Barry Goldwater Scholarship

To be considered for nomination as a Goldwater Scholar, a student must:

• Be a United States citizen, a permanent resident, or, in the case of nominees from American Samoa or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, a United States national;
• Be a full-time, matriculated sophomore or junior pursuing a degree at an accredited institution of higher education at the time of application;*
• Have a college grade-point average of at least a “B” (or the equivalent) and be in the upper fourth of their class; and
• Intend to pursue a research career in the natural sciences, mathematics, or engineering.

All applicants must adhere to URAF’s Principles and Policies for Applicants, including its academic and disciplinary good-standing requirements.

Scholarships of up to $7,500 a year are provided to help cover costs associated with tuition, mandatory fees, books, room and board. A sophomore who receives a Goldwater Scholarship will receive up to $7,500 in each of their junior and senior years. A junior who receives a Goldwater Scholarship will receive up to $7,500 in their senior year.

Harvard Nomination

The Harvard nomination committee considers:

• Academic excellence;
• Contributions applicants have made to their fields thus far;
• Involvement in research and other activities that prepare applicants for careers in their chosen fields; and
• Applicants’ promise and potential to make an impact in their fields and future careers.

Goldwater Foundation Selection

In awarding scholarships, the Foundation’s Board of Trustees considers each nominee’s promise and potential to advance knowledge in their chosen field. Applicants are evaluated on their academic achievements and demonstrated commitment to a research career in mathematics, the natural sciences, or engineering.

Important elements of the nominee’s application include:

• Academic record;
• Research experience and research essay;
• Career goals and professional aspirations;
• Social and/or economic circumstances that have influenced the applicant’s education;
• Activities and accomplishments;
• Recognition and awards;
• Leadership; and
• Recommendations.

Applicants for Harvard’s nomination will use two application systems:

• The official Goldwater Scholarship site to prepare the application materials; and
• The Harvard University Funding Portal to upload materials and solicit references.

Only materials submitted through the Harvard University Funding Portal will be reviewed for Harvard’s nomination round.

To Apply for Harvard’s Nomination

• Submit the Goldwater pre-application. To begin the process, submit a pre-application through the official Goldwater site.
  • The Goldwater application portal opens on the first Tuesday in September. Do not submit a pre-application before that date.
  • The pre-application will be reviewed by the Campus Representative. Once it is approved, you will have access to the full Goldwater application.
  • Pre-applications typically take three to five business days to review.
  • Do not enter the names or contact information of references in the Goldwater portal. References will be solicited through the Harvard University Funding Portal.
• Complete the Goldwater application. After your pre-application is approved, complete the full application on the official Goldwater site EXCLUDING REFERENCES.
  • Do not solicit references, enter recommender information, or upload reference letters through the Goldwater site.
  • Save the FULL APPLICATION EXCLUDING REFERENCES as a PDF using printer view.
  • Do not click “Submit” or otherwise submit the full application through the Goldwater site at this stage.
• Prepare the research essay.
  • Follow the official Goldwater research essay instructions.
  • The essay may discuss prior research or propose a research project.
  • It must include your main sources and references, if applicable.
  • It must follow the Goldwater formatting requirements and may not exceed three single-sided pages, including references and bibliographic information.
  • Save the essay as a PDF and upload it separately to the Harvard University Funding Portal.
  • You do not need to upload the essay to the official Goldwater site for Harvard’s nomination round.
• Upload the following materials to the Harvard University Funding Portal.
  • The FULL APPLICATION EXCLUDING REFERENCES as a PDF;
  • The research essay as a separate PDF;
  • Your unofficial transcript from my.harvard.edu, including your current-term courses; and
  • Transcripts from any other undergraduate institutions you have attended, unless the relevant coursework and grades appear on your Harvard transcript.
• Solicit three references through the Harvard University Funding Portal.
  • Do not solicit references through the official Goldwater site or enter reference information there.
  • All three references should address your potential for a career as a research leader in science, mathematics, or engineering.
  • At least one recommender should have directly observed your research. A research mentor or research supervisor is especially appropriate.
  • Other appropriate recommenders may include faculty members or postdoctoral researchers who have observed your research, course instructors, senior scientists, and research supervisors.
  • Please ask recommenders to provide specific evidence of your research potential, including your contributions, independence, knowledge and skills, creativity, perseverance, integrity, and motivation.
  • Each reference must be submitted as a PDF of no more than two pages.
  • References should be addressed to “The Goldwater Scholarship Selection Committee.”

All application materials and references must be submitted and received through the Harvard University Funding Portal by the Harvard nomination deadline.

National Application

After internal review, Harvard's nominees will be notified and have the opportunity to make final revisions before the national deadline, which falls on the last Friday in January at 5:00 p.m. CT.