What is the Goldwater Scholarship?
The Barry Goldwater Scholarship is one of the most esteemed undergraduate scholarships available to students in STEM. The scholarship’s aim is to identify promising young scholars who will go on to become leaders in science, engineering, and math. This highly regarded scholarship is open to college sophomores and juniors planning to pursue a career in research in their respective fields.
The Goldwater Scholarship is a competitive, merit-based scholarship. In fact, it is one of the most highly competitive undergraduate scholarships out there. If you’re wondering, “What is a merit-based scholarship?” or Is it even worth applying for the Goldwater Scholarship?”, keep reading. Like other merit-based scholarships, the Goldwater Scholarship has a rigorous application process, but applying has countless benefits — whether you are selected or not.
In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about the Barry Goldwater Scholarship. Specifically, we will discuss:
- The history of the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and relevance of the scholarship today
- An overview of the Barry Goldwater Scholarship application process
- A review of the eligibility requirements, including the minimum Goldwater scholarship GPA
- How to approach the Goldwater Scholarship research essay
- Tips for applying to the Barry Goldwater Scholarship
- Where to find other great STEM scholarships, and more!
To start, let’s learn a bit more about the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and how it began.
Is the Goldwater Scholarship prestigious?
The Barry Goldwater Scholarship is a standout among undergraduate engineering scholarships, as well as those in math and science. The scholarship was created in 1986 to honor Senator Barry Goldwater. Since its founding, this scholarship has been awarded to thousands of students, encouraging the next generation of STEM scholars.
Like other STEM scholarships, the Barry Goldwater Scholarship offers students financial support– up to $7,500 per year. However, this is not the main draw to the scholarship. In fact, there are plenty of other undergraduate scholarships that offer a larger monetary award to its recipients. So what draws students to this particular scholarship? In short, it’s the scholarship’s prestige. Winning the Barry Goldwater scholarship grants recipients a level of recognition and respect they can use to advance their academic careers.
Approximately half of all Goldwater scholarship recipients have gone on to earn PhDs in engineering, science, or mathematics. Many more are in the process of earning their PhDs, JDs, and MDs. Barry Goldwater Scholarship recipients have also gone on to earn other prestigious STEM scholarships, engineering scholarships, and international scholarships. Some examples include the Rhodes Scholarship and the National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship.
Given the prestige of this award, it’s no surprise that the Barry Goldwater Scholarship is extremely competitive. Requirements such as the minimum Goldwater Scholarship GPA and an in-depth research essay mean winning the Goldwater Scholarship is no easy feat. Additionally, students have the added requirement of being nominated by their school’s Goldwater Campus Representative. However, plenty of students still choose to rise to the challenge.
How many students get the Goldwater Scholarship?
Hundreds of students receive the Barry Goldwater Scholarship each year. In 2024, an estimated 5,000 students applied for the Goldwater Scholarship. Of those students, 1,353 were nominated by their respective colleges and universities. Ultimately, 437 of these outstanding students were selected to be Goldwater Scholars.
These STEM scholarships were awarded across four basic fields. Here is a breakdown of the 2024 winners:
- 57 in mathematics and computer science
- 236 in the sciences
- 80 in medicine
- 64 in engineering and materials research
While the majority of Goldwater Scholars earn science scholarships, plenty of students receive undergraduate math or undergraduate engineering scholarships. In addition to these STEM scholarships, you’ll notice the Goldwater Foundation offers medical scholarships, too. We’ll discuss this further when we review the Goldwater Scholarship eligibility requirements.
Which university has the most Goldwater Scholars?
Each year, hundreds of schools across the country nominate students for the Barry Goldwater Scholarship. In 2024, nominees came from 446 schools, including larger state schools and smaller private schools. The majority of schools receive anywhere from one to three Goldwater undergraduate scholarships in a given year. However, some schools have had as many as five of these prestigious STEM scholarships awarded in a single year.
The following schools had five Barry Goldwater Scholarship recipients in 2024:
- Clemson University
- Columbia University
- Dartmouth College
- Stanford University
- Syracuse University
- University of California Santa Barbara
- University of Florida
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
In general, schools with Goldwater Campus Representatives can nominate up to four students per year. However, depending on the nominees’ status as transfer students or U.S. veterans, schools can nominate as many as five or six students per year. Schools may also have their own policies regarding nominations. For example, MIT caps their nominations for Goldwater STEM scholarships at just four students per year.
