University of Washington — Scholarships for First-Year Students

Washington NASA Space Grant Consortium annually offers scholarships to incoming first-year students planning to study science, technology, engineering, or mathematics at the University of Washington.

These competitive scholarships are open to accomplished high school seniors, Running Start students, and Early Entrance students. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and Washington state residents.

Awards are based on high school academic achievement, standardized test scores, personal essays, recommendations, and future academic promise.

What is a Space Grant scholarship?

UW Space Grant scholarships range from $2,000 to $5,000. Scholarships are awarded for one year at a time. Scholarship recipients may apply for award renewal for up to three years, depending on availability of funding. Candidates for renewal must be enrolled in an eligible major, earn a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or better, and maintain program requirements for their majors.

The Washington NASA Space Grant Consortium program at UW is designed to create a small college atmosphere within the larger university. Along with financial support, Space Grant scholars can expect these benefits:

  • Opportunities to gain hands-on experience doing research in one of the many science or engineering laboratories on campus
  • Invaluable access to a network of professionals in science, technology, engineering and mathematics
  • Eligible for Space Grant/Honors Housing
  • Assistance with registration, campus resources, and academic advising
  • Gatherings with other Space Grant scholars
  • Participation in the Space Grant mentor program which provides each scholar a faculty, graduate student or advanced peer mentor for academic guidance during their four years at the UW

Eligibility requirements

Scholarship applicants must be Washington state residents and U.S. citizens planning to major in a science, technology, engineering or mathematics discipline at the University of Washington. Applicants should have a minimum GPA of 3.5.

Click here to see a list of all majors offered by the University of Washington; only majors in the fields of science, technology, engineering or mathematics are eligible for support. WSGC applications are open to students planning to attend any of the three UW campuses (Bothell, Seattle or Tacoma).

Washington NASA Space Grant Consortium values diversity and strongly encourages women and underrepresented minorities to apply.

Questions should be directed to nasa@uw.edu.

How we review applications

All applications will be read and evaluated. Finalists will be invited to interview on the University of Washington Seattle campus. Notification of scholarship awards will be made no later than mid-April.

Applicants can get to know our current Space Grant scholars through the program for the Space Grant Reception and Poster Session.


Additional funds for these scholarships have been generously provided by the Mary Gates Endowment for Students, the Office of Undergraduate Education, the Office of Student Affairs, the UW Colleges of Arts & Sciences and Engineering, Washington Sea Grant, the PNW Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation, the Washington State Opportunity Scholarship, the Irving and Louise Donnergaard Endowment, the Sigurd Olsen Endowment, the Dovie Samuelson Endowment, and the Lt. Col. Michael P. Anderson Memorial Diversity Endowment.