The Universities Space Research Association (USRA) is pleased to announce the USRA Scholarship Awards. Full-time undergraduate students, who are attending a 4-year accredited college or university in the United States at the time of award, are eligible to apply. The purpose of the Awards is to provide college scholarship awards to students who have shown a career interest in the sciences or engineering with an emphasis on space research, space science education, or aeronautics-related sciences. The USRA is offering total $16,000 award money in their four undergraduate scholarship awards (up to $4,000 each).
The Universities Space Research Association (USRA) is an independent, nonprofit research corporation where the combined efforts of in-house talent and university-based expertise merge to advance space science and technology.USRA was founded in 1969, near the beginning of the Space Age, driven by the vision of two individuals, James Webb (NASA Administrator 1961-1968) and Frederick Seitz (National Academy of Sciences President 1962-1969).
Eligibility:
To eligible for the scholarship, the applicant must meet all the following criteria:
- Applicants must be full-time undergraduate students attending a 4-year accredited college or university in the United States at the time the award is received.
- Applicants must be majoring in a field of science or engineering, including life sciences or science education.
- Applicants must be within two years of a B.S. or B.A. in a space science related field of science or engineering (including life science and science education) by the time the award is received.
- Cumulative GPA of 3.50 or greater
- Applicants must be US citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents.
- Previous USRA Scholarship Award winners are not eligible.
- Non-US students attending USRA Member Universities located outside the United States are also eligible to apply. Applicants must be citizens of the country in which the university is based. In addition, all application materials must be in English, and eligibility with regard to academic grades and number of years to the undergraduate degree must be equivalent to that for U.S. applicants. (The eligible non-US universities are theUniversity of Toronto, University of British Columbia, University of Leicester, University of Sheffield, Chinese University of Hong Kong, University of Stuttgart, University of Cologne, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, and Tel Aviv University.)
- USRA will not award scholarships to applicants who are not qualified and reserves the right not to award a scholarship in a given year.
How to Apply:
To be applying for the scholarship, the applicant must submit online application through the given link: https://www.hou.usra.edu/usra_scholarships/application/
Supporting Documents:
The application must include:
- Two letters of recommendation with at least one from a teacher or a school official at the college level.
- Two recommendations are required to complete your application. At least one of these individuals should be a current teacher or school official at the college level.
- Contact your references and ask if they are willing to give a letter of recommendation before submitting the application form.
- Tell your reference to expecting an email from “noreply-at-hou.usra.edu” entitled “USRA Scholarship Letter of Recommendation Request”.
- If your reference loses the request email, have him/her notify scholarship-at-usra.edu.
- An official college transcript showing two or more years of college credits including GPA.
- One page (< 600 words) statement stating the applicant’s past accomplishments and education and career goals in the field of space research, engineering, or space science education. Please include the applicant’s name at the top of the page.
- A description of any extra-curricular activities that demonstrate leadership or having a broader impact.
Financial Aid and Award Money:
- Four Scholarship Awards have been established to honor individuals who have made contributions to science and the US Space Program (Students will be matched to the scholarship most appropriate for their area of study). The scholarship awards:
- Thomas R. McGetchin Memorial Scholarship Award-One-time award of $4000.
- John R. Sevier Memorial Scholarship Award-One-time award of $4000.
- James B. Willett Educational Memorial Scholarship Award- One-time award of $4000.
- Frederick A. Tarantino Memorial Scholarship Award- One-time award of $4000.
- Up to four undergraduate scholarship awards are available in amounts up to $4,000 each year. Awards are for one year only. All scholarship awards will be paid directly to the recipients.
- The USRA Scholarship Awards are awarded without regard to race, sex, religion, age, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity. USRA maintains impartiality in the selection of scholarship awards, and scholarships are awarded solely based on the merits of the application.
Application Deadline:
- Applicants must complete the online application no later than August 9, 2017.
- Letters of Recommendation must be submitted by applicant’s references by August 16.
Link for More Information:
http://www.usra.edu/about/outreach/scholarship/
Contact Information:
If you have any questions about the application may be directed to scholarship-at-usra.edu or 410-740-6253.