How to apply to the Goldwater Scholarship
Now that we’ve learned more about the scholarship itself, let’s discuss the application process.
Barry Goldwater Scholarship: Application Steps
1. Confirm you meet the Eligibility Requirements.
2. Identify your Campus Representative, using this Campus Representative Locator.
3. Complete the Student Profile and Goldwater Scholarship Pre-Application and submit to your Campus Representative.
4. If selected by your Campus Representative, begin the application process.
5. Complete the online application. You can review the Application Pages on the Goldwater Scholarship website.
6. Contact your Campus Representative to confirm your nomination has been submitted.
What differentiates the Goldwater Scholarship from other undergraduate scholarships? For one, applicants must complete a Pre-Application and Student Profile. These materials are used to select potential nominees, essentially qualifying students for the application process.
Another unique factor is the role of the Campus Representative (CR). A school’s CR is responsible for identifying potential applicants, guiding their application, and officially nominating them. As such, you should expect to work with your CR throughout the application process.
Goldwater Scholar Eligibility
There are four basic eligibility requirements for the Goldwater Scholarship. Students must:
- Be a current sophomore or junior at an accredited 2- or 4-year institution.
- Plan to pursue a career in research in a recognized STEM field (natural science, mathematics, engineering).
- Meet the minimum Goldwater Scholarship GPA (3.0 on a 4.0 scale).
- Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
Based on the list above, we would not name the Barry Goldwater Scholarship among STEM scholarships for minorities. The scholarship is open to any applicant, regardless of ethnicity or background. The only relevant requirement related to an individual’s background is their citizenship status.
Now, let’s take a closer look at the Goldwater Scholarship’s definition of “STEM.” The Goldwater Foundation recognizes the following STEM sub-fields:
- Chemistry
- Computer and Information Sciences and Engineering
- Engineering
- Geosciences
- Life Sciences
- Materials Research
- Mathematical Sciences
- Physics and Astronomy
- Psychology
In addition to these STEM fields, the Goldwater Foundation also offers undergraduate scholarships to students studying medicine and veterinary medicine. However, they must be able to demonstrate their focus in research. Students planning to pursue a medical or veterinary degree must also explain why this type of degree is essential to achieving their research goals.
According to the Goldwater Scholarship website, average GPAs range from 3.3 to 4.95. Even if you don’t meet the minimum Goldwater Scholarship GPA requirements to apply as a sophomore, don’t count yourself out. If you earn high grades in your sophomore year courses, you may qualify to apply as a junior.
Important Dates and Deadlines
The timeline for the Barry Goldwater Scholarship is similar to the college application cycle. Students typically work on their applications in the fall, submit their applications in January, and get their results in March. Here is a list of important dates and deadlines to keep in mind:
Goldwater Scholarship Dates and Deadlines
- First Tuesday in September: Online Application Opens
- September – January: School-specific deadlines, as determined by the school’s Campus Representative
- Last Friday in January: Nomination deadline (5:00 PM CT)
- Last Friday in March: Scholars and honorable mentions announced (11:00 AM CT)
During the fall, applicants must adhere to the specific procedures set by their schools and respective CRs. Additionally, students will need to request letters of recommendation at least four weeks in advance. As with other undergraduate scholarships, students should give themselves plenty of time to revise and proofread their materials before finalizing their application.
What are the Goldwater application requirements?
Meeting the minimum Goldwater Scholarship GPA and completing the Pre-Application are your first steps towards becoming a Goldwater recipient. However, these materials are not part of your official application.
If you’ve ever applied for undergraduate scholarships, you’re probably familiar with these basic application components. Here are the four main components of the Goldwater Scholarship application:
- Online questionnaire
- Research essay
- Three letters of recommendation
- Transcript(s)
For Permanent Residents, you will also need to provide a copy of your Permanent Resident Card.
The Goldwater committee is looking for candidates who will become research leaders. Therefore, relevant details include an applicant’s plans for future education and career, as well as past research experiences. As such, the online questionnaire has categories including Career Goals/Professional Aspirations and Research Projects and Skills. There are also sections on Mentors, Recognitions, and other Activities and Accomplishments.
Applicants will work with their CR to determine their strongest candidates to write letters of recommendation. In particular, the Goldwater Foundation is interested in recommendations from past research mentors and STEM faculty members. As previously mentioned, students are encouraged to give their recommenders at least four weeks to complete their application. Additionally, students may also provide recommenders with an information packet to ensure the letters are appropriately geared toward this type of research scholarship.
