NOAA EPP Undergraduate Scholarship Program
Two years of scholarship support, two paid NOAA internships, and professional development for eligible students at minority-serving institutions studying fields related to NOAA’s mission.
NOAA EPP Undergraduate Scholarship Program
The NOAA Educational Partnership Program (EPP) Undergraduate Scholarship combines two years of undergraduate funding with paid summer experience at NOAA and continuing professional development. It is intended for students at accredited minority-serving institutions who are studying in fields related to NOAA’s mission and meet the program’s citizenship, class-standing, enrollment, and GPA rules. The award is a package of financial support and professional experience, so applicants should review both the school and internship commitments before starting the shared application. NOAA’s prospective scholar page
The current application cycle needs one important qualification: the online portal lists January 31, 2027 as the closing time for the Hollings undergraduate scholarship. NOAA describes EPP and Hollings as using a shared application, but its EPP pages do not state a separate EPP-only deadline. Treat the portal date as a date to plan around, then confirm that it applies to an EPP submission in the live application account or with the program before relying on it. Shared application portal · NOAA EPP program page
At a glance
| Detail | What NOAA publishes |
|---|---|
| Program | NOAA Educational Partnership Program (EPP) Undergraduate Scholarship |
| Support | Up to $45,000 total; up to $9,500 per academic year for two years, plus internship stipends and associated support |
| Experience | Two paid summer internships at NOAA facilities, with professional development and NOAA mentorship |
| Eligible students | U.S. citizens or nationals meeting the class-standing, institution, field, enrollment, and GPA requirements below |
| Institution and location | Accredited minority-serving institution in the United States or a U.S. territory |
| Minimum GPA | At least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale; applicants must have and maintain it |
| Application materials | Scholarship form, essay responses, official transcripts from every institution attended, and two recommendation forms |
| Published portal date | January 31, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern for the Hollings application; NOAA does not publish a separate EPP closing date on its reviewed EPP pages |
| Selection notice | NOAA says selected EPP scholars are notified by email within the first two weeks of April |
See NOAA’s prospective-student page for benefits and eligibility, the EPP FAQ for application details, and the portal for timing.
What the scholarship provides
EPP can provide up to $45,000 in total support during a scholar’s junior and senior years. Within that total, NOAA lists up to $9,500 for each of two academic years of full-time study, as well as internship stipends and associated support. The total is a program maximum, not a promise that every applicant will receive $45,000 in cash. The source page does not break out a separate internship stipend amount, so applicants should not budget around a particular summer payment without checking current award details. NOAA EPP prospective-student page
The summer component consists of two paid internships at NOAA facilities. For an internship away from the scholar’s school or home site, NOAA describes a housing subsidy and round-trip travel support. NOAA also funds travel to a required orientation and scholarship symposium. Those are practical parts of the award: a student should consider whether they can take part in two summer placements and attend the required events, and should confirm current logistics and any award conditions in the application materials. NOAA does not state the subsidy amount or event dates on this page. NOAA EPP prospective-student page
NOAA also describes professional development, a NOAA mentor, opportunities to present at conferences, and research projects related to NOAA’s mission. Scholars must complete an approved public-service activity during senior year. This is continued participation alongside coursework. NOAA does not publish a weekly time commitment or list of approved service activities on the summary page; check the current program guidance for details. NOAA EPP prospective-student page
Who should apply and eligibility
This program may fit students who want both undergraduate support and NOAA internship experience and can meet the full set of eligibility rules. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals, enrolled full time at an accredited minority-serving institution in the United States or a U.S. territory, and pursuing a field related to NOAA’s mission. They must have and maintain a GPA of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale; all requirements apply together. NOAA EPP prospective-student page
The class-standing routes NOAA identifies are:
- A full-time second-year student in a four-year degree program.
- A full-time third-year student in a five-year degree program.
- A qualifying community-college student accepted to transfer to a four-year institution with junior standing.
