Scholarship Information
Información en
español
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Undergraduate Scholarship
Program (UGSP) offers competitive scholarships to students
from disadvantaged backgrounds who are committed to careers
in biomedical, behavioral, and social science health-related
research. The program offers:
- Scholarship support
- Paid research training at the NIH
during the summer
- Paid employment and training at the
NIH after graduation
Scholarship Support
The NIH UGSP will pay up to $20,000 per academic year in
tuition, educational expenses, and reasonable living expenses
to scholarship recipients. Scholarships are awarded for 1
year, and can be renewed up to 4 years.
Research Training at the NIH
For each full or partial scholarship year,
you are committed to two NIH service obligations. The obligations
themselves
are benefits of the UGSPproviding you with invaluable
research training and experience at the NIH.
1) 10-week
Summer Laboratory Experience. After each year
of scholarship support, you will train for 10 weeks as a
paid summer research employee in an NIH research laboratory.
This employment occurs after the receipt of the scholarship
award. Each scholar will be assigned to an NIH researcher
and an NIH post-doctoral fellow, who will serve as mentors.
You will also attend formal seminars and participate in a
variety of programs. 2) Employment
at the NIH after Graduation. After graduation,
you will continue your training as a full-time employee in
an NIH research laboratory. You must serve 1 year of full-time
employment for each year of scholarship.
Scholarship Requirements
The NIH Undergraduate Scholarships are awarded on a competitive
basis to students who show a commitment to pursuing careers
in biomedical, behavioral, and social science health-related
research. The following are the basic requirements:
- U.S.
citizen, national, or qualified non-citizen.
(See below for more information.)
- Enrolled
or accepted for enrollment as a full-time student for
the 2005-2006 academic year
at an accredited, 4-year undergraduate
institution.
- From
a disadvantaged background. Disadvantaged background
means that your financial aid office has certified
you as having exceptional financial need. (See
below for more information.)
- 3.5
GPA or higher (on a 4.0 scale) or within the top 5 percent
of your
class.
How do I apply?
We encourage
students to apply online at http://ugsp.info.nih.gov.
In addition to our online application, this Web site contains
detailed information on the UGSP, as well as downloadable
application forms.
You may also contact our office to receive an application
in the mail. Our contact information is listed below.
Schedule for 2005-2006 Awards
Applications available |
September 2004 |
Deadline for receipt of complete applications |
February 28, 2005 |
Award notifications |
June-August 2005 |
What is the NIH?
The NIH, or the
National Institutes of Health, is the worlds
largest biomedical research institution. NIH seeks to improve
health by conducting research in its own laboratories and
by funding the research of other scientists throughout the
United States and around the world.
The NIH, headquartered in a suburb of Washington, D.C.,
is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services, an agency of the Federal Government.
If selected, will I receive the full $20,000?
Your exact scholarship amount will be determined based on
your educational expenses and your other sources of financial
aid. Your scholarship award cannot exceed your unmet college
expenses. You should also contact your financial aid office
to determine how an outside scholarship will affect your
financial aid package.
How many scholarships do you award?
The NIH awards approximately 15 scholarships each year.
It is a highly competitive program.
In addition to the minimum requirements, what do you look
for in applicants?
Strong applicants are able to demonstrate their commitment
to a research career. Applicants are most able to demonstrate
this commitment if they have already participated in laboratory
research, been involved in extra-curricular science activities,
or have taken advanced courses, relevant to their field. What is considered a
"disadvantaged background"?
Disadvantaged background means that your
financial aid office has certified you as having exceptional financial
need (EFN), as defined by the Federal Government.
The following
table lists the latest low-income thresholds used by the
Federal Government to define EFN. These income
levels are published by the U.S. Bureau of the Census and
adjusted by the Secretary of the Department of Health and
Human Services for use in all health professions' programs.
(Federal Register, August
5, 2003: 68 FR 46199)
Size
of Parent's Family
(Includes only dependents listed on
Federal income tax forms) |
Income
Level
(Gross income for calendar year 2002,
rounded to the nearest $100) |
1 |
$17,960 |
2 |
$24,240 |
3 |
$30,520 |
4 |
$36,800 |
5 |
$43,080 |
6 |
$49,360 |
7 |
$55,640 |
8 |
$61,920 |
What
if I dont meet this
definition of disadvantaged background?
Federal regulations
prevent us from considering applicants who do not meet
the above definition of disadvantaged background;
however, NIH offers other training programs that do not require
students to be disadvantaged. For information on all of NIHs
training programs, visit www.training.nih.gov.
May international students apply?
UGSP recipients are Federal employees during their training
at the NIH and must be eligible for Federal employment. In
general, only U.S. citizens and nationals are eligible for
Federal employment, but there are some exceptions to this
rule. For instance, permanent residents from certain countries
qualify. See http://ugsp.info.nih.gov/citizenship.htm for
a complete list of exceptions.
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