How to Write a Goldwater Research Essay
Many undergraduate scholarships require students to submit an essay, and the Goldwater Scholarship is no exception. The goal and purpose of the research essay is to demonstrate an applicant’s research capabilities and academic goals.
Unlike other math, science, and engineering scholarships, the Goldwater Scholarship requires a certain level of introspection and an ability to tell one’s story. For instance, other undergraduate engineering scholarships may be based on a report detailing a particular research project. The Goldwater research essay, on the other hand, is less an objective report and more a personal narrative.
In your research essay, it’s important to balance your technical content with personal reflection. Your essay needs to include your specific contributions, the skills you came in with and left with, as well as insight into your motivations and future goals. In developing your essay, it can be helpful to provide an introductory paragraph that highlights the significance of your research and what motivated you to pursue this work.
The essay can focus on a previously completed research or a new research proposal. As the audience is STEM professionals, and not subject matter experts, you should write with enough relevant context to be understood. With regards to formatting, you may include charts to demonstrate your findings, but you should not include hyperlinks, as outside sources will not be reviewed. Your final essay must also have the appropriate titles and headers, as outlined in the Goldwater research essay formatting guidelines.
Should I apply for a Barry Goldwater Scholarship?
Compared to other undergraduate scholarships, just beginning the process of applying for the Goldwater Scholarship may seem daunting. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t apply.
Are you pursuing a degree in STEM or medicine? Are you interested in a career in research? Do you meet the eligibility criteria? If your answer to these three questions is yes, then you should absolutely consider applying to the Barry Goldwater Scholarship.
While the nomination process is certainly involved, you don’t have to go it alone. If you’re at all interested in the scholarship, reach out to your campus’s CR. They can tell you if you meet the Goldwater Scholarship GPA requirements and discuss your chances as an applicant.
Whether or not you become a Goldwater Scholar, simply completing the application is a great learning experience. You’ll gain an edge if applying for a second time as a junior, feel more confident applying to graduate schools and other undergraduate scholarships, and learn more about yourself and your goals in the process.
5 Tips to Make your Goldwater Application Stand Out
Here are five tips for building a competitive Barry Goldwater Scholarship application:
5 Goldwater Application Tips
1. Get a head start on research.
Involvement in research is key to becoming a Goldwater Scholar. Nothing beats hand-on experience, so make sure to get involved your freshman year of college, or even earlier in high school.
2. Engage with professionals in your field.
If you want to know what it means to pursue a career in research, talk with people already doing it. Maybe their career trajectories will inspire some goals of your own.
3. Reflect on the why.
It’s not enough to simply state that you want a career in research — you have to be able to articulate the motivation behind your goals. What is it that draws you to engineering or earth sciences or advanced mathematics? What do you want to contribute to the world through your work?
4. Foster meaningful mentorships.
Whether you’re working in a lab or on an independent research project, you’ll likely be working under a mentor. Take the time to cultivate a relationship with them. Learn everything you can, and be sure to make an impression on them — remember, your past mentors will become your most important recommenders.
5. Leave room for feedback and revisions in your application.
College essays don’t happen overnight, and neither will your research essay or the answers to your questionnaire. Give yourself plenty of time to rework your ideas, and don’t forget to share them with others. Your mentors, CR, and trusted peers are all great resources for getting feedback and ensuring your work truly reflects your strengths and goals.
With these tips in mind, you’ll be well on your way to completing your Goldwater application.
Types of Science Scholarships
If reading about the Goldwater Scholarship has gotten you excited about potential science scholarships or other undergraduate scholarships — great! But, if you’re just beginning your scholarship search, you may have some questions, such as “What is a merit-based scholarship?” or “Are there STEM scholarships for minorities?” To help answer these questions, let’s look at a few common types of science scholarships.
Merit-based scholarships
This means that awards are given based on a person’s skills, abilities, and achievements. Everything from undergraduate engineering scholarships to graduate research scholarships can be merit-based. These types of scholarships often have minimum GPA requirements and require some type of project or essay.
Need-based scholarships
These types of scholarships are awarded based on your financial circumstances. Award amounts can range from a few thousand dollars all the way up to a full ride. In many cases, need-based scholarships also look for students who demonstrate academic achievement or excellence in their field of study, or those who have made substantial contributions to their community.
