Beckman Scholars Program

Beckman Scholars Program

Please see the full solicitation for complete information about the funding opportunity. Below is a summary assembled by the Research & Innovation Office (RIO).

Program Summary

The purpose of the Beckman Scholars Program is to help stimulate, encourage, and support research activities by talented, full-time undergraduate students who are pursuing their studies at accredited four-year colleges and universities located in the United States of America. These research activities shall be centered in either chemistry, biochemistry, the biological and medical sciences, or some interdisciplinary combination of these subjects. Candidates for the Beckman Scholars Award must be full-time students throughout the duration of the award.

All institutions will include a minimum of one and a maximum of six Participating Academic Unit(s) and a Minimum of eight Mentors and a maximum of fifteen Mentors to be eligible for the Beckman Scholars Program.

The research activities performed by Beckman Scholars shall be conducted under the guidance of a full-time, approved science faculty member at the college or university receiving an award. Research activities must be performed part-time (ten hours per week) during one academic year, and full-time over two summers (ten 40-hour weeks each summer) immediately before and after the academic year research experience.

Students will be named as Beckman Scholars in the spring of their freshman through junior years at their university or college. Once selected to be a Beckman Scholar, a student will retain the award for 15 months, as long as the student continues to excel academically, and the student’s research work shows satisfactory progress. Beckman Scholar funds provided to any one student may not exceed two summers and one academic year. Beckman Scholar summer funds may extend through the summer following graduation.

Each institutional Beckman Scholar Award will fund a total of six Beckman Scholars (with funding for student stipends, institutional contact funds, travel funds, and mentor research supplies) extending over two summers and one academic year. Awardee institutions will name two Scholars in each year of the three-year institutional award term, for a total of six Scholars.

Deadlines

• CU Internal Deadline: 11:59pm MT April 13, 2026
• Sponsor Proposal Deadline: June 15, 2026

Internal Application Requirements (all in PDF format)

• PI Curriculum Vitae / Resume
• Project Overview (3 pages maximum): The overview should describe: 1) a scholar recruitment and selection process including each of the following should be treated equally: a) the impact of the award on the applicant; b) the intellectual merit of the candidate; and c) the merit of the proposed research project; and 2) a mentor recruitment and selection process including a) mentor qualifications; b) steps taken to ensure the mentor pool’s demographics reflect those of the participating students; and c) mentoring training that equips them with the resources and education to support students from all walks of life and pathways toward their interests in STEM education.

To access the online application, visit: https://cuboulderovcr.secure-platform.com/a/solicitations/7150/home

Eligibility

For the internal competition, PIs will be expected to administer an internal process as described in the “Project Overview” detailed in the Application Requirements section.

The research activities performed by Beckman Scholars shall be conducted under the guidance of a full-time, approved science faculty member at the college or university receiving an award.

Beckman Mentors must adhere to the following requirements:

• Be an assistant professor, associate professor, or professor in a science department such as biology, chemistry, the biological and medical sciences, or some interdisciplinary combination of these subjects.
• Actively support undergraduate research.
• Must provide continuous mentorship over the 15-month Scholar award term.
• Identified as one of the mentors on the Faculty Mentor Summary Data sheet.
• Both junior and senior faculty members are eligible.

Beckman Scholar candidates must adhere to the following requirements:

• Undergraduate student: chemistry, biochemistry, the biological and medical sciences or some interdisciplinary combination of these subjects.
• Must be a full-time student throughout duration of award.
• Must maintain good academic standing.
• Must be a U.S. Citizen, Permanent Resident of the United States or its possessions, or hold DACA recipient status.
• Have a stated interest in pursuing and communicating scientific research, such as through an advanced degree in science or engineering (e.g., PhD, MD or MD/PhD), or other STEM pursuits.

Limited Submission Guidelines

Each institution may submit one application.

Award Information and Duration

Each Institutional Award spans a three-year period, with 2 student/mentor teams selected by the institution each year. The amount of funding for the Beckman Scholars Program is $26,000; $21,000 specifically for each Scholar and $4,800 for each Scholar Mentor; and $200 for the Institutional Contact.