NSF Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship
The University of Utah is honored to offer the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program to talented undergraduates who want to become science teachers in K-12 schools. The program is funded through a generous grant from the National Science Foundation and consists of over 150 sites at colleges and universities across the nation. Noyce Scholars receive $10,000 per year for up to three years to support upper-division, licensure, and master’s level coursework. Scholars are part of a cohort that participates in monthly professional development, mentoring, formal and informal teaching opportunities, and other activities to support them as they progress through college and the early years of teaching. Scholarship recipients are required to complete two years of teaching in a high-need school district for each year of support.
Eligibility requirements for the Noyce Scholars program include:
- 60 completed university credit hours
- 3.2 minimum university GPA
- Admittance to the BS/MEd in Secondary Level Science Teaching program
- Background check for applicants 18 and over
- One letter of recommendation
- One letter from a university STEM instructor addressing your abilities, aptitude and potential to master scientific content.
- Statement of purpose (750 word maximum). Please address the following in your statement:
- Why you are interested in teaching and any formal or informal educational experiences you have had that have influenced your career path.
- Qualities, skills and/or experiences that make you a strong candidate for the program.
- A reflection on your experiences related to equity and social justice in educational settings. How might teachers help students overcome barriers of social and economic class, racism, language differences, and other aspects that might limit opportunities?
- A reflection on your first two years as a college student. How did your own instructors impact your desire to become a teacher?
In order to receive the NOYCE scholarship students must also be enrolled in the BS/MEd pathway. Transcripts, statements of purpose, and letters of recommendation can also be emailed to Elaina Lanier at elaina.lanier@utah.edu.
People & Partners
- Holly Godsey: Director of STEM Initiatives, College of Education
- Mary Burbank: Director, Urban Institute for Teacher Education
- Ann Cook: Director of Graduate Programs, Educational Psychology
- Lauren Barth-Cohen: Assistant Professor of Science Education, Educational Psychology
- Jordan Gerton: Professor, Department of Physics & Astronomy
- Udita Gupta: Associate Professor, Urban Institute for Teacher Education
- Lynn Zummo: Assistant Professor, Educational Psychology
- Sara Hatch Southwick: Senior Academic Advisor, College of Education
- Jeremy Thomson: Academic Program Manager, STEM Initiatives, College of Education
- Elaina Lanier: Administrative Program Coordinator, College of Education
- Craig Caldwell: Dean of Science Math and Engineering, Salt Lake Community College
- Nancy Songer: Former Dean, College of Education, University of Utah
- Dale Smith: Associate Dean, Education, Family & Human Studies and Social Work, Salt Lake Community College
- Ramón Barthelemy: Assistant Professor, Physics and Astronomy, University of Utah
- Gina Fry: Professor, Department of Chemistry, University of Utah
- Michael Thorne: Associate Professor, Geology and Geophysics, University of Utah
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Noyce Teaching Scholarship and why is it called that?
It is a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) that has been awarded to
the University of Utah to provide a financial assistance and programmatic support to talented undergraduate
students majoring in a the combined BS/MEd pathway. The grant seeks to increase the
number of high school teachers with strong science content knowledge to teach in high-need
school districts.
Robert Noyce was the co-inventor of the integrated circuit and went on to oversee
the development of the very first microprocessors at a company he co-founded called
Intel. Robert Noyce died in 1990, but his legacy lives on. The Robert Noyce Teaching Scholarship Program is an act of Congress originally authorized in 2002 and subsequently reauthorized
in 2007 and 2010. The goal of the scholarship is to meet the critical need for K-12
teachers of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics by encouraging talented
STEM students and professionals to pursue teaching careers in elementary and secondary
schools.
How much money is awarded through the Noyce scholarship?
The University of Utah Noyce scholarship awards up to $10,000 per year for full-time
enrollment. The scholarships will be dispersed twice yearly ($5,000 per semester),
with any remainder being reimbursed directly to the student. Students who wish to
enroll part-time or who need financial support for summer tuition should speak to
program personnel. Please contact Ally rocks with questions at ally.rocks@utah.edu.
