Undergraduate Scholarships and Funding

SEFS ESRM and BSE Undergraduate Scholarship Program
Due to our generous donors, the School of Environmental and Forest Sciences has a robust undergraduate scholarship program for BSE and ESRM majors. Scholarships range from $800 to $10,000, depending on the applicant pool and match with funds available each year. These funds are awarded based on merit and/or need (as indicated by the FAFSA or WASFA). The funds are directly deposited to your student account on a quarterly basis (Autumn, Winter, Spring) before the tuition due date (which is generally the third week of the quarter) after full-time (12 credits) enrollment is verified. Scholarships cannot be applied to summer quarter. Students, including those that have previously received a SEFS scholarship, must apply annually for the following academic year. Awards must be used within the award quarter and year as designated in award letters sent to recipients. The SEFS Scholarship Application Form is available April 22 to May 5; applications are due May 5.

To apply, you will need to prepare these materials:

• A brief resume (in PDF format)
• An unofficial UW transcript (in PDF format)
• A Personal Statement, (in PDF format) up to 500 words, that addresses:
  • What area of study are you interested in
  • Your future goals
  • How the scholarship will help you achieve your goals
  • Anything else you think the Scholarship Committee should consider

Once you are ready, you will need to log into Google using a UW NetID and have the UW G-Suite activated. If necessary, consult your G Suite settings here. If you do not seem to have permission, close your browser completely to eliminate any other logins and then open your browser and the link again. Enter your UW NetID followed by @uw.edu. You should then be prompted for a UW NetID login. Then, you can proceed to access the current Scholarship Form linked below.

Submit your Scholarship Application and Materials Here

Eligibility for Scholarships

• Declared in the BSE or ESRM major and completed at least 30 college credits (can include transfer credits).  A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.
• The FAFSA or WASFA must be completed to be considered for scholarships that require financial need.
• You must maintain full time enrollment (12 credits) for the quarters that you receive the scholarship.
• Note: Incoming freshmen and graduate students will not be considered for these scholarships

Criteria for Scholarships

The SEFS Scholarship Committee uses the following criteria to determine awards:

• Financial need (required by some scholarship funds at SEFS)
• Academic performance (merit)
• Personal statement (up to 500 words) addressing area of study and future goals

Other Undergraduate-only Awards

TBA

Scholarships and Funding for both Graduates and Undergraduates

Searching for Scholarships and Funding on the Student Blog

The SEFS Student Blog has postings regarding a variety of funding sources. We will post these opportunities as they become available. These include both outside UW organizations and internal UW opportunities. To search the blog, here are the categories:

• Undergraduate Scholarships & Funding
• Graduate Scholarships & Funding

SEFS Resources

Student Field Experience Support Fund provides numerous opportunities to participate in field experiences through course field trips, internships, volunteering, and other activities. SEFS wants to ensure that students are able to participate without limitation due to lack of financial resources.

Student Research Support Funds include a limited amount of endowment funding to support unfunded student (undergraduate and graduate) research expenses. These funds are meant to supplement, not replace, existing research funding available from PIs in the School.

UW Resources

Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards provides information and guidance for UW students on a wide variety of local and national funding programs.

UW Financial Aid Office administers a variety of government and UW-funded financial aid programs for UW students. Application deadlines vary, but priority is given to those who apply early. Scholarship amount depends on eligibility for financial aid.

UW Veterans Education Benefits provides information and guidance for veterans, current active-duty members or dependents of military who may be entitled to VA benefits, tuition reductions, or tuition assistance programs while enrolled at the UW.

Outside-UW Resources

NOAA Student Opportunities Database.  A spectacular database for both graduate and undergraduate funding opportunities (and internships, jobs, and many other things).

Scholarships and Funding for Graduate Students

SEFS Resources

Graduate Student Travel Awards provide funding assistance to attend national conferences, seminars, and professional meetings. The funding is meant to supplement research grant funding and the Graduate School Fund for Excellence and Innovation.  Although each request is considered on its merits and is subject to availability of funds, the general guideline for student funding is up to $300 of expenses for domestic travel and up to $500 of expenses for international travel.

Graduate Student Completion Fellowship provides limited fellowship funds for graduate students who would benefit from a final quarter of financial support without research or teaching obligations in order to focus on completion of their thesis or dissertation.

UW Resources

Graduate School Office of Fellowships and Awards.  Guidance on paying for graduate school.

Graduate Funding Information Service.   Helping current and admitted UW graduate students to learn the skills and tools to find funding.