Scholarships Offered by or Coordinated Through Friday Harbor Labs

FHL Scholarships

Finding adequate funds to cover expenses at a field research station can be a daunting task for a student, so we have a very simplified process for ALL students taking our courses. If you are interested in need-based scholarships from FHL there will be a section in our application that says “Are you interested in applying for scholarships from FHL?” If you select that you are interested in applying for scholarships, upon admittance into FHL, the Academic Services Manager will follow up with a link to a short questionnaire to help us understand your need as well as eligibility for different scholarships. (Please keep course costs in mind as you complete this process.)

Once you have been accepted to a course, confirm that you are still interested in attending, and have submitted the scholarship application, FHL staff will consider your request with other student requests and available funding in mind. You do not have to commit to a course and pay the deposit until financial aid is decided. Financial aid packages are based on a student’s merit and need, in addition to the availability of funding. Awards typically range between $1,000 to $3,000 for a quarter, although students with outstanding need are sometimes provided with more.

If you have any questions about that process, please reach out to FHL’s Academic Services Manager fhlstudents@uw.edu.

Mary Gates Endowment for Students

Friday Harbor Labs is a proud partner of the Mary Gates Endowment for Students! This means one of the funds FHL can use to grant scholarships is from the Mary Gates Endowment.

These scholarships offer UW undergraduate students an average of $3000 for a 15-credit FHL Research Apprenticeship and $1500 for a 6-credit FHL Research Experience.

→ → If you would like to be considered for Mary Gates funding, be sure to make note of that while applying to FHL scholarships. Note that eligibility criteria and awardee requirements differ from non-Mary Gates scholarships through FHL, however the application process is the same.

The majority of eligible FHL students who indicate interest in MGE scholarships are awarded them!

Other Scholarship Opportunities

  1. All UW students should begin by exploring options through the UW Office of Financial Aid.
  2. The UW Biology department lists a number of scholarships, including one that offers up to $5,000 to Biology majors taking a spring or summer course at FHL. Students must apply in January.
  3. The UW Library Research Award is for UW undergraduates working on a project that involves use of library and other information resources. Multiple $1000 grants available each year. Application deadline in May.
  4. The Caroline Gibson Scholarship in Marine Studies is to support undergraduate or graduate students pursuing a degree related to marine conservation. In keeping with Caroline’s legacy, they’re looking for students with a passion and commitment to sustaining the Salish Sea through their studies, work and life. Three awards of $3,500 are given each year. Applications open September and close October, and awards can be used at any time during the academic year.
  5. The Udall Undergraduate Scholarship is a $7,000 scholarship for sophomores and juniors who are committed to making a difference in either the environment or Native American/Alaska Tribal Policy or Native Healthcare. U.S. citizenship or permanent residency is required for this scholarship. This fund is specifically committed to supporting Native American and Native Alaskan students.
  6. Scholars from Japan may apply to the special funding source available through the Morse Institute.
  7. The Libbie H Hyman Memorial Scholarship “provides assistance to students to take courses or to carry on research on invertebrates at a marine, freshwater, or terrestrial field station.” It is for advanced undergraduates and first or second year graduate students. The application deadline is typically in early February. Examples of FHL courses that would qualify include Marine Invertebrate Zoology and Comparative Invertebrate Embryology.
  8. Phycological Society of America Fellowships is for graduate students taking courses on algae at a field station. Follow the link above for application instructions (applications do not go through FHL).
  9. Pacific Northwest Shell Club is for enrolled senior undergraduates working with an advisor, graduate students, or post-doctoral scholars working on research relating to mollusks or understanding their role in the environment.
  10. UC Berkeley has a good list of biology-related funding, some of which could be relevant for students studying at FHL.

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