The 2027 Beckman Scholars Program Application is an Open Call to apply. Only one application per institution may be submitted for consideration.

HELPFUL GUIDES:
2027 Beckman Scholars Program Announcement
2027 Participating Academic Units Guidance
2027 Beckman Scholars Program Application Instructions
2027 BSP FAQ Guidance
2027 BSP Application Webinar Q+A Transcript

OVERVIEW
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. The continuity of the research experience is important to the Foundation, and alternatives to this “summer – academic year – summer” schedule will not be considered.  

Students will be named as Beckman Scholars in the spring of either their freshman, sophomore, or junior year at their college or university. Once selected to be a Beckman Scholar, a student will retain the award for 15 consecutive months, if the student continues to excel academically and continues to perform research work within their mentor’s lab. Beckman Scholar funds provided to any one student may not exceed two summers and one academic year. Beckman Scholar’s may use their second summer funds during the summer following graduation.

INSTITUTIONAL AWARDS
Beckman Scholar awards are institutional (university or college) awards and only one active award at an institution will be funded at a time. For the 2026 Program, the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation changed the program from invite-only to an open call. Current awardee institutions in year three of their Beckman Scholar Award are eligible to apply; awardee institutions in year one or year two of their existing award are not eligible to apply for the 2027 program year.

Universities/colleges will be eligible for one institutional Beckman Scholar Award, which must be used over a three-year period. 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.

The 2027 Beckman Scholar Awardee institutions will select their Scholars in early 2027 and begin their first award term in the summer of 2027, followed by a second award term beginning in the summer of 2028, and a third award term in the summer of 2029. Institutions who receive the 2027 Beckman Scholars Award will not be considered for new applications until the 2029 program.

2027 Beckman Scholars Program: Award Cycle
Year 1 Scholars - Summer 2027 / Academic Year 2027-28 / Summer 2028
Year 2 Scholars - Summer 2028 / Academic Year 2028-29 / Summer 2029
Year 3 Scholars - Summer 2029 / Academic Year 2029-30 / Summer 2030

INSTITUTIONAL AWARDS TO THE SCHOLARS
Each Beckman Scholar will pursue an independent research project, under the guidance of an approved Mentor, as identified on the Faculty Mentor Summary Data Sheet included in the original application package submitted to the Foundation. The amount of funding for the 2027 Beckman Scholars Program is $26,000 per Scholar; $21,000 specifically for the Scholar, $4,800 for the Scholar’s Mentor and $200 for the Institutional Contact. The following provides a breakdown of each Beckman Scholar award:

• Student Stipend $18,200; per student, distributed as follows:
  • First summer - $6,800
  • Academic Year - $4,600
  • Second summer - $6,800

• The Beckman Scholars Program award is a stipend for research conducted during summer, academic year, and following summer. The award is not a scholarship, grant, or work-study and may not reduce a Scholar’s financial aid. If the stipend exceeds a student's financial need at an institution, then the funds must be released directly to the Scholar.
  
  
• Scientific Supplies and Travel $2,800; per student, distributed as needed to support current research activities. Can be used to support travel, materials and supplies purchases, graduate school application fees, and other activities that support the Scholar’s research and their transition into future training positions. Additionally, funds may be used for reimbursement of Beckman Symposium-related expenses, such as poster printing fees, meals outside of symposium, parking at airport, etc. See Symposium section for additional details.

• Mentor Research Funds $4,800; per student, distributed as needed during the associated Scholar’s award term to support the following, but not limited to:

• Execution of the Scholar Mentorship Plan (SMP), which should include:
  • Outlining the Scholar/Mentor relationship
  • Detailing the collaboration between scholar, mentor, and mentor’s lab 
  • Defining the expectations of the Beckman Scholar, including but not limited to:
    • Attendance at outside presentations/scientific symposia with the Mentor
    • Pursuit of research publication and presentation by the Scholar and Mentor
• Outlining the anticipated results of the Scholar’s research
• Mentor/Scholar Travel - to support attendance with, or for, the Scholar at outside scientific symposia.
• Scientific Supplies - related to the Scholar’s research.
• Publication Fees - for publishing in undergraduate and peer-reviewed publications related to the Scholar’s research.
• Beckman Symposium – reimbursement for Beckman Symposium related costs such as poster printing fees, meals outside of symposium, parking at airport, etc. See Symposium section for additional details. 

• Institutional Contact Fund: $200; per student, distributed as needed during the associated Scholar’s award term to support the following, including but not limited to: opportunities to engage with the Scholars, such as coffee, lunch speaker series, or similar activities. 

• No alterations to the Scholar timeline are permitted (summer, academic year, summer) but if a Scholar terminates their award early, due to unforeseen circumstances, then the Foundation must be notified without delay, and the remaining Scholar’s funds must be returned to the Foundation within 60 days. Return of funds for early termination does not impact other Scholar’s funding or future award year funding. 

The Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation does not provide for overhead or for indirect costs. Institutions may not fund additional or “matching” Beckman Scholars.

ANNUAL BECKMAN SYMPOSIUM
Each year, the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation sponsors a symposium that highlights the work of the recipients of the Beckman consortium of programs. Each Beckman Scholar may be invited to attend the annual Beckman Symposium in each of the two summers of their award term. A formal notification and invitation will be provided. The event may be in-person or virtual.

The Annual Beckman Symposium features:

• Scientific and poster presentations by Beckman Young Investigators, Arnold O. Beckman Postdoctoral Fellows, and Beckman Scholars completing their second summer of research.
• Speakers from the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation consortium of programs. 
• A series of informal concurrent seminars on topics of special interest by leading scientists from academia, industry, and national government laboratories.

The Beckman Scholar attendees are newly appointed Scholars in their first summer of research and Scholars in their second summer of research who are completing their Award term. In addition, one Faculty Mentor from each institution during their first award year may be invited to attend. All second summer Scholars are required to present a poster of their current research and several may have the opportunity to be a speaker during the symposium. 

The format for the Beckman Symposium is updated annually and may be offered as an in-person or virtual event. Staff at the Beckman Foundation will coordinate all arrangements and reservations for the symposium. Symposium-related travel and lodging for Beckman Scholars and Faculty Mentors will be paid for by the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation (for in-person events only), outside of the funding provided via this award program. Specific details will be provided well in advance of each Symposium.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR UNIVERSITIES/COLLEGES:

• Each institution may submit ONE application for consideration for an award and must meet the Foundation’s requirement as a 501(c)(3), or similarly qualifying, non-profit organization (IRS Determination Letter/Federal Tax ID required).
• Current awardee institutions that will be entering into their third (final) year of the program are eligible to apply.
• Must have a Science Department in either biology, chemistry, or both.
• Accredited four-year college or university in the U.S.

ELIGIBILITY FOR PARTICIPATING ACADEMIC UNITS (PAUs)
You will likely think about PAUs as departments or majors. These are the unique units from which you will select your Beckman Scholars. Beckman Scholars are selected from majors that provide meaningful preparation for laboratory-based biological and/or chemical research. 

When listing Participating Academic Units, name individual majors (e.g., Chemistry or Biology), rather than larger entities (e.g., College of Arts and Sciences). Beckman Scholars can only be selected from the PAUs included on your Institutional Data Sheet (IDS), potential mentors can be selected from any home department, regardless of whether that department is listed as a PAU on the IDS.

Mentors do not need to be associated with the same departments as the identified PAU(s) but consider the impact on your Scholar pool to facilitate alignment in research/academic interests of potential Scholars with potential Mentors.

How to decide if a Participating Academic Unit is Eligible:
Does the major primarily focus on chemistry, biochemistry, biology, or biomedical sciences?
→ Yes → Eligible
→ No → Go to next question.

Does the major require substantial wet-lab, dry-lab, or bench-based research training?
→ Yes → Potentially eligible (e.g., neuroscience, biotech, bioinformatics with lab research) → Go to next question.
→ No → Likely not eligible.

Is the major aligned with chemical, biological, or biomedical research—either experimentally or through interdisciplinary research (e.g., biophysics, computational biology, biochemical engineering)?
→ Yes → Eligible if students can participate in biological/chemical research with approved mentors.
→ No → Not eligible.

Determining Eligibility: Quick Check
A major is likely eligible if:

• It is primarily based in chemistry, biochemistry, biology, or biomedical sciences; and
• It includes meaningful laboratory research and training; and
• Students can participate in wet-lab, dry-lab, bench-based, or chemical and/or biological research with approved Faculty Mentors.

If these conditions are not met, the major should not be listed.

Participating Academic Units Guidance:
Purpose of Participating Academic Units
Participating Academic Units (PAUs) identify the undergraduate majors from which an institution may select Beckman Scholars. Only students enrolled in these designated majors are eligible for consideration.

The intent of limiting PAUs to designated majors is to ensure that Beckman Scholars are selected from majors that provide meaningful preparation for laboratory-based biological and/or chemical research.

Below is a categorized list to assist you in determining PAU eligibility. 

