Preparing to apply for the EPP/MSI and Hollings undergraduate scholarships

Table of contents

• General information and contact information
• Educational information
• Awards, honors, and activities
• References
• Essay
• View sample application and evaluation materials

General information and contact information

Most of this section will be easy to fill out, but there are a few things you may want to gather:

• Your health insurance company and effective date.
• Expected graduation date.
• Cumulative GPA.

Educational information

This section requires information about your institution, completed classes, and any research experiences. Information you may want to gather:

• An official transcript from your current institution. If you are a transfer student, you will also need transcripts from your previous institution.
  • While Advanced Placement (AP) credits are not accepted for purposes of this application, if you are considered to be more than a sophomore due to additional credits or otherwise, a letter of explanation from the home university must accompany the official transcript.
• Formal and informal research experiences (not class laboratory activities).
  • The application requires a position title, start and end dates, and a description for each experience.
• Remember that you must be enrolled full-time at the time of application in both the Fall and Spring academic terms of the application period. 

Awards, honors, and activities

An open-ended section to list academic and non-academic accomplishments and activities. Be prepared to include organization names, award titles, dates (month/year), and responsibilities where applicable. Accomplishments and activities may include:

• Honor and technical societies.
• Scholarship, fellowships, internships, and similar awards.
• Service organizations.
• Campus activities.
• Paid or unpaid volunteer and entrepreneurship activities.
• Involvement in community-based organizations.
• Other recognition.

References

Two references are required, including at least one academic reference (details on acceptable references are provided below). You must provide a name, job title, and email for each reference. The NOAA scholarship office will email your references a link to the reference form that they will submit directly to NOAA. You must identify two references, including:

• One academic reference. 
  • This person may be a professor, visiting professor, or lecturer who has taught you at the undergraduate level (lab courses are not acceptable).
  • A teaching assistant who has taught you at the undergraduate level.
    • Note that the teaching assistant is required to provide contact information for the supervising professor.
• A second reference who can speak to your capabilities and interests as they relate to the scholarship.
  • May also be an academic reference.
  • Other acceptable references are mentors from a job, volunteer, internship, or competition experience related to NOAA’s mission.
  • References are not accepted from former high school teachers, coaches, or family friends.

Essay questions

The essay questions are used to evaluate you as an individual, not necessarily as a scientist, and your motivation for applying for the scholarship. You should be prepared to demonstrate the following:

• Interest in NOAA’s mission as it relates to your academic, research (if any), and career goals.
• Motivation for applying to the scholarship.
• Interest in finding creative solutions to scientific, environmental, or community challenges.
• Ability to overcome challenges in relation to your academic goals.
• Leadership potential, including strategic thinking, interpersonal communication, integrity, thoughtful decision making.
• Impact of this opportunity on your personal, academic,and career goals.