Office of Nationally Competitive Awards

The Office of Nationally Competitive Awards supports UC undergraduates, graduate students, and recent alumni interested in applying for major external fellowships. NCA fosters the intellectual and personal development of UC’s student-scholars by facilitating a rewarding application process that encourages them to engage in rigorous self-reflection, cultivate strong writing practices, and define meaningful connections among their personal commitments, academic pursuits, and future goals.

This office administers UC’s nomination processes for awards like Rhodes, Marshall, Fulbright, Truman, and Goldwater; it also provides support for major awards that do not require endorsement. 

Core Awards Priority Awards Additional Opportunities

Upcoming Info Sessions

Goldwater Scholarship: September 16, 2025 @ 12:30 PM ET, Swift 708

Public Policy and International Affairs Program (PPIA) Junior Summer Institute Info Session: September 18, 2025 @ 12:30 PM ET, Swift 708

Truman Scholarship: September 23, 2025 @ 12:30 PM ET, Swift 708

Boren Awards: September 24, 2025 @ 12:30 PM ET, Zoom

Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program: September 25, 2025 @ 12:30 PM ET, Zoom

Critical Language Scholarship: September 30, 2025 @ 12:30 PM ET, Swift 708

Gaither Junior Fellows Program: October 14, 2025 @ 12:30 PM ET, Switch 708

FAO Schwarz Fellowship: November 3, 2025 @ 12:30 PM ET, Zoom

Fulbright UK Summer Institutes: November 13, 2025 @ 12:30 PM ET, Zoom

Humanity in Action: November 18, 2025 @ 12:30 PM ET, Swift 708

Upcoming Award Deadlines

Campus Deadlines

Rhodes Scholarship: August 15, 2025

Marshall Scholarship: August 15, 2025

Fulbright U.S. Student Program: August 22, 2025

Churchill Scholarship: September 29, 2025 @ 12:00 PM ET

National Deadlines

Schwarzman Scholarship: September 10, 2025 @ 3:00 PM EDT (May 20, 2025 for applicants with Chinese passports)

Luce Scholars Program: September 15, 2025 @ 5:00 PM ET

Marshall Scholarship: September 16, 2025 @ 5:00 PM ET

Rhodes Scholarship: October 1, 2025 @ 11:59 PM ET

Fulbright U.S. Student Program: October 7, 2025 @ 5:00 PM ET

Knight-Hennessy Scholarship: October 8, 2025 @ 1:00 PM PT

Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship: October 30, 2025 @ 2:00 PM ET

Churchill Scholarship: November 3, 2025 @ 5:00 PM ET

2

UC student receives renowned Truman Scholarship

April 18, 2025

Harshman Sihra, a reproductive health advocate planning a future as an OBGYN and public health policymaker, is now the third University of Cincinnati student to win the Harry S. Truman Scholarship.

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Congratulations 2024-2025 Award Winners!

  • Yasmine Bougacha, Violin Performance, Fulbright Study/Research Arts Award Italy Recipient
  • Jenn Breiner, Biological Sciences, National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (NSF-GRFP) Program Recipient
  • Rosie Davis, Public Health, Critical Language Scholarship (Swahili)
  • Abby Fischbach, Clinical Psychology, National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (NSF-GRFP) Program Recipient
  • Sophie Glenn, English Literary and Cultural Studies, UK Summer Institutes Scholar
  • Adonis Jones, Asian Studies, Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Recipient
  • Clara Kelley, Medical Sciences, Critical Language Scholarship (Hindi)
  • Kevin Li, Commercial Music Production and Composition, Fulbright Study/Research Arts Award Poland Recipient
  • Perry Li, Medical Sciences; Economics; Liberal Arts, Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Recipient and Fulbright ETA Taiwan Recipient
  • Jane Mahon, Criminal Justice, National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (NSF-GRFP) Program Recipient
  • Jan Mazur, Medicine, Fulbright Fogarty Nepal Recipient
  • Maya McGuire, Vocal Music, Fulbright Study/Research Arts Italy Recipient
  • Nicholas Oberdick, History, Boren Scholar
  • Jay Patel, Medical Sciences, Critical Language Scholarship (Hindi)
  • Gabe Paynter, Physics and Astrophysics , Fulbright Study/University of York Award United Kingdom Recipient
  • Anna Shepard, Medical Sciences, Fulbright ETA Ecuador Recipient
  • Harshman Sihra, Liberal Arts, Truman Scholar

2024-2025 Award Alternates & Finalists

  • Anna de la O, English Creative Writing and Professional Writing, Fulbright Study/Manchester Metropolitan University Award (Semi-Finalist)
  • Adam Elzarka, Medical Sciences; Liberal Arts, Knight-Hennessy Scholarship (Finalist)
  • Samuel Hall, Geosciences, National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (NSF-GRFP) Program (Honorable Mention)
  • Blessing Johnson, Psychology; Brain, Mind, Behavior, Fulbright ETA Ghana (Semi-Finalist)
  • Sunil Kollipara, Economics, Fulbright Binational Business Award Mexico (Semi-Finalist)
  • Kevin Li, Commercial Music Production; Composition, Fulbright Study/Research Arts Poland (Semi-Finalist)
  • Evan Lindenberg, Mechanical Engineering, Critical Language Scholarship Persian (Alternate)
  • Mia Morales, Political Science; Social Justice, Marshall Scholarship (Finalist)
  • Faith Redwine, Psychology, Fulbright ETA Spain (Semi-Finalist)
  • Erin Seccia, Communication Design, Fulbright Study/Research Arts Ecuador (Semi-Finalist)
  • Nika Umnov, Industrial Design, Fulbright Study/Research Arts Netherlands (Semi-Finalist)
  • Bishal Upreti, International Affairs, Fulbright ETA Nepal (Semi-Finalist)

Please Fill out our Intake Form

If you are interested in being added to our database to be kept up-to-date on all info sessions and resources for the awards that interest you, please fill out our Intake Form.

Come to an Intro to Fellowships Session

Open to all students! Get an overview of the awards and how our office can help you apply!

  • Email nca@uc.edu to schedule an appointment.
  • Sessions can be held either on Zoom or in-person.