Field-specific scholarships
Some scholarships are field-specific, meaning they relate to a particular field or major. While the Barry Goldwater Scholarship falls under the category of STEM scholarships, others are more niche. For instance, you might have undergraduate engineering scholarships that are specific to engineering, but encompass a variety of sub-fields (mechanical, chemical, electrical, etc.). Other undergraduate engineering scholarships may only apply to students interested in a particular type of engineering, such as aerospace engineering, for example.
Underrepresented groups
Certain scholarships are aimed at uplifting underrepresented students and encouraging diversity within STEM fields. This category encompasses a variety of aims, such as STEM scholarships for minorities or STEM scholarships for women. Many are merit-based, requiring students to demonstrate a certain level of engagement or achievement in their chosen field.
Fellowships
During your scholarship search, keep an eye out for fellowships. Think of a fellowship as a merit-based scholarship, aimed at the advanced study of a particular topic or subject area. Oftentimes, they are short-term, fully-funded research opportunities. In other cases, they are awarded as stipends for students pursuing advanced degrees. Fellowships may have their own eligibility criteria, so they could fall under more narrow definitions such as STEM scholarships for minorities or field-specific scholarships.
Other STEM Scholarships
Here are a few more great graduate and undergraduate scholarships to consider as you continue your scholarship search:
STEM Scholarships
American Chemical Society (ACS) Scholars Program:
The focus of this scholarship is to support underrepresented students pursuing chemistry-related careers. The ACS Scholars Program is one of the best STEM scholarships for minorities, and it could also be considered one of the best undergraduate engineering scholarships, if you’re interested in chemical engineering.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Ernest F. Hollings Scholarship:
More than 120 undergraduate students receive this NOAA scholarship each year to support their involvement in oceanic and atmospheric science. The award includes a financial disbursement renewable for two years of academic study, as well as a full-time paid summer internship with NOAA.
American Mathematical Society (AMS) Scholarships:
This organization offers a variety of fellowships and scholarships to students and young researchers pursuing careers in mathematics. AMS scholarships include awards for undergraduate students, women scholars, Black scholars, early-career researchers, graduate students, and tenured professors.
The DoD National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship (NDSEG):
If you’ve qualified for any undergraduate engineering scholarships, your next step might be this graduate fellowship. This fellowship offers financial support to students pursuing Doctoral degrees aligned with the DoD’s work in science and engineering. While these are not designated as STEM scholarships for minorities, the DoD does encourage applications from women, persons with disabilities, and members of ethnic minority groups.
National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship (GRFP):
Another graduate fellowship program, GRFP offers five-year fellowship to students pursuing advanced STEM degrees. Similar to the Goldwater Scholarship, this fellowship encourages applicants interested in pursuing research-careers.
Hertz Foundation Fellowship:
Lastly, the Hertz Fellowship supports students pursuing PhDs in applied physical and biological sciences, mathematics, and engineering with an intent to solve an issue facing society today. Recipients receive funding to cover all five years of graduate study.
Scholarship Resources
Not sure where to continue your scholarship search? Scholarships.com is a great place to start, and this list of 25 merit-based scholarships has a whole section on answering “what is a merit-based scholarship?” If you want to keep your search to STEM scholarships only, check out these pages from Sallie, MEFA, and Scholarships360.
Interested in undergraduate scholarships for international students? Check out these top scholarships from Scholarships360. Looking for STEM scholarships for minorities? Take a look at Pathways To Science’s opportunities for high school and college students and Going Merry’s list of 15 STEM Scholarships for Minorities. As you can see, there are plenty of resources to help you find scholarships!
Goldwater Scholarship – Final Takeaways
The Barry Goldwater Scholarship is just one of many outstanding scholarships available to college students pursuing careers in STEM — but, it has some unique benefits. The rigorous application process helps students think more clearly about who they are and what they want for the future. Winning the award lends invaluable credibility to their resumes, setting them up for success in academia and beyond.
Applicants for the Goldwater Scholarship collaborate with their school’s Goldwater Campus Representative to craft their application. Through essays, letters of recommendation, and personal statements, they create a narrative that highlights where their future in STEM research could take them.
Whether you’re looking for undergraduate scholarships for international students or STEM scholarships in a particular field of study, CollegeAdvisor can help. We’ll guide you through the scholarship search and provide personalized feedback to make your applications stand out.
This article was written by Stefanie Tedards. Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.
