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GOLDWATER SCHOLARSHIP

The Goldwater Scholarship is one of the highest honors for undergraduate STEM researchers in the United States. The U.S. Congress established this award in 1986 to serve as a living memorial to Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona, who served in the Air Force Reserve in World War II and had a deep interest in science and technology.

The Goldwater Foundation’s mission is to identify and support the next generation of innovators and leaders in STEM research. Over its 30-year history, recipients of Goldwater Scholarship have gone on to attend top PhD programs and to receive other nationally competitive awards like the National Science Foundation’s Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Research Fellowship (NSF GRFP).

Students wishing to compete at the national level for this award must first receive Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ’s nomination. Interested students must submit their application materials by the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Campus Nomination Deadline and an internal committee will then select the nominees. Please see below for more information.

FELLOWSHIP OVERVIEW

This award requires a Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ nomination. Students wishing to pursue Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ's nomination to compete at the national level must submit application materials by the Campus Nomination Deadline on December 15, 2025 at 11:59 PM MST.

To be eligible for the Goldwater Scholarship, a prospective nominee must:

  • Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
  • Be a sophomore or junior. For more information on how Goldwater defines these terms .
  • Intend to pursue a PhD in STEM.*
  • Have a 3.7 GPA or higher to be competitive.
  • Demonstrate sustained commitment to undergraduate STEM research.

*It is highly unlikely for students pursuing an MD to receive a nomination. The campus committee will consider nominating prospective MD-PhD students provided they have a strong research background and research features prominently in their future career plans.

Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Office of Student Fellowships and Awards

studentfellowships@utep.edu