Clare Boothe Luce Undergraduate Scholarship Program

Undergraduate Funding

The Clare Boothe Luce (CBL) Program was established to encourage women to pursue graduate education and careers in teaching and research in disciplines having the lowest participation of women, namely physics, math, computer science, and chemistry. It is the single largest private source of funding for women in science and engineering.  In its first 25 years, the CBL program has awarded grants totaling over $150 million. Under this program, Fordham is able to provide two-year scholarships (contingent on acceptable performance in the first year) to outstanding female undergraduates in the sciences to encourage and facilitate graduate education and enable them to achieve a career in teaching and research.  

Eligibility Requirements
Applications are open to highly qualified full-time female U.S. citizens or permanent residents who are not intending to pursue further education in the medical sciences, and will graduate with one of the following majors:

  • Biological Sciences
  • Chemistry 
  • Computer & Information Science 
  • Environmental Science
  • Integrative Neuroscience
  • Mathematics
  • Natural Science
  • Physics or Engineering Physics

Award Information
Scholarships are 9-month academic-year awards, generally made at the end of sophomore year to begin the following fall, that includes:

  • tuition charges not covered by any other scholarships or awards, for full-time study during the following fall and spring semesters
  • if applied for, up to a $1,000 professional development fund to be used by the following June for equipment, travel, research, etc. This fund is handled by reimbursement of expenses and requires previous approval and proof of payment; any equipment purchases must be made through Fordham, and travel using these funds must be within the United States.
  • pending a GPA of at least 3.0, the award may be renewed for an additional academic year

In accepting the award, the student agrees to:

  • continue in her major
  • begin research in her field with a faculty mentor by the fall the award begins
  • provide a progress report as delineated in the award letter
  • report on outcomes of her research and encouragement of women in the sciences during the year
  • after graduating from Fordham, give a 5-year follow-up report on career and educational achievements

In addition to basic personal information, the application should include a brief explanation of your plans after you graduate from Fordham, letters of recommendation from two Fordham faculty members, your CV or resume, and a personal essay/narrative.

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Maura Mast ([email protected]).