Barry Goldwater Scholarship

The Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation was established by Congress in 1986 to serve as a living memorial to honor Senator Barry Goldwater's 56 years of public service. The scholarship program is one of the oldest and most prestigious national scholarships available for students in the natural sciences, mathematics, and engineering in the United States. The Foundation aims to identify, encourage, and financially support promising college sophomores and juniors who intend to pursue research careers in these critical fields. Over its history, the Goldwater Foundation has awarded scholarships to over 11,000 college students, many of whom have gone on to win other prestigious awards like the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, Rhodes Scholarship, Churchill Scholarship, and the National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship. The program welcomes nominees from a wide range of institutions, from community colleges to research-intensive universities. Candidates must demonstrate strong academic performance in an eligible field, have research experience, and submit an engaging essay about their career aspirations along with three letters of recommendation. Each institution can nominate up to four students annually, with an extra nomination if at least one is a transfer student or veteran. The scholarship provides financial support to help ensure the U.S. is producing highly-qualified professionals in fields essential to national security and global competitiveness.