The UNCF●Merck Science Initiative  is now accepting applications from now until Thursday, Dec. 5, 2013.

UNCF●Merck Undergraduate Science Research Scholarship Awards

At least 15 scholarship awards will be granted in 2013. Each award provides up to $30,000, which includes up to $25,000 toward tuition, room and board, and billable fees. This award is not transferable.

Each UNCF●Merck Undergraduate Fellow will be paired with a mentor(s) and will be eligible for an internship at a Merck facility (applied for separately).

The recipient’s department may apply for a Department Grant of up to $10,000. The actual amount of this grant is contingent upon funds remaining in the scholarship portion of the award after all tuition, room and board, and billable fees are paid.

Eligibility Criteria

To be considered for a UNCF●Merck Undergraduate Science Research Scholarship Award, you must be:

-African American

-Enrolled full-time in any four-year college or university in the United States

-A junior who will be a BS- or BA-degree candidate in the 2013-2014 academic year

-A life sciences, physical sciences, or engineering major. (Applicants majoring in the physical sciences must have completed two semesters of organic chemistry by the end of the 2012-13 academic year). First professional (PharmD, DVM, DDS, etc.) majors are ineligible.

-A student with a minimum GPA of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale

-Committed to and eligible for the summer internship at a Merck facility

-A citizen or permanent resident of the United States.

Award recipients will be selected based on their GPA, their demonstrated interest in their own scientific education and a career in scientific research or engineering, and their ability to perform in a laboratory or engineering environment.

UNCF●Merck Graduate Science Research Dissertation Fellowships

At least 12 dissertation fellowships will be awarded in 2013. Each fellowship provides up to a maximum of $53,500, which includes a stipend of up to $43,500 for the fellow and a research grant of up to $10,000 to support the research needs of the fellow. The fellowship stipend is intended to cover from 12 to 24 months of fellowship tenure. A maximum of $30,000 in stipend may be received in any 12-month period. The fellow must be engaged in and within one to three years of completing the dissertation research having successfully completed all qualifying exams by September 1, 2013.

Each UNCF●Merck graduate fellow will be paired with a mentor(s) and will be expected to maintain regular contact with his/her mentor. Each fellow will present a progress report of research work during the last half of the fellowship tenure. Each fellow must also submit a two-page research summary of his/her fellowship research and updated Curriculum Vitea to UNCF at the end of their fellowship tenure. UNCF must be notified upon receipt of the degree.

Eligibility Criteria

To be considered for a UNCF●Merck Graduate Science Research Dissertation Fellowship, you must be:

-African American

-Enrolled full-time in a PhD or equivalent doctoral-degree program majoring in a life science, physical science, or engineering. MD/PhD-degree candidates are eligible

-Engaged in and within one to three years of completing dissertation research, and must successfully complete all qualifying exams by September 1, 2013

-A citizen or permanent resident of the United States

A UNCF●Merck Selection Committee consisting of educators, scientists, and engineers will select the awardees based on academic ability, record of accomplishment, and the soundness of the proposed doctoral research plan.

Students who are seeking assistance with their applications may contact Michele Galati in the Career and Scholarship Center In Building 1A, Room 105 at michele.galati@csi.cuny.edu or 718.982.2301.