When is the deadline?
The Noyce application is reviewed on a rolling basis. If you have questions about
the review process, please contact Ally Rocks at ally.rocks@utah.edu.
How are Noyce scholars selected?
The application process addresses a student's interest in teaching secondary education
in a STEM area (biology, chemistry, physics, or earth science) within a high-needs
school. Applicants are asked to share information in an essay about their educational
experiences and what they hope to achieve as a University of Utah Noyce Scholar. Applicants
will be ranked based on their essay and letters of recommendation by members of the
Leadership Team. Scholars will be chosen by their combined score of their essay, academic
review and teaching potential.
What is expected of Noyce scholars?
Noyce Scholars must be committed to participating in all Noyce Scholar courses, research
projects, seminars, workshops, and other opportunities with a team of Noyce Scholars
and faculty as presented upon admission into the Noyce Scholar cohort. This includes:
- Be enrolled in a Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Earth Science combined BS/MEd pathway
- Maintain a cumulative 3.0 GPA. If a scholar fails to achieve a 3.) GPA, they will be placed on probation for one semester. Failure to achieve a 3.0 GPA after the probationary semester may result in loss of scholarship funds.
- Make satisfactory progress toward degree and licensure as determined by program personnel.
- Participate in monthly cohort seminars, summer workshops, mentor meetings, and other TFU events (75% attendance is required, typically 4-5 meetings per semester)
- Participate in all evaluation activities
- Pass a State of Utah background check
In addition, upon graduation, Noyce Scholars will fulfill two years of full-time employment in a high-needs school district for every one year of Noyce funding received. Since the scholarship supports students for up to three years, this means a maximum commitment of six years in teaching. Scholars have eight years to fulfill the commitment. If the teaching requirement is unmet, participants will be required to repay the amount of NSF Noyce Support received plus any applicable interest.
Are Noyce recipients required to teach in Utah?
No, Noyce recipients are eligible to find teaching placements anywhere in the U.S.
What does it mean to teach in a high-need local educational agency?
The term "high-need local educational agency (or high-need LEA)", as defined in section
201 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1021), means a U.S. local educational
agency (e.g., school district) that has at least one school that meets at least one
of the following criteria:
- not less than 20% of the children served by the agency are from low-income families
- serves at least 10,000 children from low-income families
- is eligible for funding under the Small, Rural School Achievement Program under 20 U.S.C. 7345(b) or is eligible for funding under the Rural and Low-Income School Program under 20 U.S.C. 7351(b)
meets at least one of the following criteria:
- has a high percentage of teachers not teaching in the academic subject areas or grade levels in which the teachers were trained to teach; or has a high teacher turnover rate or a high percentage of teachers with emergency, provisional, or temporary certification or licensure.
What if I fail to meet the teaching requirements after graduation?
Upon acceptance of the NSF Noyce award, scholars sign a promissory note committing to teach in high-need school districts for two years for every year of NSF Noyce funding. Scholars have eight years to fulfill their commitment. The University of Utah will monitor employment and if the teaching requirement is unmet, the scholarship will default into a loan, and repayment of scholarship funds will occur.
I am undocumented, can I receive the scholarship?
Because the funding for the Noyce Scholars Program comes from the NSF (National Science Foundation), Noyce Scholars must have U.S. citizenship or permanent residency in order to receive the scholarship. Contact us directly if you would like to discuss other scholarship or funding options or check out some options here:
- Teach for Utah Scholarship (Up to $10,000 per year, students expected to teach in Utah, deadline: rolling)
- College of Education scholarships (various scholarships, deadline: March 1st)
- College of Science scholarships (various scholars, deadline: March 1st)
- University of Utah Dream Center ( various scholarships and deadlines)
What long-term support is there for Noyce scholars?
Noyce graduates are part of the national NSF network of Noyce Scholars beyond graduation, even after they get their own keys to the classroom! Scholars are invited to stay in contact with Noyce faculty and local school mentors after graduation. Scholars are also invited to share experiences in the classroom with each other and with current scholars. Graduates are a valuable part of the program and are always welcome back for events at the University of Utah.