Barry Goldwater Scholarship

About

Established by Congress in 1986, the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program is designed to attract outstanding students into careers in mathematics, the natural sciences, and engineering. Scholarships are awarded on the basis of merit to students who are sophomores or juniors during the current academic year and who have excellent academic records and demonstrated interest in and potential for careers in mathematics, the natural sciences, or engineering.

Eligibility

To be considered for nomination, a student must:

• Be a full-time matriculated sophomore or junior pursuing a degree at an accredited institution of higher education and intend to pursue research careers in mathematics, the natural sciences, or engineering.
• Have a college grade-point average of at least "B" (or the equivalent) and be in the upper fourth of his or her class.
• Be a United States citizen, a permanent resident, or, in the case of students nominated from American Samoa or the Commonwealth of the Mariana Islands, a United States national. Nominations from permanent residents must include a letter of the nominated student's intent to obtain U.S. citizenship and a photocopy of the Permanent Resident Card (also known as the Alien Registration Card or Green Card).

Qualifications

• Preferred are students who have already been engaged in research or have some ideas about specific problems or areas they would like to investigate via research.
• The Foundation Board of Trustees will consider the nominee's field of study and career objectives and the extent to which that individual has the commitment and potential to make a significant contribution to his or her field.
• Nominees must include in their nomination materials a statement of interest in a career in mathematics, the natural sciences, or engineering, detailing how their academic program and their overall educational plans will prepare them for their chosen career goal.
• It is expected that students selected as scholars will pursue advanced degrees.

Application Procedure

1. CWRU can only nominate up to four candidates each year, so there is an on-campus preliminary screening. Interested applicants must complete and submit by the campus deadline the Goldwater Scholarship Preliminary Application, including one recommendation letter.

2. Interested applicants should complete the preliminary application by the campus deadline of Oct. 31, 2023, 11:59pm EST.  Recommendation letters should be submitted separately by the letter writer either electronically to lxt229@case.edu or via U.S./campus mail to the Office of Undergraduate Advising Support, Case Western Reserve University, 447 Sears Building, 10900 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44106-7028.  Recommendation letters are also due by the above campus deadline.

3. The preliminary applications will be reviewed by CWRU's faculty representative. Students will be contacted as to whether their application has been moved on to the next stage, an interview with the Campus Selection Committee.

4. If selected for a campus interview, a date/time will be identified based on the applicant’s class schedule and committee availability. Interviews will take place in mid-November. (See schedule below.)

5. Following on-campus interviews, up to four applications will be endorsed and nominated by CWRU.

6. If selected as one of four candidates to represent CWRU, candidates will work directly with Dean LaTasha Johnson on submission to the national competition.

Value of the Award

The scholarship covers eligible expenses for tuition, fees, books, and room and board to a maximum of $7,500 per academic year. Junior scholarship recipients can expect to receive a maximum of two years of scholarship support. Senior scholarship recipients are eligible for a maximum of one year of scholarship support.

Contact

The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation
301 Act Drive
PO Box 4030
Iowa City, IA 52243-4030
319.688.4335

Past Winners

Return to National Fellowships and Scholarships