Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship
Direct application
Up to $47,000/year
4 winners
Eligibility
Major
Biology Life Sciences
Education level
Graduate
Grades
GPA 3.3+
About this scholarship
Graduate students pursuing master's or doctoral degrees in oceanography, marine biology, maritime archaeology, or related marine sciences may apply for the NOAA Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship.
Up to four awards provide yearly support of up to $47,000 (stipend plus education allowance), plus up to $10,000 for a NOAA facility collaboration. Master's students may be supported for up to two years; doctoral students for up to four.
Submit a completed application with a research proposal aligned with NOAA's mission, a financial need statement, and at least two letters of recommendation. A minimum 3.3 GPA and strong recommendations are preferred. The program supports diverse students dedicated to marine stewardship.
Essay questions
What else to submit
- Completed application
- Research proposal
- Financial need statement
- At least two letters of recommendation
- Transcripts for all completed academic years
- Enrollment verification or list of graduate schools applied to
- SF-424, declaration statement, and EFC/SAI Student Aid Report documentation
- Single Adobe PDF submission in the specified order
- Graduate-level scholarship (master's/PhD); requires cumulative 3.30 GPA
- Two-stage process: Pre-Application then Full Application
- Pre-Application includes a Research Summary that must NOT exceed 500 words and one page (single-spaced, 12pt Times New Roman, 1" margin)
- Research Proposal: must not exceed three pages, single-spaced, 12pt Times New Roman, 1" margin (excluding references)
- General Information Sheet: not longer than two typewritten single-spaced pages, 12pt Times New Roman
- Statement of Intent supports an OPTIONAL outreach letter of support (max one letter; worth 5 points)
- Financial Need Information Questions: answers must fit on one page; 8 structured questions including Estimated Financial Need (EFN) calculation
- Two Letters of Recommendation (each recommended no more than two pages)
- Transcripts for all complete years of academic training; Enrollment Verification or List of Graduate Schools Applied to
- Standard Form SF-424, Table of Contents, Declaration Statement, and EFC/SAI (Student Aid Report) documentation (must not exceed two pages)
- Submitted as a single Adobe PDF in a specified order
- Two-stage process: pre-application followed by full application.
- Master's support may continue up to two years; doctoral support may continue up to four years.
- Strong recommendations are preferred.