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 UGSP—providing 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 postdoctoral 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 noncitizen. (See below for more information.)
- Enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a full-time student for the 2008-2009 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://www.ugsp.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 here.
Schedule for 2009-2010 Awards
-Applications available: Fall 2008
-Deadline for receipt of complete applications: February 28, 2009
-Award notifications: July-August 2009
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the NIH?
The NIH, or the National Institutes of Health, is the world’s 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 extracurricular 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, Volume 72, Number 96, May 18, 2007, p.28062.)
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Persons in Family
(Includes only dependents listed on Federal income tax forms)
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1
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2
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3
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Family Income Level
(Adjusted gross income, rounded to the nearest $100)
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$20,420
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$27,380
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$34,340
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$41,300
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$48,260
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$55,220
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$62,180
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$69,140
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What if I don’t 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 NIH’s training programs, visit http://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://www.ugsp.nih.gov/citizenship.asp for a complete list of exceptions.