Honors Program Scholarships

for current UW Honors students

The Honors Program provides scholarship opportunities for students currently enrolled in the Program. These scholarships are supported through gifts from alumni, faculty, foundations and other stakeholders who understand the value of a rigorous interdisciplinary education grounded in reflection.  Their investments support students taking up the challenge of Interdisciplinary and/or Departmental Honors. 

Giving to UW Honors

Information for Current UW Honors Program Students

Information for Current UW Honors Program Students

The application process for these scholarships is now open! Recipients are notified in mid-May. Final awards and terms are dependent on fund availability and subject to change.

Please contact uwhonors@uw.edu if you have any questions about the scholarship application process.

*Please note: To be eligible to apply for a current Honors Program scholarship, students must be admitted into the Honors Program and currently taking classes at UW – this means that those admitted for Autumn 2024 are NOT eligible for our current student scholarships. Students must be in good standing as determined by the Honors Program requirements.

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Eligibility

For these scholarships, “class standing” is determined by your year at UW, not total credits, at the time the application is due:

  • a first-year student is a freshman (rising sophomore)
  • a second-year student is a sophomore (rising junior)
  • a third-year student is a junior (rising senior)
  • a senior who will continue beyond four years is a continuing senior
  • All applicants must be active students and in good standing within their respective Honors track(s) to be reviewed for any scholarship.
  • To receive scholarship funds students must be enrolled during autumn 2024 – spring 2025 and in good standing in Honors. Awardees who wish to use a scholarship towards a study abroad program in summer 2024 must contact uwhonors@uw.edu by 6/5/24 to arrange for early disbursal.
  • Scholarships awarded in the form of tuition waivers cannot be used to cover the costs of study abroad program fees.
  • Students who are already the recipient of a 4 year Honors Undergraduate Scholar Award are only eligible for the following of the awards:
    • The Dillman
    • The Gerberding
    • The Wang

Award Eligibility Amount
Bordeaux Scholarship Rising juniors (by year) in Interdisciplinary, Departmental or College Honors. $2,500
Dillman Scholarship Rising juniors (by year) in Interdisciplinary, Departmental or College Honors $3,500
Gerberding Scholarship Rising senior in Interdisciplinary, Departmental or College Honors $3,000
Greene Scholarship Rising or returning seniors in Interdisciplinary, Departmental or College Honors. WA Resident only. $10,000
Hennes Scholarship Rising or returning seniors in College Honors (Interdisciplinary AND Departmental Honors) $3,000
Mary Gates Achievement Scholarship Rising sophomores in Interdisciplinary Honors. Must be WA state resident.
Students who received a Mary Gates Endowment Scholarship as incoming freshmen are not eligible to apply for this scholarship.
$12,000
Randolph Preston Pillow Scholarship Current Interdisciplinary Honors Students: rising sophomore by year (not by credit) in Interdisciplinary Honors.
For 2nd Year Admits: must have applied for 2nd Year Interdisciplinary Honors and accept our offer.
$6,000
Wang Scholarship Open to all students in Interdisciplinary, Departmental or College Honors $6,500

How to Apply

  1. Submit one Honors Scholarship Application for each award you are applying for. Your selection of the scholarship in the dropdown will show you the scholarship specific essay prompt. Make sure you are responding to the appropriate scholarship prompt in your application. You may apply for multiple scholarships, but must submit a new application for each scholarship.
    2024-25 Honors Scholarship Application: Apply Now

    (submit once for each scholarship you want to apply for)

All applications are due April 1, 2024 at 9:00am

Award Descriptions

Bordeaux Scholarship

Bordeaux Scholarship

The Bordeaux Scholarship is awarded to rising juniors in Interdisciplinary, Departmental or College Honors on the basis of academic merit; students apply during their sophomore year. This fund was established by Barbara and Bruce Bordeaux to provide financial assistance to Honors students at the University of Washington.

  • $2,500 award
  • Eligibility
    • A student in Interdisciplinary and/or Departmental Honors
    • A rising junior by year, not credits
    • There are no residency or citizenship requirements for this award

Dillman Scholarship

Dillman Scholarship

The Everett Dillman Endowed Scholarship is awarded to students in Interdisciplinary, Departmental or College Honors on the basis of academic merit. This fund was established by Everett R. Dillman, who wished to help those who, like himself in his younger days, had ability but lacked the funds to reach their goals with some modicum of comfort. To this end, he left a portion of his estate to the University of Washington for specific use by Honors students who will benefit from such support.

  • $3,500 award
  • Eligibility
    • A student in Interdisciplinary, Departmental or College Honors
    • A rising junior by year, not credits
    • There are no residency or citizenship requirements for this award

Gerberding Scholarship

Gerberding Scholarship

The William Gerberding Scholarship is awarded to a rising senior in Interdisciplinary, Departmental or College Honors judged to have rendered exemplary service or brought special distinction to the Honors community. This fund was established to honor University of Washington President Emeritus Dr. William P. Gerberding and to provide financial assistance to deserving Honors students. Candidates for this scholarship should be an active part of the UW Honors Program community, contributing to its academic, intellectual, and social life, in addition to achieving high academic goals.

This scholarship is funded with gifts from current and former deans of the University in honor of William P. and Ruth Gerberding’s many contributions to the University of Washington during his sixteen years and two months as president.

