Goldwater Scholarship

About the Scholarship

Barry Goldwater Scholarships are awarded to outstanding undergraduates who are studying mathematics, natural sciences or engineering and who intend to pursue a research career. The scholarship awards up to $7,500 for the remaining year(s) of study at USC. Desired qualities of applicants include a strong commitment to a research career in the natural sciences, mathematics and engineering, effective display of intellectual intensity in the sciences, mathematics and engineering, and potential for a significant future contribution to research in their chosen field.

Applicants interested in pursuing medicine must demonstrate a desire for medical research, rather than medical practice.

Campus deadline for Goldwater Scholarship nomination consideration is Tuesday, December 1, 2026.

Requirements

Eligibility Requirements

Basic Eligibility

  • You are a currently or previously matriculated sophomore or junior at an accredited 2-year or 4-year U.S. institution and will be a full-time matriculated student during the academic terms when receiving scholarship support. Goldwater defines sophomores and juniors by the semesters remaining until your graduation — see Definition of Terms.
  • You intend to pursue a research career in a natural science, mathematics, or engineering. Careers in medicine, veterinary medicine, and engineering qualify only if research is central to your career goals. Eligible fields of study
  • You have a college grade-point average of at least 3.00 on a 4.00 scale.
  • You are a U.S. citizen or U.S. national from the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau (or any other U.S. territory or possession) — or you are a permanent resident of the United States. Permanent residents must include a copy of their Permanent Resident Card (Green Card).

The Foundation does not support students whose career interests are clinical practice in medicine (translational research is supported), design work in engineering, or social/behavioral research in psychology (neuroscience research is supported). 

Additional Characteristics of Strong Goldwater Applicants:

When reviewing nomination packets, Goldwater reviewers are attempting to determine who these individuals are among the nominees. Application materials will be as varied as the students who submit them. There are, nevertheless, some characteristics among applications that are worth noting. Nomination materials will be reviewed by discipline.

  • Demonstrate a passion for doing research is by doing research. When you tell your research story, specify what you contributed to an experiment and what you got out of the experience, so the reviewer can evaluate your interest in and passion for doing research.
  • Demonstrate ownership of the project, or some part of the project. You do not have to be involved in a research project that occurs on the world’s largest particle accelerator. You can demonstrate sophisticated and elegant thinking and analysis doing research on the ecosystem of the pond behind your dorm.
  • Get involved in research as early in your undergraduate experience as possible! If you are going to be nominated as a sophomore for a Goldwater scholarship, the above discussion clearly suggests that you should start engaging in research during your freshman year of college (or even in high school).

Nomination

The USC Campus Representative facilitates the Goldwater Scholarship nomination process. USC may nominate up to four students per year. An institution may nominate a fifth student if at least one nominee is a transfer student or a U.S. veteran, and a sixth if the nominees include both. You may be nominated by only one institution in a given year.

Students seeking USC nomination for the Goldwater Scholarship will submit all application materials by the campus deadline. A USC committee comprised of faculty from Viterbi and Dornsife will review all applications and select the USC Goldwater nominees. If selected as a USC Goldwater nominee, candidates will be given access to the national Goldwater Scholarship application by the Campus Representative. Nominees may continue to refine their application materials and referees will have the opportunity to update their letters of recommendation leading up to the final deadline in January.

Application

The USC campus deadline to apply for Goldwater Scholarship nomination is: Tuesday, December 1, 2026.  Letters of recommendation should be submitted by faculty/mentors through the campus online application portal SurveyMonkey Apply by December 1.

Fellow the directions below if you would like to be considered for Goldwater Scholarship USC Nomination:

STEP 1: Create and submit a Student Interest Form, which ask for basic information and alerts the Campus Representative you are interested in the award. You do not need to meet with the USC Campus Rep to proceed to submit a USC Campus Nomination Application (step 2).

STEP 2: Submit a Goldwater Scholarship USC Campus Nomination Application through SurveyMonkey Apply by December 1, 2026.

As you prepare, please review the questions and components of the full Goldwater application: an online questionnaire, a research essay, three letters of recommendation, and transcripts (plus a permanent-resident document, if applicable). In addition to providing the Foundation with background academic information about you, these materials help Goldwater understand your interest and commitment to pursuing a research career, your intellectual intensity, and your potential for making significant future research contributions.

The USC Goldwater Scholarship nomination application questions mirror the actual Goldwater Scholarship national application.

Apply for Goldwater Scholarship USC Nomination Application

Goldwater Scholarship USC Campus Nomination Application will open the week of October 12.

Campus deadline for Goldwater Scholarship nomination consideration is Tuesday, December 1, 2026.

Apply

Timeline

The Goldwater Scholarship national application opens early September.

USC Campus Nomination Application

  • Mid-October 2026: USC Goldwater Scholarship Campus Nomination Application Opens
  • Tuesday, December 1, 2026: USC Goldwater Scholarship Campus Nomination Application Deadline 
  • Mid-December: USC Nominees Notified
  • Sunday, January 24, 2027: Final Campus Deadline for USC Nominees

Goldwater National Scholarship Application

  • Friday, January 29, 2027: Goldwater Scholarship National deadline

Resources

Advising

Advising Period: Mid-October – late November

Contact: Katie Capra, [email protected]

Scholarship Recipients