Frequently Asked Questions

Re: Eligibility

If the research I am doing is connected to a degree project, do I still qualify to apply?

Yes, if the research you are proposing to do is above and beyond the scope of the degree project required of your program AND you are receiving guidance and mentoring from a faculty member.

Can I apply for a research scholarship and a leadership scholarship at the same time?

Yes, it is possible to apply for research and leadership scholarships at the same time. However, if you are successful in both scholarship competitions, program staff will need to further consider whether you can receive funding for both scholarships.

Can I still get my scholarship if I won't be registered full-time for the duration of my award period? Can I defer my scholarship?

Requests for deferrals and/or exceptions are handled on a case-by-case basis. Email mgates@u.washington.edu with your request.

If I am a transfer student or transferred at some point in my undergraduate education, should I submit unofficial transcripts for past schools?

If you are just entering UW as a student, you should obtain unofficial transcripts from your former institution. If you have been at UW for more than a quarter, your unofficial UW transcript will include grades and transcripts from previous institutions.

Re: Strengthening Your Application

How competitive is the process? On average, how many scholarships are awarded?

Research scholarships are very competitive. On average, a third to a half of research applicants receive awards. The number of applicants varies each quarter, but in fall quarter we anticipate approximately 200 applications.

I unsuccessfully applied for a research scholarship in a previous quarter. What should I do to strengthen my application?

We welcome students to request feedback sessions regarding their previous applications. Please contact us to set up a time and we can discuss the specific strengths and weaknesses of your application(s).

Re: Mentors

I work more closely with a graduate student/postdoc than I do with a faculty member. Who should write my mentor letter?

The mentor letter and form need to come from the faculty person, but it might be helpful to include a letter from the grad student or postdoc as well if s/he has more thorough knowledge of you and your work. If you feel there are special circumstances for your project, please contact us at mgates@u.washington.edu.

The person I am thinking of to be my mentor is very busy. Should I still ask them to be my mentor?

It is essential that you choose a mentor who will have the time and make the commitment to work with you. The amount of support scholars need from their mentors varies, but s/he needs to be available to you. To that end, your mentor letter is a crucial part of your application. Be sure to give your mentor enough time to craft a letter for you that speaks to her/his willingness to support you and the reasons s/he would like to work with you to develop your research skills.

Can a UW affiliated faculty member be my mentor?

Please check with a Mary Gates Endowment staff member.

My mentor will won't have email/Internet access to submit his/her letter by the deadline. What do I do?

If your faculty mentor needs to submit his/her letter before you complete your application, please start your application early. You will only need to enter information about yourself and your mentor's name and email address.

Re: Financial

Is funding awarded the same quarter in which I apply?

Most of the time, yes. In your application, we ask for you to indicate the quarters of funding you are requesting. (If you apply in fall quarter, funding would begin in fall quarter if you requested it on your form).

How will scholarship funding affect my financial aid?

Every case will be different depending on your financial aid package. We ask the Office of Student Financial Aid to review each award recipient's eligibility for the money. For the amount that that Office approves for disbursal, we place the money onto the "cash" account so that you may withdraw and use the money as you wish. (Preferably it goes through the direct deposit process to your own bank account.) Exception: If Financial Aid tells us that you cannot receive any or only a portion of the money they will sometimes be able to replace a loan with the balance or portion of the scholarship money you were not eligible for otherwise. In this case, that money is placed onto your "tuition" account and it pays for whatever that loan was paying for. If you receive financial aid, it is important that you check with the financial aid office to seeing this award would affect your package.

If my research is paid research, do I still qualify to apply for this scholarship?

Yes. However, based on past experiences of previous scholars, we would advise checking with your lab to make sure that the scholarship does not affect your lab funding since it is possible that a lab will reallocate funds to maximize its budget if you are receiving money from another source.