About the Scholarship
The Astronaut Scholarship Foundation was established in 1984 as the Mercury Seven Foundation by the six surviving members of America’s original Mercury Seven astronauts. Since its founding, more than 100 astronauts from the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, and Space Shuttle programs have united to aid the United States in retaining its world leadership in science and technology by providing college scholarships for the very best students pursuing science, technology, engineering or math degrees. The Foundation awards over 50 scholarships annually, each worth up to $15,000, to exceptional college students who exhibit motivation, imagination, and exceptional performance in the science or engineering field of their major.
Requirements
Eligibility
All students considered for the scholarship must meet the following requirements:
- Must be nominated by faculty at an ASF affiliated university or institution;
- Must be a U.S. citizen (verified by birth certificate, US passport, or naturalization papers);
- Must have completed two years of full-time study at an ASF affiliated university or institution and demonstrated exemplary academic performance, as noted in transcripts (NOTE: Students may be nominated during their second year of full-time study, for a scholarship that will begin in the third year.);
- Must be a junior or senior at the time their scholarship begins and attending that same ASF affiliated university or institution, and;
o Must be majoring in an undergraduate degree program in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM), that is listed in the Appendix. The list of approved STEM majors has been derived from the National Science Foundation’s approved fields of study for their Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) with the exception of the categories of Psychology, Social Sciences, and STEM Education and Learning Research which are specifically excluded from ASF Scholarship eligibility; - Should be a full-time student during both semesters of the ASF supported academic year to receive the full scholarship, which is up to $15,000 (one-semester students may be eligible with Scholarship Committee Chair approval);
- Must have conducted a considerable amount of work outside the classroom in their chosen field of study. This may include laboratory research, cooperative education, internships, relevant military experience, entrepreneurial endeavors, and/or documented independent work resulting in technical papers, patents, or similar work product;
- Must be nominated for consideration by a professor or faculty member who knows the student well enough to identify a special drive or talent that foreshadows a creative career leading to the advancement of scientific knowledge and technology.
- Special consideration is not given to aeronautical/astronautical engineering students or those intending to pursue careers as astronauts.
Advising
Advising Period: December – Early February
Contact: Katie Capra, kcalvert@usc.edu