Application Planning

Timeline overview for application process:

• Spring and Summer: (i.e. the months before the December deadline):  

  • Visit the Goldwater website to learn more about the Scholarship and the application process.

  • Talk with faculty and research mentors about your interest in a research career and in applying for the Goldwater.

  • Identify reference-writers (the Fellowships team would love to help - drop in to chat at Fellowships Pop-Ups or book a Fellowships advising appointment) and request references.

• August/September: Start writing, especially the research essay. Give yourself time to try several drafts and to seek feedback from faculty and the Fellowships team.

• Early September: Goldwater application becomes available online, but even before that you can find the questions asked in the application via the Goldwater website, plus tips on the research essay.  

  • Note that you must complete and submit a brief interest form before you’ll be able to access the full Goldwater application, so please plan ahead.

• October 30, 2026: Optional Priority Draft Deadline for undergraduate fellowships and scholarships - submit drafts by this deadline via the Workday form (link to follow) to guarantee a draft review appointment before the campus deadline.

• December 1, 2026 by 12:00 pm (noon) EST: Campus application deadline.  Application materials (see checklist below) should be submitted via the Wellesley Goldwater application via Workday (link to follow). 

• December/early January: Campus review committee reads applications and sometimes interviews short-listed applicants before selecting no more than four applications to forward to the national competition.  

  • All applicants will be able to receive feedback, and nominees will be able to use this to finalize their applications in advance of the national deadline in late January.

• Late January: Nominees’ final applications due so the campus fellowship advisor to forward materials to the Goldwater Foundation by the national deadline. 

• Late March/early April: Scholarships and Honorable Mentions typically announced by the Foundation.

Eligibility

Who is eligible?

• College sophomores or juniors planning to pursue careers in mathematics, the natural sciences, or engineering;
• who have a college GPA of at least a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale; and
• who are United States citizens, permanent residents, and nationals.

What makes a strong applicant for this fellowship?

• The student’s commitment to a research career and potential to make a significant contribution to his or her field; and
• Plans to pursue advanced degrees after college.

Where can I learn more?

• On the Goldwater website.

Application checklist

• You must first complete a very brief interest form with preliminary information before you will be able access to the full application--this shouldn’t be difficult, but does require a little bit of extra advance planning. (Read about how to apply for nomination for the Goldwater here, and find the interest form under step 3.)

• Three recommendations: from STEM faculty, and including at least one from a research advisor if applicable. 

  • When you ask for a reference, please share with your recommenders the guidelines for recommenders on the official Goldwater website, here, including format requirements for the submission of letters.

  • Once someone has agreed to write in support of your application, for the campus nomination process, please DO NOT enter your recommenders' details into the official online Goldwater application system, but instead and only in the Wellesley Goldwater application via Workday. Recommenders should please submit their letters via the Wellesley system (if they have any issues, they can email their letters directly to fellowships@wellesley.edu). If your application is nominated to go forward to the national competition, you will then be able to enter your recommenders' details into the official Goldwater application system to allow them to upload their letters there ahead of the national deadline at the end of January.

Submit the following, by the campus application deadline, via the Wellesley Goldwater application in Workday (link to follow):

• Before starting your application, note the new AI guidelines from the Goldwater Scholarship described in their FAQs, and remember that of course the Wellesley Honor Code applies to fellowships applications.

• Complete the official online Goldwater application form but do not click to submit your application in the official Goldwater application system (or you will NOT be able to make any further changes to it); instead save a pdf of your official application to submit to the Wellesley nomination committee via the Wellesley Goldwater application in Workday. (Find the official online Goldwater application via their website: you'll need first to submit an interest form so that I can give you access to the full application, so please plan ahead. Even before the official online application opens, students may find all the questions asked in it on the Goldwater website.)

• One essay discussing a research  issue or problem in your field of study that is of particular interest to you, typically describing research in which you are involved (no more than 3 pages, maximum; for further details, see the helpful official Goldwater research essay tips for students.)

• CV/resume (not part of your official application, but helpful to the campus committee, thanks)

• Unofficial copies of applicable transcripts (e.g. Wellesley, transfer, study abroad) - for the campus competition, all that's needed for a Wellesley transcript is the unofficial grade report students can access online

• Copy of Permanent Resident card if applicable.

• Wellesley Fellowships office signature document (please print, sign & date this form, then submit a scanned pdf or other image of the signed document along with your application materials)