The Astronaut Scholarship Foundation Scholarship program aids the United States in retaining its world leadership in technology and innovation by supporting the very best and brightest scholars in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics while commemorating the legacy of America’s pioneering astronauts.

Astronaut Scholars are immersed in nearly every frontier of science, engineering, and technology as astronomers, biologists, chemists, physicists, mathematicians, computer scientists, engineers in practically every discipline, inventors, consultants, entrepreneurs who have started technology companies, professors at top institutions, and military officers. In these positions they have launched payloads into space, studied distant galaxies through the Hubble Space Telescope, worked on the Mars Rover missions, trained astronauts, researched alternative energy devices, investigated integrated circuit manufacturing, developed more efficient equipment for firefighters, produced new ways to cultivate agriculture, developed noise control devices, researched the basis of congenital heart disease, mentored future scientists and engineers, and so much more!

The Astronaut Scholarship Foundation awarded its first seven scholarships in 1986. Each founding Mercury 7 astronaut sponsored a $1,000 scholarship and they then began to fundraise to support future scholarships. Each astronaut would donate proceeds from their speaking engagements and shared the ASF mission wherever they went to raise awareness of both the mission and the scholarship program.

Today, the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation awards fifty scholarships valued up to $15,000 to each selected scholar. The ASF scholarship award is just the beginning for Astronaut Scholars, and their selection is the beginning of a life-long relationship with astronauts, alumni, and great leaders who span academia, technical research, and corporate leadership.

UW nomination application for the Astronaut Scholarship will open on January 5, 2026.

• Please refer to the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation website for detailed information and criteria
• U.S. citizen
• College sophomore or junior (1-2 years of study remaining after applying)
• Must be majoring in an undergraduate degree program in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM). Refer to the Astronaut Scholarship Major Fields of Study 
  • Astronaut Scholarships are not awarded for Psychology, Social Sciences, STEM Education and Learning Research, and pre-medical studies. Clinical medical research is not considered, however, bioengineering and biomedical research that apply science and engineering principles to problems in medicine are eligible.
• Should be a full-time student during following academic year to receive the full scholarship.

• sophomore
• junior

• US Citizen

Students must be nominated to compete for the Astronaut Scholarship. UW is authorized to nominate two candidates to the national competition, and we conduct an internal UW application and nominee selection process each winter. Interested students are encouraged to attend one of the Astronaut Scholarship Information Sessions.

Campus Nomination Procedures: To apply for UW nomination for the Astronaut Scholarship, please complete and submit the UW internal online application form (opens annually in early January).

Please start by reviewing the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation's guidance for applicants, even at this UW application stage. This will be very helpful to you as you plan what to write and submit!

Application components are:

• Two letters of recommendation
• A personal statement (one page maximum)
• Academic transcripts
• C.V. or resume

For more information about the UW Astronaut Scholarship Program, please contact Tracy Nyerges with the Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships, & Awards: tnyerges@uw.edu