Nationally Competitive Awards
Unlike Honors College scholarships, nationally competitive awards are funded by government entities and private agencies. These competitive awards offer students the opportunity to study or conduct research across the United States and around the globe, either in the context of their undergraduate degree or post-graduation. Since there are few of these awards relative to the number of students applying nationwide, they are highly competitive, and therefore, very prestigious. Students who receive such awards demonstrate potential for great success in their postgraduate studies and subsequent careers.
The Honors College is proactive in identifying and preparing students for these opportunities and we take great pride in the number of Honors College students who engage in advanced research and have been successful in their application for these awards. Current students and recent graduates have received Barry M. Goldwater, Harry S. Truman, Woodrow Wilson, NASA, NSF, EPSCoR, NIH, INBRE, Fulbright and many other highly competitive national awards.
If you have an interest in pursuing a competitive national award, complete the preliminary application for nationally competitive awards, submit it to the Honors College, and make an appointment to speak with the Associate Dean. The abridged list below is a selective list of awards for which we prepare students to compete.
The Honors College has internal application deadlines prior to the deadlines published on each of the following web sites. Since application deadlines vary and change each year, please contact the Associate Dean for the most up-to-date information.
- Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship – for undergraduates interested in science, engineering and math research careers
- Harry S. Truman Scholarships – for undergraduates who desire to improve the way government agencies, nonprofit organizations and educational institutions serve the public
- British Marshall Scholarships – for study abroad in the United Kingdom
- Fulbright Scholarships for study abroad
- Rhodes Scholarships – for study at Oxford University in the United Kingdom
- National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships – for outstanding graduate students in the relevant science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines who are pursuing research-based master's and doctoral degrees
- National Institutes of Health-University of Oxford and Cambridge Scholars in Biomedical Research Scholarship – The NIH Oxford/Cambridge programs allow students to complete a Ph.D. in any area of biomedical research in three or four years. Roughly half of students' thesis work is done on the NIH campus in Bethesda Maryland and the other half is done at Oxford or Cambridge where they are members of colleges and participate fully in university life. The NIH is the largest biomedical research facility world and has trained over 100 Nobel laureates.
- James Madison Graduate Fellowships – for students interested in high school teaching careers with an emphasis on history, government or social studies
- National Security Education Program Scholarship (NSEP) – for study abroad by graduates and undergraduates specifically interested in languages and cultures
- Morris K. Udall Foundation Scholarships – for undergraduates with a commitment to pursuing environment-related careers, and Native American and Alaska Native undergraduates with a commitment to careers related to tribal public policy or health care
- Jack Kent Cooke Graduate Scholarships – for talented students in need of financial assistance who desire to attend any graduate or professional school
- George J. Mitchell Scholarships – for graduate study by American citizens at institutions of higher learning on the island of Ireland
- Gates Cambridge Scholarships – for study at Cambridge University in the United Kingdom
- The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships – for able and accomplished New Americans to achieve leadership in their chosen fields
- Andrew W. Mellon Fellowships in Humanistic Studies – for college seniors or gradates whose intended disciplines are in the traditional humanities
- Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholarships – for study abroad by undergraduate and graduate students
For further information, visit the National Association of Fellowships advisers, of which the Honors College is a member. You'll find valuable information and links to scholarship agencies.
