AIPG National Undergraduate Scholarship
Scholarship Sponsored by American Institute of Professional Geologists
Program Overview
This scholarship program helps students with college expenses and encourages participation in the American Institute of Professional Geologists (AIPG). Awards are offered to declared undergraduate geological sciences majors who have reached at least sophomore standing. The program supports academic progress at U.S. accredited two- and four-year colleges and universities. Details for applying and required materials are provided in the sections below.
- Supports declared geology/earth science undergraduates (sophomore or higher).
- Open to students at accredited U.S. two- and four-year institutions.
- Encourages AIPG student membership and professional engagement.
Scholarship Awards
Scholarships are awarded to eligible students to offset tuition, room, and board expenses. Individual awards range from $1,000 to $3,000. Funds are issued to support educational costs and are intended to be applied to the recipient’s current college or university expenses. Specific award amounts are determined by the Education Committee.
Award Value: Awards range from $1,000 to $3,000 and are intended for tuition and/or room and board.
- Award amounts: $1,000–$3,000 per recipient.
- Funds must be used for tuition and/or room and board.
- Exact award size determined by the Education Committee.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must be majoring in geology or earth science and have achieved at least sophomore standing at the time of application. The program accepts students enrolled at accredited two- or four-year U.S. colleges and universities, including international students who are AIPG student members. Applicants must be current student members of AIPG or have applied for student membership when submitting the scholarship application. Recipients must agree to prepare a 600–800 word article on a timely professional issue for publication in The Professional Geologist as a condition of accepting the award.
Eligibility: Major in geology/earth science, sophomore or higher, enrolled at an accredited U.S. institution, and AIPG student member or applicant. Recipients must submit a publishable article if awarded.
- Minimum overall GPA: 2.8 (4.0 scale).
- Minimum geology/geoscience coursework: 12 semester credits with a 3.0 GPA in those courses.
- AIPG student membership or membership application required at submission.
- Accepted recipients must write a 600–800 word professional article for TPG.
Application Process
Applicants must assemble a packet of materials and submit them online (preferred) or by email to the AIPG office. Materials include a cover letter, a one-page essay, a portrait, an unofficial transcript, and a faculty recommendation letter. The Education Committee enforces formatting and content requirements for the essay and reviews all application materials. Contact information and submission instructions are provided for questions and alternative submission methods.
How to Apply: Submit the complete packet online or email materials to [email protected]. For email submissions, use the subject format: AIPG Scholarship - Undergraduate - Last Name - Submission (example: AIPG Scholarship - Undergraduate - Doe - Essay - Letter of Recommendation).
Required Materials: Cover letter, one-page essay (800 words; formatting strictly enforced), portrait for publication, unofficial transcript, and a letter of recommendation from a geology/geoscience professor. Professors may email recommendations to [email protected] or upload them at https://aipg.org/page/UndergradeRecLtr.
- Cover letter describing extracurricular activities, research, leadership, community involvement, career goals, and academic objectives.
- One-page essay titled “Why I Want to be a Geologist” (800 words, 12 pt Times New Roman, 1" margins, left justified; submitted as a Word document).
- Portrait photograph for publication with the essay.
- Unofficial transcript and proof of current student status; demonstrate minimum GPA and coursework requirements.
- Letter of recommendation from a geology/geoscience professor (email to [email protected] or upload at the provided link).
- Preferred submission: online; email accepted at [email protected].
- Essay formatting and word limit are strictly enforced; essays are published unedited if selected.
- Questions: call (303) 412-6205 or email [email protected].
Basis of Awards
The Education Committee evaluates applications based on the cover letter, faculty recommendation, transcript, and the essay’s content and creativity. Committee decisions are final. Selection emphasizes academic performance, departmental involvement, professionalism, and the quality of the applicant’s essay. Award recipients will be notified according to the committee’s review schedule.
Selection Criteria: Evaluation factors include academic record, department and community engagement, faculty recommendation, and the essay’s originality and relevance.
- Decisions are made by the Education Committee and are final.
- Primary evaluation elements: cover letter, recommendation, transcript, and essay quality.
- Committee considers both academic achievement and professional engagement.