Biology College Scholarships

With the growing need for medicines and the expanding interest in exploring the human genome, the need for biologists in research and practical careers in biology is soaring. In 2008 alone, the number of biological scientists employed in the United States reached 91,300; this number will continue to rise over the next decade, with 21% employment growth expected between 2008 and 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, the amount of money spent on research and other biology funding may decrease, making the academic endowment landscape highly competitive in the coming years.

While many organizations may begin to decrease funding for research, the scholarship funds going to potential biology scholars are currently not in danger of decreasing. However, many potential students are finding that a lot more of the scholarships are for minority students. Since around half of the workers in the United States will be members of a minority race, financial scholarship providers are beginning to focus more on minority scholarships. This is having a tremendous effect on students, and is making it considerably easier for low-income minority students with good academic records to afford to pursue careers in biology and other sciences.

Obviously, being a racial minority is not a requirement for all biology scholarships. Many of the available biology scholarships only have requirements for academic achievement and financial need. And of course, the potential for success in the field of biology is another mitigating factor for the candidates of biology scholarships. Education requirements for most scholarships include a high school diploma and, depending on the specific scholarship, several years of college biology courses at an accredited university.

List of Biology Scholarships

• Libbie H. Hyman Memorial Scholarship — The Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology awards these scholarships in varying amounts (the 2011 award was $1,100) each year to first- or second-year graduate students or advanced undergraduate students who take courses or engage in research on invertebrates at a marine, freshwater, or terrestrial field station. See all awards and scholarships offered by SICB here.


• National Garden Clubs, Inc. Scholarship Program — $3,500 awarded each year to a limited number of students majoring in fields related to horticulture and the environment (including botany and biology). The number of scholarships differs from year to year (35 students received the award in 2011). Junior and senior undergraduate students are eligible as well as graduate students pursuing a master's degree, provided they intend to enter a career related to gardening, landscape design, environmental issues, floral design, or horticulture.


• Turf and Ornamental Communicators Association Scholarship Program — $2,500 fall semester scholarship awarded each year to one undergraduate student majoring in technical communications or a green industry related field, such as horticulture, plant sciences, botany, agronomy, plant pathology, etc. (certain biology majors may qualify). Applicants should show an interest in pursuing a career in green industry communications.


• Wildlife Leadership Awards — $2,000 awarded each year to college juniors and seniors who wish to pursue a career in conservation, particularly wildlife management (certain biology majors may qualify). Students must be enrolled in a wildlife-related natural resource program at a four-year university.

Top Online Colleges

More Info	Grand Canyon University - Bachelor’s, Master’s, & Doctorate’s Degrees. At Grand Canyon University, students are offered the same quality education online as they are at traditional college campuses. They are an accredited college, which is highly valued by employers all around the world.
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More Info	Post University - Associate’s, Bachelor’s, & Master’s Degrees. Since 1890 Post University has been a student-focused, carreer-driven institution helping students to pursue their professional goals. Licenced by the state of connecticut throguh the department of higher education post truly is a great school and comes with high accredidation.
More Info	Kaplan University - Associate’s, Bachelor’s, & Master’s Degrees. Kaplan University is a premiere destination for students in obtaining their college degree online. Kaplan University Online offers a dynamic curriculum to every student and are taught by the very best professors in their field of study.

Paying for school is not easy, but we are here to help. OEDb's student finance section will help you find the money you need to pay your tuition and other college expenses. We cover scholarships, college grants, and student loans. Scholarships and grants are both forms of "free money", meaning they don't need to be paid back. Scholarships are typically awarded by businesses or individuals, with the money being earmarked specifically for tuition. They can be awarded based on a student's location or by religious affiliation, such as Catholicism or Islam. Grants are typically awarded by governments or non-profit organizations and the money often can be applied to several different expenses a student may incur, not solely tuition. They can be awarded based on location or ethnicity, for instance African American or Hispanic. Loans are not considered "free money", because unlike scholarships and grants, they do need to be paid back after graduation. Common federal loans include Perkins and Stafford. Loans are also available by location.