1. Chemistry & Biochemistry
These majors always qualify and must include laboratory biological and/or chemical research:

• Chemistry
• Biochemistry
• Chemical Biology
• Analytical Chemistry
• Physical Chemistry
• Organic Chemistry (if a standalone major)

2. Biological Sciences
Life-science majors with a substantial lab/science curriculum typically qualifies, and must include laboratory biological and/or chemical research:

• Biology
• Molecular Biology
• Cell Biology
• Microbiology
• Immunology
• Integrative Physiology (if associated with substantial laboratory-based research)
• Genetics
• Human Biology
• Physiology
• Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
• Marine Biology
• Neuroscience* (if associated with substantial laboratory-based research.)
• Plant Biology / Botany
• Zoology
• Biological sciences with substantial laboratory-based research

*Neuroscience is nearly always accepted because it is considered a biological/medical science discipline.

3. Medical & Biomedical Sciences
These majors are eligible as they fall under “biological and medical sciences” and must involve laboratory-based biological and/or chemical research:

• Biomedical Science
• Biomedical Engineering (if curriculum includes lab-based biological and/or chemical research and students work with wet-lab or dry-lab, bench-based, biological and/or chemical research mentors)
• Human Biology
• Health Sciences (if associated with substantial laboratory-based research.)
• Anatomy & Physiology
• Pharmacology/Toxicology
• Pharmacy Science
• Medical Laboratory Science
• Pathology (undergraduate)

4. Interdisciplinary Majors Commonly Considered Eligible
These majors combine chemistry, biology, or biomedical science with another discipline and must include laboratory biological and/or chemical research:

• Biophysics
• Behavioral Science (if associated with biology or chemistry-based laboratory research)
• Bioinformatics
• Computational Biology
• Biostatistics (if research-based)
• Environmental Science (if associated with substantial biology and/or chemistry laboratory-based research) 
• Biotechnology
• Chemical Engineering* (if curriculum includes lab-based biological and/or chemical research and students work with wet-lab, dry-lab, bench-based, or biomedical mentors)
• Materials Science (if associated with biomaterials or chemical research focus and wet-lab, dry-lab, bench-based, or biomedical based)
• Other interdisciplinary life-science fields with significant biological and/or chemical research components.

* Chemical Engineering is nearly always accepted because it is considered an interdisciplinary science discipline.

Eligibility for interdisciplinary majors depends on whether:

1. The curriculum is primarily based in biology, chemistry, or biomedical sciences, and
2. Students can reasonably pursue wet-lab, dry-lab, bench-based, or biomedical research with the approved faculty mentors.

Majors That Usually Do Not Qualify
These majors are outside chemistry or biological/medical sciences and most likely do not conduct chemical or biological laboratory research unless the major is associated with biology and/or chemistry laboratory research:

• Aerospace, aeronautical and astronautical/space engineering
• Physics (unless a biophysics track)
• Mathematics or Statistics 
• Computer Science (unless a bioinformatics track)
• Computational Science 
• Engineering programs without chemical or biological research (e.g., Mechanical, Electrical, Civil) 
• Psychology (non-neuroscience or non-biological tracks)
• Public Health (non-laboratory-based research)
• Environmental programs
• And other non-research-based majors should not be included

The intent of the Beckman Scholars Program is to provide meaningful preparation for laboratory-based biological, chemical, and medical sciences research. Majors that do not meet this criteria may not be submitted.

Submitting non-qualifying majors will result in an ineligible application. 

Still Not Sure?
If you do not see a Participating Academic Unit listed that you would like to include in this application, please contact bsp@beckman-foundation.org to discuss that PAU's eligibility; including an ineligible major/department will result in an ineligible application. 

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR MENTORS: 

• 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.

ELIGIBILITY FOR SCHOLARS:

• Undergraduate students must be pursuing a degree in chemistry, biochemistry, the biological and medical sciences, or some interdisciplinary combination of these subjects.
• Undergraduate students with unique pathways to studies in STEM are encouraged.
• Must commit to 15-months of continuous research at the college or university (summer, academic year, summer).
• Must be a full-time undergraduate student throughout the duration of the award and must maintain good academic standing (defined as meeting the institution’s criteria for 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 to pursue and communicate scientific research, such as through an advanced degree in science or engineering (e.g., PhD, MD or MD/PhD), or other STEM pursuits.
• Be interested in pursuing leadership roles in their scientific and professional journey.

ANY OF THE FOLLOWING WILL RENDER A UNIVERSITY/COLLEGE’S APPLICATION INELIGIBLE:

• Current Beckman Scholars Program Institution Awardee in Year 1 or Year 2 of their programs. 
• If an institution submits more than one application in the program year.
• Including Hyperlinks in the Cover Letter or Proposal. 
• Application does not comply with program

NOTE:
The Beckman Scholars Program application is updated annually within this portal. 

Applicants should read through all task instructions and use the current templates provided for download. Any tasks requiring signature(s) must be completed prior to application submission. Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted for any reason. Applications must be submitted via this portal for consideration and no edits can be made once the application has been submitted.

Completed signatures are required to submit the application. The deadline to submit a completed application is June 15, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time/ 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time.