Scope Out Excellent Scholarship Sources for Biology Majors

Biology degrees lead to an awesome assortment of career choices. Because the fields open to biology majors are so interested in recruiting new blood AND because diversity has become paramount, fasten your seatbelts: scholarships are crazy plentiful for Biology students.

Biology STEM Scholarships

Historically the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Sciences (“STEM”) are all very lacking in ethnic minorities, particularly African Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans, as well as women. In efforts to diversify the sciences many government and private sources offer STEM scholarships.

Government Sources

  • The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) sponsors the annual Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship. This award is designed to provide assistance and encouragement to minority and women studying in NOAA-related fields, including Marine Biology. Candidates must be studying at the graduate level.
  • If you’re specializing in studies that could be important to the Department of Homeland Security’s efforts in Biological Threats, you could be positioned to receive exceptionally well-funded scholarships. Undergraduate and graduate students engaged in studies directly related to the DHS’s initiatives win one full year of paid tuition, a paid summer internship and monthly cash stipends between $1,000 and $2,300. This is a scholarship for service program, which means you must commit to working in DHS for a minimum of one year following your graduation.

Biology Scholarships from Private Sources

Privates businesses, industries, and organizations, especially those in the scientific sector, often have very deep pockets. Not only do many provide scholarship assistance to students at every level, but many also bundle paid internships that help grease the pathway to well-paying jobs. Examples:

  • The UNCF/Merck Science Initiative scholarships aim to promote diversity in the sciences. These cash awards given to outstanding African American students are open to candidates studying at the undergraduate, graduate and doctoral level in Biology. The scholarships range from $25,000 to $85,000 and include paid summer internships and Merck mentoring.
  • The Gates Millennium Scholarship is not exclusively a biology scholarship, not at the undergraduate level. But student recipients that qualify to continue receiving GMS funding while they go into graduate studies must be pursuing an education degree or STEM subject, which includes biology.

Biology Scholarships from Colleges and Universities

Every college and university that features a Biology department also offers scholarships. You’ll find scholarships funded by the school as well as those funded, often generously, by private donors. If you know what specialty or career track you’d like to follow, you have a much better chance of honing in on just those scholarships for which you are most well-suited.