Achievement Rewards for College Scientists (ARCS) Scholarship

PurposeARCS Foundation logo

The ARCS competitive scholarship rewards excellence in research. Selection is based primarily on the exceptional promise of the nominee to make a significant contribution to the advancement of science, and to the material and intellectual welfare of all people.

Eligibility

  • Outstanding PhD students entering years 1-6
  • U.S. citizens
  • Students must be enrolled in one of the following programs: Bioengineering, Biological and Medical Informatics, Biomedical Sciences, Biophysics, Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Epidemiology and Translational Science, Neuroscience, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmacogenomics, Tetrad
  • GPA of 3.5 or higher
  • Programs are encouraged to nominate previous ARCS Scholars for repeat awards.

Required Nomination Documents/Information

1st year Students

  • Undergraduate institution
  • Prior graduate institution, if applicable
  • GPA (most current)
  • One recommendation letter from the student's application OR one recommendation letter from a UCSF faculty member (5 MB limit, PDF file)
  • CV or statement of academic achievements, including abstracts of published papers, all postsecondary honors and activities (from application) - 5 MB limit, PDF file
  • Copy of the transcript submitted with the application (5 MB limit, PDF file)

Students years 2-6

  • Statement of Interest (5 MB limit, PDF file)
  • Formatted CV (5 MB limit, PDF file in CV template format)
  • Unofficial UCSF Transcript (5 MB limit, PDF file)
  • Faculty Letter (5 MB limit, PDF file)
  • PI/Advisor Name

Support

  • Twelve awards for 2025-26
  • Stipend for 2025-26 will be $17,917, for a nine month period (September-May)
  • The award does not include tuition or fees.

Donor/sponsor

Funding for the ARCS Scholarship is provided through a grant from the ARCS Foundation, whose mission is to advance science and technology in the United States by providing financial awards to academically outstanding US citizens studying to complete degrees in science, engineering and medical research. Visit the ARCS Foundation website to find out more. The Graduate Division and our students are grateful for this generous support.

Awardees

2024-2025

Andoni Asencor – Neuroscience
Mary Clare Beytagh – Biomedical Sciences
Christine Boutros – Neuroscience
Kevin Alexander Estrada Alamo – Biophysics
Gyuna Kim – Biophysics
Mia Navarro – Epidemiology and Translational Science
Thu Pham – Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmacogenomics
Aunoy Poddar – Developmental and Stem Cell Biology
Leah Ragosta – Chemistry and Chemical Biology
Devan Shah – Bioengineering
Serena Tang – Bioengineering
Vivasvan Vykunta – Biomedical Sciences

2023-2024

Jessica Blumenfeld – Neuroscience
Camille Derderian – Tetrad
Joe Germino – Biomedical Sciences
Chloe Ghent – Tetrad
Darwin Kwok – Biomedical Sciences
Nilsa La Cunza – Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmacogenomics
Alex Lee – Biological and Medical Informatics
Rachel O'Sullivan – Neuroscience
Sruthi Raguveer – Chemistry and Chemical Biology
Devin Schoen – Bioengineering
Lauren Shechtman – Developmental and Stem Cell Biology
Carolyn Smith Hughes – Epidemiology and Translational Science

Learn more about how this and other internal fellowships are awarded.