National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program recognizes outstanding scholarship and encourages independent graduate level research -- particularly by female and minority students -- in NOAA mission-related sciences of oceanography, marine biology and maritime archaeology, including all science, engineering and resource management of ocean and coastal areas. Scholarship selections are based on academic excellence, letters of recommendations, research and career goals and financial need.

In order to have a competitive application for the Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program, it is recommended that you review the following bullets to assess whether or not you should apply for this scholarship.

• Your research proposal aligns closely with NOAA's mission, with particular emphasis on meeting the science needs of the NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. This is 20% of your application score.
• Your financial need statement documents a strong financial need due to challenges, hardships, or other information through a compelling personal narrative. This is 25% of your application score.
• You (likely) have exceptional letters of recommendation. This is 10% of your application score.
• Historically, proposals that do not support the science needs of NOAA's National Marine Sanctuary System do not rank as high.
• If you are in the last year of your Masters or Ph.D. program, it is not advised to apply for this scholarship.

https://fosterscholars.noaa.gov/