Deadlines

Astronaut Scholarship Campus Timeline

2025-26

The Astronaut Scholarship awards up to $15,000 for eligible undergraduates in engineering, math, natural, and applied sciences. Sophomore and junior STEM majors (excluding pre-medical; clinical; health policy; disease diagnosis, prevention, or treatment focused studies) who are U.S. citizens may apply.

The Astronaut Scholarship Foundation funds this opportunity, which was created to ensure that the United States would maintain its leadership in science and technology by supporting some of the very best science, technology, engineering, and math college students.

Please be advised that before we nominate you or endorse your candidacy for the Astronaut Scholarship, we will perform a conduct and academic honesty check to confirm that you are in good disciplinary and academic standing; a waiver that allows us to do so is part of the Prospective Applicant Form (linked below).

Below is the campus schedule for the Astronaut Scholarship; two (2) nominees will be selected.

January 15: Both the Prospective Applicant Form and the Fellowships Preliminary Questionnaire (FPQ) are due. This campus questionnaire is a mandatory part of the internal vetting process. If it has been more than two academic semesters since you submitted an FPQ, please submit the FPQ Update. You do not need to do the entire FPQ again, unless you want to.

The Director of Fellowships will review profiles and invite selected students to proceed with the full scholarship application for consideration by the campus nominating committee.

Early February: Students notified whether or not they have been approved to submit official scholarship essay & letters of recommendation for review by URochester nominating committee. A minimum of eight (8) students will be invited to proceed further in the URochester nominating process.

March 5: Résumé, scholarship essay & three (3) letters of recommendation are due:

• Up-to-date résumé (2 pages max): submit via our secure online portal.
  
• Essay:one-page personal statement (single-spaced with 1-inch margins, 12-point font) discussing: motivation for pursuit of chosen area of STEM study; co-curricular leadership and participation in STEM activities outside of class-based work; creativity, innovation, risk-taking in STEM; graduate-study plans, career aspirations & how you want to have a positive impact on the world through STEM research/technological innovation. Submit essay via the secure online portal.
  
• Letters (3): One recommendation must come from a URochester STEM professor who will serve as the faculty nominator of record if you are chosen as a nominee (ideally from your major department); two (2) additional recommendations from other STEM professors, research mentors, or internship supervisors submitted through the secure online recommendation form.
  • Recommendation letters should address the applicant’s "special drive or talent that foreshadows a creative career leading to the advancement of scientific knowledge and technology."
  • Letters should have a current date, be written on departmental letterhead, and be signed.
    

Mid-March: Candidates notified of nomination status.

March 25: For nominees only: Finalized application materials due.

URochester Transcripts: Nominees are to request an electronic URochester transcript and have it sent directly to the Fellowships Office at fellowships@rochester.edu. Before you request your University of Rochester transcript, you must make sure your major is declared and appears on your record, that your spring program is reflected accurately on your transcript, and that there are no missing grades from prior terms.

Non-URochester Transcripts (if required): External transcripts should be sent directly to the Fellowships Office from the outside institution, either as a digital document to fellowships@rochester.edu or in hardcopy to:

Student Fellowships Office/Belinda Redden
University of Rochester
PO Box 270416
Rochester, NY 14627