Spring forward: Scholarship and other opportunities from the Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships & Awards

March 17 from 3-4:30 pm in Mary Gates Hall 171

March 18 from 3:30 - 4:30 pm in Mary Gates Hall 171

Davis-Putter Scholarship Fund | Deadline: April 1

The Davis-Putter Scholarship Fund provides financial support for students who are active and emerging organizers in progressive movements for liberation, self-determination and social and economic justice in their communities. These need-based scholarships are awarded to students who are enrolled at a college or university or in a trade or technical program. Average grant: $7,700.

Baldasty & Beam Scholarship for Unpaid Public Sector Internships | Deadline: April 13

The scholarship amount is dependent on unmet financial need – typical awards range from $1,000 – $2,500 total per student. If you are selected for the scholarship, funds received count towards your financial aid eligibility and may impact your UW financial aid award package. 

Students must meet the following requirements:

Samvid Scholars Scholarship Program | Deadline: April 14

The  Samvid Scholars program supports up to $50,000 per year for two years of graduate study. In addition to funding for their graduate program, each Scholar will receive two years of leadership development programming to support them to continue to fulfill their extraordinary potential.

An eligible candidate will:   

UW Alumni Reunion, Class Gifts & Spence Scholarships | Deadline: April 15

The UW Alumni Reunion, Class Gifts & Spence Scholarships are sponsored by the University of Washington alumni classes of 1954, 1957, and 1962 in honor of their 50th class reunions, the UW 50th Reunion Student Assistance Fund, the UW Class of 1955 Endowment Community Service Award, UW Class of 2016, Impact and Diversity Endowed Scholarship and the Alan R. Spence Transfer Student Support Fund. 

UW Library Research Award for Undergraduates | Deadline: April 30 

Cash awards: $250 (Population Health Award), $500 to $1,000.

Voyager Scholarship | Deadline: April 1  

The Voyager Scholarship Program is a two-year leadership development and scholarship program through The Obama Foundation. Through a transformational combination of barrier-reducing financial aid, an immersive work-travel experience, and a robust network of leaders and mentors, the Voyager Scholarship is designed to inspire, empower, and connect the next generation of leaders and equip them with the tools and resources they need to launch their careers in public service.    

Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU) Undergraduate Leaders’ Program | Submit Interest form by March 7th

Offers the chance for UW students to participate in a two-week long experience designed to provide them with a deep understanding of the Pacific Rim's complex political, economic, social, and cultural dynamics, particularly emphasizing the Latin American perspective.

Participants will:

This program is open to full-time undergraduate students, who have completed at least one year of studies.

Humanity in Action | Deadline: March 16

The Humanity in Action Fellowships explore issues of social justice, human rights, remembrance culture, and civic engagement. Fellows first participate in an intensive three-week educational program. Each of our programs is tailored to its location, featuring diverse experts, site visits, and community building. Thereby, Fellows learn about the host society’s present struggles to navigate dominant and minoritized cultures and identities, while also being inspired by what collective action based on intersectional solidarity can look like.

Fellows will also acquire practical skills and work on the development of an Action Project, their own civil society initiative. After the three weeks, they embark on implementing these Action Projects in their own communities.

Program locations and dates can change from one year to the next. See current program locations and details. In most years, programs are offered during the month of June, in:

The Going Abroad Scholarship | Deadline: March 15  

The Going Abroad Scholarship is open to any citizen and/or resident of the United States (and its territories and possessions) enrolled full-time at an accredited institution of higher learning. Open to undergraduate and graduate students. Award amount: $1,500.  

Application: Please submit a three- to four-minute video essay answering at least one of the following questions. You may answer all three.  

North American Language and Culture Assistants Program | Deadline: March 26

American college students and graduates - who are native-like speakers of English - partner with elementary and secondary schools in Spain to bolster language programs, as language assistants (TAs).  

Depending on the assigned region, NALCAP recipients receive a monthly stipend of 800 to 1000 euros and medical insurance from either the Ministry of Education of Spain or the regional governments of Spain. Hours of assistant teaching range from 14 to 16 hours per week. 

Freeman Awards for Study in Asia | Deadline: April 1

The Freeman-ASIA program is designed to support U.S.-based undergraduates with demonstrated financial need who are planning to study abroad in East or Southeast Asia. The program’s goal is to increase the number of U.S. citizens and permanent residents with first-hand exposure to and understanding of Asia and its peoples and cultures.

Award recipients are required to share their experiences with their home campuses or communities to encourage study abroad by others and fulfill the program’s goal of increasing understanding of Asia in the United States.

In partnership with Seattle’s Jane Isakson Lea Foundation, NSLI is launching a transformative leadership education program in Sweden from September 2–12, 2025. This intensive, immersive experience exposes scholars to Nordic models of sustainability, innovation, and collaborative leadership, providing unparalleled access to high-level mentorship, hands-on workshops, and cross-sector engagement with government, industry, and academic leaders.

NSLI seeks outstanding current and recent undergraduate and graduate students across a variety of disciplines who demonstrate: