2026 Goldwater Scholarship Awards

March 27, 2026 — In 2026, the Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation proudly celebrates 40 years working to support talented college sophomores and juniors who aspire to become this nation’s next generation of researchers in science, engineering, and mathematics. Thanks to an ongoing partnership with UWorld and the Department of Defense’s National Defense Education Program (NDEP), Dr. John Yopp, Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation, announced that the Goldwater Board will award 454 scholarships for the 2026-2027 academic year. This, combined with continued support for 59 sophomores from the 2026 competition, marks the highest total number of Scholars the Foundation has ever supported in a single year. With the 2026 awards, the Goldwater Foundation will have awarded a total of 11,616 scholarships.

“The Department of War’s continued partnership with the Goldwater Foundation ensures we are supporting the development of scientific talent essential to maintaining our Nation’s competitive advantage,” said Dr. Jagadeesh Pamulapati, Principal Director for Science and Technology Foundations, who oversees the NDEP program.

“The Goldwater Scholarship recognizes students who have the curiosity, discipline, and vision to become the next generation of research leaders,” said Dr. Chandra S. Pemmasani, founder and CEO of UWorld. “UWorld is proud to support these scholars as they pursue discoveries that will advance science, strengthen healthcare, and benefit society.”

From an estimated pool of over 5,000 college sophomores and juniors, 1,485 students majoring in science, engineering, and mathematics were nominated by 482 academic institutions to compete for the 2026 Goldwater Scholarships. Among the students who reported, 226 are men, 217 are women, and nearly all intend to pursue a PhD as their highest degree. Of the awardees, 54 Scholars plan to pursue research careers in mathematics and computer science, 237 in the sciences, 98 in medicine, and 65 in engineering and materials research.

Among the impressive array of subsequent prestigious awards won by Goldwater Scholars are National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowships, NSF Graduate Research Fellowships, Hertz Fellowships, Department of Energy Computational Sciences Graduate Fellowships, Churchill Scholarships, and Marshall Scholarships.

The Goldwater Foundation is a federally endowed, independent agency established by Public Law 99-661 on November 14, 1986. The scholarship program honoring Senator Barry Goldwater was designed to identify, encourage, and financially support outstanding undergraduates interested in pursuing research careers in the sciences, engineering, and mathematics. The Goldwater Scholarship is the preeminent undergraduate award of its type in these fields.

For further information, contact the Goldwater office at 703-756-6012 or by email at goldwaterao@goldwaterscholarship.gov.

2026 Goldwater Scholars