Robert Noyce Scholarship Program

The National Science Foundation's Robert Noyce Scholarship Program, a collaboration between KU's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) and the School of Education (SoE), responds to the critical need for K-12 teachers of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by encouraging talented STEM undergraduate and graduate students to pursue teaching careers in Kansas and nationwide.

Eligibility Guidelines

Specifically, the Noyce Scholarship Program provides support for:

Scholarship recipients must be U.S. citizens or nationals, or permanent resident aliens, must be majoring in mathematics, engineering, or a science discipline, and must be enrolled in 12 or more hours at KU, and in the last 2 years of a KU baccalaureate degree program and the UKanTeach program for teacher licensure.
Stipend recipients must be U.S. citizens or nationals, or permanent resident aliens who hold a baccalaureate, masters or doctoral degree in science, mathematics, or engineering, enrolled in the KU School of Education Graduate Licensure Program, and enrolled in 9 or more hours at KU.

Award Amounts and Service Requirements

Each undergraduate student can receive a scholarship of $10,000 per year for two years (maximum $20,000), assuming satisfactory academic progress. Recipients of scholarships must commit to completion of two years of service as a mathematics or science teacher for each year the scholarship is received. Service must be completed within 8 years after graduation from or completion of the program for which the scholarship was awarded and must be performed in a high-need local educational agency as defined below.

Each graduate student can receive a one-year stipend of $10,000. Recipients of stipends must commit to serving two years as mathematics or science teacher in a high-need local educational agency, as defined below, within 4 years after graduation or completion of the program for which the stipend was awarded.

The term “high need local educational agency” as defined in section 201 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1021), means a district that serves an elementary or secondary school that meets one or more of the following criteria:

It has at least one school in which 50 percent or more of the enrolled students are eligible for participation in the free and reduced price lunch program established by the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C.1751 et seq.).
It has at least one school in which: (i) more than 34 percent of the academic classroom teachers at the secondary level (across all academic subjects) do not have an undergraduate degree with a major or minor in, or a graduate degree in, the academic field in which they teach the largest percentage of their classes; or (ii) more than 34 percent of the teachers in two of the academic departments do not have an undergraduate degree with a major or minor in, or a graduate degree in, the academic field in which they teach the largest percentage of their classes.
It has at least one school whose teacher attrition rate has been 15 percent or more over the last three school years.

All students will be obligated to repay the amount they recieved if unable to meet the service requirement in the given period of time.

Additional benefits for Noyce Scholars and Stipend Recipients

Opportunity for professional development travel support. Noyce Scholars/Recipients will be encouraged to present at state or national conferences. Funding up to $500 per academic year will be provided to support this professional development opportunity.

Opportunity for paid internships. These internships pay $10/hour to work at a non-profit organization during the academic year. This opportunity is limited and will be available at the beginning of the fall and spring semesters.

Application Information

Applications will be accepted for the 2009-10 Academic year until October 2, 2009. Awards will be made through the KU Financial Aid Office based upon eligibility requirements and contingent upon availability of funding. Please return completed applications to Room 121 Joseph R. Pearson Hall at 1122 West Campus Road or to Room 3078 Dole Human Development Center at 1000 Sunnyside Avenue.

Download Application: Noyce Application

Related Information: KU Office of Admissions and Scholarships

If you have any additional questions please contact: kucse@ku.edu