OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
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The Graduate School invites nominations for the Oregon Lottery Graduate Scholarship. Funds for this scholarship are provided through the Oregon State Lottery and will be awarded to domestic or international graduate students enrolled in an advanced degree program at Oregon State University. These scholarships will be awarded on the basis of academic merit and financial need.
The award also aligns with and supports development in the OSU Grad Advantage core competencies for graduate students. Nominees are encouraged to complete the OSU Grad Advantage Self-Assessment Tool at the time of their nomination, or in the case of prospective students after they have been formally admitted to gauge their ongoing professional development.
The Graduate School anticipates awarding approximately 25 Oregon Lottery scholarships; depending on funding received from the State of Oregon. Scholarship amounts vary, but awards typically do not exceed $5,000. The scholarship will be disbursed in three installments through the academic year. Scholarships for less than an academic year will be pro-rated. This scholarship may be offered in addition to a graduate assistantship or fellowship.
Once the nomination pool is established, the Graduate School will award approximately one-half of the available funds on the basis of academic merit, and approximately one-half on the basis of financial need and academic merit.
Nominations will be evaluated on the quality of the nomination materials in addressing:
Evaluation of Financial Need
The nomination period begins on September 25, 2024. All nominations must be submitted by 5 p.m., April 28, 2025. Awards will be determined in late May 2025.
Please note that this posted deadline refers to the date/time by which the Graduate School must receive the final and complete nomination packet and any accompanying materials. Academic units may have earlier deadlines to accommodate their internal selection and nomination processes, so students are encouraged to verify the timeline with faculty and/or their graduate program leadership.
Nominations may be submitted by the nominee's graduate program director, department chair/head, college leadership, or appropriate leadership in an institutional partner unit. Students may not apply directly for this award. Each unit (as defined by university major code) and institutional partner may nominate no more than TWO nominees (total) per award cycle.
In the online nomination form, nominators will be required to prepare/upload the following materials as one PDF document using the following file name convention:
"Nominee's last name_Department_Lottery.pdf", and upload it through the nomination form.
A statement from the nominee (1 page maximum) that speaks to the following areas; nominees are encouraged to review the Graduate School’s OSU Grad Advantage core competencies and complete the OSU Grad Advantage Self-Assessment Tool to assist in responding to these prompts:
Their academic merit and intellectual vitality
This can be demonstrated in a variety of ways, including, but not limited to, their commitment and persistence related to previous academic pursuits, their intellectual curiosity and commitment, and the strengths and skills they bring to their graduate studies.
A nominating letter (1 page maximum) from college leadership or the nominee’s major professor, unit chair/head addressing the following:
The nominee’s previous academic success, scholarly potential, and the potential to grow and succeed in graduate studies.
This can be demonstrated by a combination of possible indicators including, but not limited to, prior coursework, degrees, and institutions of higher education; honors, awards, scholarships, or other academic distinctions; scholarly activity at previous institution(s) or employment; scholarly engagement in volunteer or service activities, membership in professional organizations, and research endeavors; the nominee’s skills and aptitudes that support scholarly activity; skills and aptitudes that would support academic success such as motivation, persistence, self-direction, planning, organization, and initiative
The nominee’s life experiences and background including the diversity and richness of an individual’s background and the value those bring to the academic context.
This can be demonstrated by a combination of indicators including, but not limited to, previous institution(s) attended; previous participation in educational or scholarly programs; previous work experiences; special talents or skills; experiences with overcoming substantial educational or economic obstacles; experience living or working in diverse environments; a demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion; cross-cultural experiences and opportunities for meaningful engagement with those different from self.
NOTE to Institutional Partners:
If an institutional partner is submitting the nomination, they must also have confirmation from the student’s academic unit that:
For questions about this award or any Graduate School administered awards, please contact our Graduate Scholarships and Fellowships team