Financial Assistance

• The NIH scholarship provides funding for students with a demonstrated financial need who are in biomedical, behavioral and social science-related programs. As of 2010, the scholarship pays up to $20,000 per year. Recipients may use the proceeds to pay for tuition, educational expenses, like books and fees, and living expenses, like room and board. Students may receive the scholarships for four consecutive years, provided they maintain their eligibility for the awards.
  
  

Service

• In exchange for the college funding, recipients of the National Institutes of Health Undergraduate Scholarship agree to fulfill a service obligation to the institutes. As a part of the obligation, they must participate in a laboratory research program each summer following receipt of the scholarship. These placements last for 10 weeks, and students receive pay for the work they complete. After graduation, scholarship recipients must agree to work for the institutes for the number of years they received funding. For example, a student who received the scholarship for two years would need to work for the institutes for two years.
  
  

Eligibility

• To qualify for the NIH scholarship program, students must meet certain requirements. Students must have U.S. citizenship or meet certain non-citizen residency standards outlined by the agency. Students must have received acceptance to or be actively enrolled full-time in an accredited four-year, post-secondary institution. In high school, applicants must have a demonstrated 3.50 grade point average on a 4.00 scale and graduated in the top 5 percent of their classes. Additionally, students' family income levels must fall below a pre-established threshold based upon the number of people in their families.
  
  

Application Process

• Qualified students can apply for the National Institutes of Health Undergraduate Scholarship program online. The application requires students to list their work and educational experience and answer some essay questions, such as identifying the most influential person in their lives. Additionally, applicants must submit three letters of recommendation. A copy of high school and any college transcripts are required as well.