottish university.
  • The competition is open to outstanding students majoring in Greek, Latin, Classics or closely related fields at any American or Canadian college or university.
  • Maximum amount of the Fellowship will be $24,000 that may be used to offset academic fees, travel expenses, housing and subsistence costs and book purchases.
  • Must be U.S. citizen, national or permanent resident; apply in senior year.
  • Deadline: Nov. 6, 2023.
  • Please visit the Pearson Fellowship website for more detailed information.
  • WMU deadline: typically September 1 or earlier.
  • WMU campus representative is Dr. Irma Lopez.

Rhodes Scholarship

  • 32 American scholars selected each year out of more than 800 candidates.
  • For study at the University of Oxford.
  • Requirements: U.S. citizen, 18 to 23 years old; will complete a bachelor's degree within a year.
  • To apply: university endorsement; five to eight letters of recommendation (four must comment on academic ability/standing); personal essay of at least 1,000 words; list of principal activities; official transcripts; passport sized photo; proof of citizenship; be prepared to attend a reception and personal interview.
  • Criteria for selection: literary and scholastic attainments; energy to use one’s talents to the full; truth, courage, devotion to duty, sympathy for and protection of the weak, kindliness, unselfishness and fellowship; moral force of character and instincts to lead and take an interest in one’s fellow beings.
  • Covers all tuition, fees and maintenance allowance for two years, possible renewal for third year, plus travel to and from Oxford.
  • Please visit the Rhodes website for more detailed information.
  • Deadline: First Wednesday of Oct., 11:59 p.m.
  • WMU deadline: early September.
  • WMU campus representative is Dr. Irma Lopez.

Schwarzman Scholars

  • Supports costs of a one-year Master’s Degree at Tsinghua University in Beijing – one of China’s most prestigious universities.
  • Designed to prepare the next generation of global leaders, Schwarzman Scholars is the first scholarship created to respond to the geopolitical landscape of the 21st Century.
  • Undergraduate degree or first degree from an accredited college or university or its equivalent required. Must be on track to successfully complete all undergraduate degree requirements by August 1, 2019, before orientation begins. No requirements for a specific field of undergraduate study; all fields are welcome, but it will be important for applicants, regardless of undergraduate major, to articulate how participating in Schwarzman Scholars will help develop their leadership potential within their field.
  • Candidates must be at least 18 but not yet 29 years of age as of August 1 of their Schwarzman Scholars enrollment year (for the Class of 2024-2025, as of August 1, 2024).
  • Academic excellence will be a requirement for successful applicants, but there is no minimum GPA or class rank required to apply.
  • Please visit the Schwarzman website for more detailed information.
  • Deadline: Sept. 19, 2023.
  • WMU campus representative is Dr. Michelle Metro-Roland.

Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship Program

  • The Pickering Program plans to award 45 fellowships of up to $42,000 annually for a two-year period for tuition, room, board, books, and mandatory fees for completion of two-year master’s degrees. This includes up to $24,000 per year for tuition and mandatory fees and an academic year stipend of $18,000.
  • Seek admission to a two-year, full-time, on-campus, master’s degree program at a U.S.-based graduate institution to begin in the fall of 2021 in an academic field relevant to the work of the Foreign Service (public policy, international affairs, public administration, business, economics, political science, sociology, or foreign languages).
  • Have a cumulative grade point average of 3.2 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
  • Fellows must obtain graduate degrees in international affairs or a related subject such as public administration, public policy, international relations, business administration, economics, history, political science, communications, or foreign languages at a graduate school approved by the Pickering Program. Law degrees do not satisfy this requirement. Fellows are expected to maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.2 throughout their period of study. Applicants apply to two-year graduate programs at U.S.-based universities simultaneously with their application to the Pickering Program.
  • Selection: outstanding leadership skills and academic achievement in relevant programs; financial need is considered; finalist interviews.
  • Deadline: Sept. 29, 2023. Please visit the Pickering website for more detailed information.
  • WMU campus representative is Anthony Helms.

Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship Program for New Americans

  • 30 recipients selected each year.
  • Covers up to two years of graduate study; half tuition plus $20,000 maintenance grant.
  • Eligibility: New American (born in the U.S., but both parents born outside the U.S., with at least one subsequently naturalized; born outside the U.S. but now naturalized or have Green card); younger than 31 years old; college seniors.
  • Please visit the Paul and Daisy Soros website for more detailed information.
  • Deadline: Nov. 1.
  • WMU campus representative is Dr. Irma Lopez.

Harry S. Truman Scholarship

  • 75-80 recipients each year.
  • $30,000 grant.
  • Must plan to pursue graduate school in preparation for a career in public service (government or nonprofit/advocacy sectors).
  • Open to college juniors; must be a U.S. citizen; should have a strong record of campus and community service.
  • College may nominate up to four students.
  • Please visit the Truman website for more detailed information.
  • Deadline: Feb. 7, 2024.
  • WMU campus representative is Dr. Irma Lopez.