Frequently Asked Questions (by applicants)
1. Can I apply directly to the Goldwater Foundation for a scholarship?
No. You must be nominated by your university to be considered for a Goldwater Scholarship.
2. I plan to pursue a medical degree. Am I eligible for a Goldwater Scholarship?
Individuals who plan to pursue a Doctor of Medicine degree or MD usually plan to become a practicing physician with emphasis on patient care and the clinical practice of medicine. If this is your intent, you are NOT ELIGIBLE for a Goldwater Scholarship.
If, on the other hand, you would like to pursue a research career in medicine and obtain either a PhD or an MD/PhD, then you ARE ELIGIBLE for a Goldwater Scholarship.
3. I plan to pursue a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree. Am I eligible for a Goldwater Scholarship?
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) programs provide students with the education and clinical training to diagnose and treat illnesses and injuries in animals. As this is clinical practice and not research, you are NOT ELIGIBLE for a Goldwater Scholarship.
If, on the other hand, you plan to pursue a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from a school that offers joint doctoral and doctor of medicine degrees (DVM/PhD) and you plan to do research on animals, you ARE ELIGIBLE for a Goldwater Scholarship. You would also be eligible if you just obtained the PhD in this field and conducted animal related research.
4. I am in a 3/2 engineering program. When can I be nominated for a Goldwater Scholarship?
For Goldwater purposes, you are a sophomore in Year 3 of your program (i.e., you have two years remaining until graduation). Should you become a Goldwater Scholar, you would receive up to $7,500 in each of Years 4 and 5 of a 3/2 program. You may also be nominated in Year 4 of your program (i.e., you would be a junior by Goldwater’s definition) and would receive up to $7,500 in Year 5, your senior year in school.
5. After I am nominated by my academic institution, what happens?
After the January nomination deadline, files are reviewed to ensure that they are complete. Incomplete nominations will not be reviewed. In late February the files are reviewed by an independent review committee. The review committee evaluates each nominee on the basis of:
• Demonstrated potential for and commitment to a research career in the natural sciences, mathematics or engineering and

• Outstanding academic performance.
At its annual meeting in mid-March, the slate of Scholars and Honorable Mentions identified by the review committee are reviewed and voted upon by the Goldwater Board of Trustees. The overall number of scholarships awarded depends on available resources.
In late March, all nominees receive a letter from the Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Goldwater Foundation that recognizes them for being nominated by their academic institutions and congratulates those who have been named Scholars or Honorable mentions. The names of Scholars and Honorable Mentions are posted on the Goldwater Foundation website on the last Friday in March.
6. I previously won a Goldwater Scholarship. Can I be nominated for or receive a second Goldwater Scholarship?
The Goldwater Scholarship is an honor bestowed upon an individual student only once. If you have already been awarded a Goldwater Scholarship, you are not eligible to be nominated or receive a second scholarship.
7. Can my essay include a color table, graph, or diagram?
Yes, your essay may include color images. Your essay will be printed in color.