NSF Gateway Scholarship in Biology

Gateway Scholars is a cohort-based scholarship program for biology students funded by the National Science Foundation. Gateway Scholars receive professional development, financial support, cohort experiences, academic advising, and support from a faculty mentor. Students will enroll in Biology 198 during the fall of their freshman year. This course is designed to give new biology majors an introduction to the careers of biology, the concepts of biological research, the research of faculty, and tools to help them achieve success as a biology student.

*To Apply:

• You must be a new student or new transfer student with a declared major in the Biological Sciences who plans to enroll full-time (12 undergraduate credits per semester)
• Freshmen grade level
• Have a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA
  Submit an essay that meets the criteria below
  Demonstrate financial need. We can determine your financial need by the results of your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Essay Requirements:

• Single page essay (approximately 500 words) explaining your interest in pursuing a biology career.
• What inspired you to choose Biology as a career?
• What have you done to prepare yourself for the field of Biology?
• What activities have you undertaken to explore a career in Biology?
  Please upload your essay as a word or PDF document (8 MB max file size). Make sure your full name and student ID number is on the header of each page.

Renewal criteria
This scholarship can be renewed for up to four years. Gateway Scholars are eligible for a scholarship of up to $10,000 (depending on individual level of need) for each year they are in the Gateway Program if they meet the following criteria:

• Declared Biology major
• In a Gateway program
• Maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher
• Complete a minimum of 24 credits progress toward biology degree requirements