The LANL Foundation’s four-year undergraduate scholarships are open to students pursuing a four-year undergraduate degree in any field of study. Whether pursuing a degree in STEM, health care, education, business or the humanities, chances are that we offer a scholarship designed for you. If you are a student who meets the eligibility criteria (see below) or are a family member of a student, we encourage you to learn more.
Students submit one application to be considered for more than 30 unique scholarship awards. The Los Alamos Employees Scholarship Fund (LAESF) Advisory Committee evaluates all applications to match applicants with any awards for which they are eligible and selects the strongest candidates in each category to receive an award.
Four-Year Undergraduate Scholarships range from $1,000 for a single year up to $20,000 over four years. Renewal is dependent upon remaining in good academic standing and meeting minimum GPA and enrollment requirements.
The application is open until January 21st, 2025. .
Those Eligible to Apply
Four-Year Undergraduate Scholarships are competitive and open to qualified students who:
- are a resident (366 consecutive days+) of Northern New Mexico in Los Alamos, Mora, Rio Arriba, San Miguel, Sandoval, Santa Fe or Taos Counties. Students attending a residential school in one of the seven counties (Santa Fe Indian School, NM School for the Deaf, and NM School for the Arts) are eligible regardless of primary residency.
- have a minimum 3.25 cumulative unweighted grade point average.
- are enrolling in or currently attending an accredited post-secondary educational institution in pursuit of a four-year degree.
ACT/SAT scores are not required. U.S. citizenship is not required.
Preference is not given to students with Los Alamos National Laboratory affiliation.
*For current undergraduate students only: Preference will be given to nontraditional students, first-generation college students, students with high financial need, and those attending a higher education institution in New Mexico.
Achievement, Leadership and Service
Scholarship recipients are selected based on a demonstrated commitment to academic achievement, leadership and service.
- Students are expected to have challenged themselves academically with rigorous college preparatory coursework, including Honors, AP, IB and dual credit courses when available.
- The evaluation committee considers participation in extracurricular activities at school and/or in the community as well as leadership roles in the family and participation in Tribal activities. Preference is given to applicants with demonstrated leadership experience.
- Well-qualified applicants will have a longstanding record of meaningful service and express an intention to continue giving back in the future.
Here’s What’s Required to Apply
All Applicants
- Submit two letters of recommendation, one academic and one extracurricular (from a coach, supervisor, employer, community or Tribal leader, etc.) or two academic letters of recommendation.
- Submit 3 essays (up to 250 words each) describing the following: Career goals and personal objectives in pursuing a college degree, significant leadership roles held, and community impact through service.
- One optional essay to share additional context about your life experiences.
High School Seniors
- Submit a copy of high school academic transcript(s), which includes grades for the first semester of senior year.
- Submit copies of transcripts from post-secondary institutions for coursework not listed on the high school transcript.
Current Undergraduate Students
College freshmen must include their high school and current college transcripts. College sophomores, juniors and seniors must include a copy of their current college transcript.
Financial Need
Many of the scholarships awarded by the LANL Foundation require financial need on the part of the applicant. For this reason, it is strongly recommended that all applicants complete the financial need section of the application. Applicants are asked to provide their family’s Adjusted Gross Income and the number of household members supported by this income. There is also an opportunity to provide additional information or context to help the scholarship committee better understand the applicant’s financial circumstances.