In the spring of 2025, the Barry M. Goldwater Foundation will award about >400 scholarships to rising college juniors or seniors during the 2025-2026 academic year. The scholarship award covers eligible expenses up to a maximum of $7,500 per year. Junior scholarship recipients can expect to receive a maximum of two years of support. Senior scholarship recipients are eligible for a maximum of one year of support.
The characteristics the Foundation seeks in a Goldwater Scholar include:
- strong commitment to a research career in the natural sciences, mathematics and engineering,
- effective display of intellectual intensity in the sciences, mathematics and engineering, and
- potential for a significant future contribution to research in their chosen field.
You may nominate strong candidates to URSCO director Dr. Petersen or students may self-nominate; however, the institution is only able to submit files for the four (to six) strongest candidates.
In the past we have found that strong candidates are students with a competitive GPA and significant undergraduate research experience. If you know of strong candidates who are now sophomores or juniors, please send Dr. Petersen their name and have them contact Dr. Petersen (e-mail: kspeters@uncg.edu).
To be eligible, a student must be a current full-time sophomore or junior (one or two years from graduation) and must be pursuing a baccalaureate degree in mathematics, the natural sciences, or engineering, have a B average or equivalent, stand in the upper fourth of the class, and be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or U.S. national, who will pursue a career in mathematics, the natural sciences, or engineering. Students interested in medicine are not eligible unless they intend to obtain a Ph.D. for a career in medical research. Students interested in secondary education are not eligible and most Goldwater Scholars intend to pursue doctoral degrees.
Learn more about some of UNCG’s previous Goldwater Scholarship recipients:
