Thanks to the generosity of several alumni and others interested in helping deserving chemistry and biochemistry students, the Department of Chemistry has some resident tuition scholarships and book prizes available to students who are currently UW students and declared biochemistry or chemistry majors.

List of awards available with the one application:

• Boeing Scholarship
• Earl W. Davie Scholarship
• Donald J. Hanahan Scholarship
• H. K. Benson Scholarship
• Rex J. And Ruth C. Robinson Scholarship Fund In Chemistry
• Varanasi Scholarship
• Zahlia Jencks Rowe Scholarship
• Berkelhammer Book Award
• Berkelhammer Senior Book Award

Academic merit, financial need, career goals, employment history, extracurricular activities, and undergraduate research record are among the criteria used for the various awards to determine the recipients. Personal background, including being a transfer student or the first in your family to go to college, having experienced personal or educational obstacles to go to college, and/or experience with diversity or diverse cultures will also be considered in the selection. Generally, the scholarships are awarded to students who have been in the Department for a year or more.

Scholarships and book prizes awarded by the Department of Chemistry are available only to students who are declared biochemistry or chemistry majors. 

*International students may be eligible for this scholarship*

• sophomore
• junior
• senior

• US Citizen
• Permanent Resident
• International or Other Visa Status
• Undocumented

Application Process

1. Write an essay discussing your career goals, your academic and personal background, why you should be selected as a scholarship/book award recipient, and anything else you feel might be relevant to the Scholarship Selection Committee. Please pay attention to spelling and grammar. There is no specific length requirement for this essay. In the past, scholarship winning essays have ranged anywhere between 500-2,000 words, with the average essay around 1,000 words in length.
2. Complete the scholarship application form found here.
3. You will need one letter of recommendation, preferably from faculty. Letters of recommendation may be submitted here.
   • If your recommender does not have a UW NetID, they may email their letter of recommendation directly to advisers@chem.washington.edu.
4. A copy of your transcript(s) will be provided to the Scholarship/Award Selection Committee, which will thoughtfully consider all applications. Thank you for your interest.
5. The application deadline is in December.

The scholarship committee will meet in December to choose recipients. Monetary awards will be disbursed for winter quarter.

Chemistry/Biochemistry Undergraduate Advising
Box 351700
University of Washington
Seattle, WA 98195-1700
206-543-1610 (message only)
fax: 206-685-8665
advisers@chem.washington.edu