Goldwater Scholarship

BRIEF HISTORY

The Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation was established in 1986 to honor the lifetime work of Barry Goldwater, including his service as a soldier and five-time Arizona state senator. Goldwater was known as a champion of rugged individualism who was unafraid to speak his mind. By the time he retired from the Senate in 1986, Goldwater was regarded as one of the most admirable representatives of conservatism in U.S. politics and had a solid reputation of personal integrity.

Overview

The Goldwater Foundation offers scholarships to sophomores and juniors in college who intend to pursue research careers in the natural sciences, mathematics, or engineering in the hopes of ensuring that the United States continues to produce a wealth of highly-qualified professionals in these fields. According to the Foundation's website, the characteristics desired in a Goldwater scholar are commitment to a research career in one of the above fields, effective display of intellectual ability in the sciences, mathematics, and engineering, and the potential to make significant future contributions to the recipient's chosen field. AS of 2016, the Goldwater Foundation has awarded 7,680 scholarships, virtually all of whom hold at least on postsecondary degree and the majority of whom report continued involvement in ongoing scientific, mathematics, and engineering research.

Award stipend and benefits

Sophomores who are awarded this scholarship receive up to $7,500 each in both their junior and senior years. Juniors who are awarded the scholarship receive up to $7,500 in their senior year. The scholarship amount is intended to cover costs associated with the recipient's education, including tuition, mandatory fees, books, and room and board. An honorable mention may be awarded to students who do not receive a scholarship but whom the selection committee believes demonstrate promise. This recognition does not include a financial award.

program and eligibility requirements

A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required to be nominated for this scholarship. Eligibility requirements also include:

Candidates must be enrolled in a U.S. college or university to be eligible for nomination. Candidates who have already completed an undergraduate degree are not eligible.
Candidates must be a citizen of the U.S., a U.S. national if nominated by an institution in Puerto Rico, Guam, Virgin Islands, American Samoa, or Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, or a permanent resident to be nominated. Applicants who are permanent residents must also include a letter stating their intent to become a citizen and a photograph of their Permanent Resident Card with their application.
Candidates must be nominated by their Goldwater Campus Representative, who can nominate up to four students annually. Any nominations from campuses without a Goldwater Representative or applications directly from students will not be considered.
Candidates must be pursuing a degree in an eligible field in the natural sciences, mathematics, or engineering to be eligible for nomination. These fields include chemistry, computer and information sciences and engineering, engineering, geosciences, life sciences, materials research, mathematical sciences, physics and astronomy, and psychology. To view more information about the eligible fields and sub-fields, visit the Goldwater website.
Students interested in pursuing a career in medicine or veterinary medicine are eligible to be nominated for a Goldwater Scholarship if research is an essential part of the student's career goals.

Application instructions

The application for the Goldwater Scholarship opens the first Tuesday after Labor Day and closes the last Friday in January at 5:00 p.m. CST (6:00 p.m. EST). All nomination materials, including the student questionnaire, research essay, three letters of recommendation, transcript(s), institutional nomination form, and proof of intent to become a citizen (when applicable) must be submitted before the submission portal closes. Incomplete nominations or nominations submitted after the deadline will not be reviewed. An interview is not required. Candidates who receive an award will be notified in late March.

University contact information

Interested students should contact Kent State University's Goldwater campus representative Frank Congin at fcongin@kent.edu with any questions.

Please check back for updates regarding Kent State University's internal deadlines for applying to the Goldwater Scholarship.