Biology Scholarships

Available Scholarships 

Apply here.

Applications for the 2023-2024 Academic Year are due May 5, 2023.

  • Biology Alumni Student Research Fellowships
    • Undergraduate or Graduate students may apply. Requires GPA ≥ 3.3 and current participation in a research project.
    • Letter to the scholarship committee should should include a description of your research project/proposal, including publications, or presentations at meetings.
  • Biology Faculty Fellowships 
    • Undergraduate students, Graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, or visiting scholars may apply. Requires GPA ≥ 3.3 and current participation in a research project.
    • Letter to the scholarship committee should should include a description of your research project/proposal, including publications, or presentations at meetings.
  • Biology Student Athlete Scholarship
    • Undergraduate students may apply. Requires GPA ≥3.3 and participant in any intercollegiate sport at WWU. (Athletic clubs or intramural sports do not count).
    • Letter to the scholarship committee should describe your sport, and how you integrate athletics with academics.
  • Biology Department Tuition Waiver Scholarships
    • Undergraduate students may apply. Requires GPA ≥3.3
  • Declan Barron Memorial Scholarship
    • Undergraduate students and Graduate students may apply. Requires GPA ≥ 3.3 and display financial need.
    • Letter to the scholarship committee should address your financial need; financial need may be considered but is secondary to your initiative and motivation to study and contribute within the field of Biology.
  • Frances and Alfred Baker Memorial Scholarships
    • Undergraduate students may apply. Requires GPA ≥ 3.3, display financial need and pursue studies in aquatic biology or environmental health.
    • Letter to the scholarship committee should describe your interests in aquatic biology or environmental health, and your financial need.
  • Hodgson Family Scholarships
    • Undergraduate students may apply. Requires GPA ≥ 3.3 and preference given to students interested in horticulture/botany.
    • Letter to the scholarship committee should describe your interest in plant ecology, husbandry, horticulture, or environmental health.
  • Rathmann Family Foundation - Not available for Biology Students for 2023-2024 Academic Year
    • Undergraduate students may apply. Requires GPA ≥ 3.3, display financial need and show exceptional merit.
    • Letter to the scholarship committee should address your marine biology interest.

Requirements for all Biology Department Merit Scholarships

  1. Biology offers scholarships to full-time Biology undergraduate majors and Biology graduate students.
  2. Undergraduate applicants need to have completed at least 1 upper-division BIOL course, and be enrolled, at the minimum, in their second quarter of the Biology Major at the time of application.
  3. All applications must include a concise one page letter to the scholarship committee describing your interests in biology and how they relate to your goals after graduation. Please include any information on academic awards and honors, internships, research experience, teaching assistant work, special projects or publications.
  4. Applications will require an electronic copy of your current unofficial WWU transcript, and, if applicable, transcript(s) from other universities or colleges.
  5. Obtain one letter of recommendation by a WWU science faculty member of your choosing. Please have the recommender submit the letter directly to the Biology Department via e-mail to biology@wwu.edu You will name the faculty on your application form.

Scholarships Offered by the College of Science and Engineering

Other Scholarships

AFCEA Educational Foundation. Scholarships available to encourage the teaching of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) subjects.

SMATE.  The Science, Mathematics and Technology Education Program offers several scholarships.

Western Washington University. List of scholarships available to Western students (undergraduate or graduate) by either private or Western sources are available from Admissions and Financial Aid.