Frequently Asked Questions
CSM Scholarships FAQ
Q: How soon should I approach my faculty mentors for a letter of recommendation?
A: As soon as you know you will be applying for the award but no later than 2 weeks in advance. You should meet with your faculty mentor and ask if they will be willing to provide a recommendation. We strongly recommend that you work on developing a relationship with the faculty member from your coursework, lab experiments, or other enrichment activity to receive a strong recommendation. For example, you had volunteered in their lab or research group, you participated in a student club or organization for which the faculty is an advisor, or attended office hours to discuss course content, or other study material.
Q: How should I ask a faculty mentor for a recommendation?
A: You should explain the purpose of the meeting (i.e. seeking a strong letter of recommendation for a scholarship), what are the main eligibility criteria for the fellowship, how to submit the recommendation, and when is it due.
Q: When should I ask the scholarship coordinator questions about the application process?
A: Most students do not contact the scholarship coordinator until the application is due. You may want to pick up the phone or schedule an appointment to learn about the scholarship application.
Q: If I have 1 credit over the required number of credits, will I still be considered for the award?
A: Unfortunately, we cannot make exception to the requirements set by the sponsors.
Q: Do I need to be actively engaged in sports to be eligible for the Weinberg scholarship?
A: The Weinberg scholarship (not offered every year) is not a sports scholarship. You need to demonstrate a spirit of challenge, strong sense of competition, and inspiration to team spirit.
Q: Do I need to be US Citizen to be eligible for the CSM Scholarships?
A: No, the only scholarship that requires US Citizenship is Kibel.
Q: If I answer “no” to the question for being MA Resident and BPS Graduate, will I be disqualified for the CSM Scholarships?
A: Answering “no” to this question will only disqualify you for the Brehm award.
Q: Can I have a recommendation from a faculty member who is not a CSM faculty?
A: The requirement is that you obtain a letter of recommendation from CSM faculty member. You may request a letter of recommendation from a STEM-area faculty in the Honors college but you have to be very specific that the letter is focused on your accomplishments as a CSM student.
Q: Do I need to have one letter from a course and one letter from a lab?
A: Not necessarily. The scholarships are merit-based.
Q: I am a transfer student. When should I apply for the scholarships?
A: You may want to have at least one semester completed at UMass Boston with three or more core courses toward your major.
Undergraduate Research Fellowships
Q: How soon should I approach CSM faculty research mentors to seek lab placement?
A: As soon as you know you will be applying for the award but no later than 2 weeks in advance. You should meet with your faculty research mentor and ask if they will be willing to host you in their research lab. We strongly recommend that you work on developing a relationship with the faculty mentor from your coursework, lab experiments, or other enrichment activity to receive a strong recommendation. For example, you had volunteered in their lab, you have been a supplemental instruction leader; you worked in their research group as an undergraduate research assistant.
Q: How should I ask a faculty research mentor for a recommendation?
A: You should explain the purpose of the scholarship, what are the main criteria, how to submit the recommendation, and when is it due.
Q: When should I ask the fellowship coordinator questions about the application process?
A: Most students do not contact the fellowship coordinator until the application is due. You may want to pick up the phone or schedule an appointment to learn about the fellowship application process and requirements.
Q: Do I need to be US Citizen to be eligible for the Undergraduate Research Fellowships?
A: No, this is not a requirement for the Fellowships at this moment.
Q: Will I be eligible for the Undergraduate Research Fellowships if I am working on a research project at a lab outside CSM?
A: The Undergraduate Research Fellowships are offered to CSM faculty hosting a student in their research group. Unfortunately, at this time we cannot offer Fellowships to external to CSM labs.
Q: I am a current Fellow in the Fall semester. Do I need to re-apply for Spring semester?
A: Yes. The Fellowships are awarded on a per semester basis. You will need to fill out a new application and your faculty research mentor has to provide a brief justification that you have demonstrated satisfactory progress. This is part of the online application.
Q: I have been a Fellow for two semesters. Can I apply for a third semester?
A: You are welcome to apply for an additional semester. However, preference will be given to current Fellows with less than two semesters of funding, as well as to new applicants.
Q: Should I enter total number of credits earned or in progress?
A: Since the application is due at the end of the semester, please enter both: the total number of credits earned and the one that you will have earned by the end of the semester.
Q: I have not yet received the grades for this semester.
A: Please provide your current GPA as available on your transcript at the time of submitting your application.