William Gerberding retired from UW after serving as president from 1979 until 1995, when he retired. He earned his doctorate in political science at the University of Chicago and taught at UCLA for 11 years before beginning his career in administration. Gerberding’s tenure as president saw an increase in public and private support — including the University’s first major fund drive — and the building of UW Tacoma and UW Bothell. He was a leader in higher education nationally, serving as chair of the Association of American Universities.

During his presidency and after his retirement, he and his wife Ruth were active as volunteers in the community, particularly with the Seattle Chamber Music Society, Seattle Symphony and Seattle Opera. Mr. Gerberding passed away in December of 2014.

  • $3,000 award
  • Eligibility
    • A student in Interdisciplinary, Departmental or College Honors
    • A rising senior by year, not credits
    • There are no residency or citizenship requirements for this award

Greene Scholarship

Greene Scholarship

Lawrence M. Greene established a bequest to the University of Washington to recognize the impact that his education had on his life, with a particular nod to former dean of Arts & Sciences, Edward Lauer (under whom the Honors Program was once housed.) Apparently during his undergraduate years in the 1940s, the Dean of A&S called Larry (known as “Laughing Larry” in reference to his zest for life) into his office one quarter after Larry’s grade point was 0.0, telling him to straighten out his life and studies or he’d be expelled. The next quarter Larry’s grade point was 3.6, and his bequest is in appreciation for the dean’s advice and the education Larry received.

  • Award amount: $10,000
  • Eligibility
    • A student in Interdisciplinary, Departmental or College Honors
    • A rising or returning senior by year, not credits
    • Washington residents only. Funds can be used for resident tuition only.

Hennes Scholarship

Hennes Scholarship

The Ran Hennes Honors Scholarship provides partial tuition support for a College Honors student with an excellent academic record combined with active participation and service to the larger University community. Honors students engaged in the UW beyond purely academic accomplishments and who are making a visible contribution to the UW student community are excellent candidates for this award.

Dr. Hennes served as Associate Director for the University of Washington Honors Program (1963-2001). He was a beloved mentor and role model for students, staff, and faculty alike. He was passionate about serving students and was deeply involved with both the Honors Program and UW Athletics. He was a respected military history scholar and taught courses through the UW’s Department of History and within the Honors Program. The Ran Hennes Honors Scholarship remembers his legacy in Honors and across the UW.

  • $3,000 award
  • Eligibility
    • A student active in both Interdisciplinary AND Departmental Honors (eligible to graduate “with College Honors“)
    • A rising or returning senior by year, not credits
    • There are no residency or citizenship requirements for this award

Mary Gates Achievement Scholarship

Mary Gates Achievement Scholarship

The Mary Gates Achievement Scholarship is awarded to a rising sophomore in Interdisciplinary Honors who has demonstrated academic excellence during their freshman year. The Mary Gates Endowment was established by Bill and Melinda Gates to support excellence in undergraduate education at the University of Washington and to create new opportunities for students to become independent learners and community leaders. Bill’s mother, Mary Maxwell Gates (1929-1994), for whom the Endowment is named, was a great leader who promoted voluntary service and philanthropy both locally and nationally; she served on the University of Washington Board of Regents from 1975 until 1993.

  • Award covers $12,000 of in-state tuition
  • Eligibility
    • A student in Interdisciplinary Honors
    • A rising sophomore by year, not credits
    • Only Washington State residents are eligible for consideration
    • Students who received a Mary Gates Endowment Scholarship as incoming freshmen are not eligible to apply for this scholarship.

Randolph Preston Pillow Scholarship

Randolph Preston Pillow Scholarship

The Honors Program is grateful to theRandolph Preston Pillow Scholarship for providing scholarships to support students continuing in the Honors Program (sophomore/2nd year and above) and for students entering the program through 2nd year admission. The Randolph Preston Pillow Scholarship provides scholarships to a continuing student distributed equally over autumn, winter, and spring. Another scholarship is available for a student accepted to the Interdisciplinary Honors Program through the 2nd year admissions process, distributed equally during autumn, winter, and spring. Scholarship numbers and amounts may vary from year to year. Awardees demonstrate exceptional leadership talents, an understanding of the broader community around them, and uncommon academic abilities.

Note: students currently applying for 2nd year admission to Interdisciplinary Honors do not apply for the Randolph Preston Pillow Scholarship. 2nd year applicants are automatically considered once they apply to the Honors Program. Selections will be made by the admissions committee.

Wang Scholarship

Wang Scholarship

This endowment was established by former Provost and Executive Vice President Phyllis Wise to honor her parents, Shih Chun and Mamie Kwoh Wang. They both immigrated to the United States and completed graduate education in this country. They valued the opportunities afforded them because of the education and opportunities they received as immigrants in the United States. They expected their children, Phyllis M. Wang Wise and Nancy E. Wang Wilcox, to pursue education with dedication and passion, and to value the unique opportunities that education enables.

Selection is based on academic merit with preference given to students who have had a deep cultural experience with Asia, either through their life experiences or studies. Students in Interdisciplinary and/or Departmental Honors are eligible.

  • $6,500 award
  • Eligibility
    • A student in Interdisciplinary, Departmental or College Honors
    • There are no residency or citizenship requirements for this award
    • Preference is given to students who have had a deep cultural experience with Asia, either through their life experience or studies