The Gates Millennium Scholars (GMS), funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, was established in 1999 to provide outstanding African Americans, American Indian/Alaska Natives, Asian Pacific Islander Americans, and Hispanic American students with an opportunity to complete an undergraduate college education. The goal of GMS is to promote academic excellence and to provide an opportunity for thousands of outstanding students with significant financial need to reach their fullest potential.
GMS strongly urges students as well as nominators and recommenders to complete the application online at www.gmsp.org. Filing the form online will speed the processing of your application and the web-based application has features to assist you in filling out the forms correctly. It is recommended that you write a draft of all your answers on paper before completing the form online and electronically submitting.
Paper applications may be requested from the Guidance Office; however, GMS is recommending using the website (www.gmsp.org). Before you can receive a paper application from Guidance, a guidance counselor will verify that you meet all the eligibility criteria listed below. This is an extremely lengthy application and we recommend that you start on it ASAP and follow all directions carefully.
Eligibility: Students must meet all the criteria listed below to be eligible to apply.
- Graduating senior and US citizen/legal resident
- Ethnicity: African Americans, American Indian/Alaska Natives, Asian Pacific Islander Americans, and Hispanic American students
- Enrolling in an accredited college or university as a full-time student for Fall 2010
- Possess a 3.3 G.P.A. (4.0 scale-non-weighted)
- Have demonstrated leadership abilities through participation in community service, extracurricular activities, or other activities.
- Have significant financial need (i.e. meet the Federal Pell grant eligibility criteria*)
*GMS candidates must have a federal Pell Grant as part of their 2010-2011 financial aid package in order to become a GMS scholar. Eligibility for a Pell Grant can only be officially determined through the completion and submission of a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Thus, GMS nominees are urged to submit their FAFSA early (FAFSA’s can not be submitted until after January 1, 2010). Since the official determination of Pell grants will not occur until after the GMS application deadline, students are encouraged to still apply if they meet all other criteria listed above and feel that they exhibit significant financial need.
- Students must secure an educator (e.g. principal, guidance counselor, or teacher) to nominate them for the GMS scholarship. All nominators must be familiar with the student’s academic performance and complete the nominator section of the GMS application.
- Students must also secure a recommender. Recommenders can be work supervisors, community group leaders, or any other adult who is very familiar with the student’s community service and leadership activities. A recommender cannot be related to the student. The recommender must also complete a section of the GMS application.
Awards: GMS recipients will receive funds in an amount to be allocated by GMS based on the student’s financial need.
Deadline for Electronic Applications : January 11, 2010
Students submitting an electronic application are encouraged to have their nominator thoroughly review their application well in advance of the deadline before submitting.
Deadline for Paper Applications: January 11, 2010 – applications must be postmarked on or before this date.