For the community-college route, acceptance to transfer with junior standing is required. The published summary does not explain how unusual calendars, changed majors, or transfer-credit evaluations are handled; students in those situations should verify their case with NOAA. NOAA EPP prospective-student page
How to apply
NOAA says EPP and the Hollings undergraduate scholarship use a shared online application that is available annually from September through January. The live portal currently says the Office of Education is accepting applications. Begin at the official shared application portal and confirm that the current form allows you to apply for EPP. Follow the EPP-specific instructions shown in the shared system.
A complete EPP application consists of the scholarship form, essay responses, official college transcripts from every institution attended, and two recommendation forms. At least one recommendation must be academic. NOAA’s FAQ says the applicant enters each recommender’s name, title, and email address, after which the recommenders receive system links to submit their forms. An application is incomplete if a required item has not arrived by the deadline. NOAA EPP FAQ
A practical sequence is:
- Check the current EPP instructions and your eligibility. Confirm citizenship or nationality, full-time status and class standing, institution accreditation and minority-serving status, mission-related field, and the 3.2 GPA requirement. If your major or transfer status is not clearly covered, seek clarification through NOAA’s official program information.
- Complete the scholarship form and essays in the portal. Follow the live prompts; the public summary does not provide their wording or length limits.
- Request official transcripts from every college attended. NOAA specifies official transcripts, not just the transcript from the current school. Check the application’s instructions for how each institution must send or deliver its transcript and whether receipt is shown in your account.
- Enter two recommenders and allow time for their forms. At least one must be an academic recommender. Provide accurate names, titles, and email addresses, tell each person to expect the system link, and monitor whether both forms arrive. A request you sent is not the same as a completed recommendation received by NOAA.
- Review the account for missing items and confirm the EPP deadline. NOAA says every document and recommendation must arrive by the deadline. Because its EPP pages do not print an EPP-only closing date, verify the deadline and time zone shown for EPP in the portal or ask the program before submitting close to the listed Hollings cutoff.
Timeline and deadline
NOAA describes the shared EPP and Hollings application as opening annually from September through January. The current portal lists the Hollings undergraduate application close as January 31, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern. NOAA’s EPP program pages do not state a distinct EPP-only close date. Since the portal date is specifically labeled for Hollings, EPP applicants should verify the deadline attached to their EPP application rather than assume the date is identical. NOAA EPP program page · shared application portal
NOAA’s FAQ says selected EPP scholars are notified by email within the first two weeks of April. Applicants can also check their status through their online application account. This is the timeline NOAA publishes; the brief does not give a separate cycle-specific notification date or a date for interviews, internship placement, or the start of funding. Watch the email address associated with the account and check the portal for the official application status. NOAA EPP FAQ
Preparation and common mistakes
Preparation advice, not additional NOAA requirements: Start early enough to request transcripts from every institution and give recommenders time to complete their online forms. Because recommendation links are sent through the system, check that the addresses you enter are current and monitor the application account for completion. These steps reduce avoidable last-minute gaps; NOAA’s stated rule is that all required materials must arrive by the deadline. NOAA EPP FAQ
Read the live essay prompts and follow their instructions; NOAA’s public information does not state prompt wording, length limits, or evaluation criteria. Save your responses and check the account for a complete-submission status. A transcript or recommender request still pending in your account is a missing item, even if you requested it well before the deadline.
Frequently asked questions
Is the January 31, 2027 date confirmed as the EPP deadline?
Not by the EPP-specific pages in the supplied information. The shared portal lists January 31, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern as the Hollings application close, while NOAA says EPP and Hollings use a shared application. Check the live EPP application for its deadline or verify with the Office of Education. Until then, use January 31 as a planning date, not as confirmation of a separate EPP deadline. Shared application portal
How many EPP scholarships will be awarded?
The number of awards for the current cycle is not stated in the reviewed pages. Applicants can check NOAA’s current EPP program information or ask the Office of Education if the current-cycle count is published. No award count or selection odds are confirmed here.
What majors qualify?
NOAA requires a field related to its mission, but the supplied information does not give a complete list of eligible majors. Review the current EPP guidance and get confirmation for a specific major or course of study if it is not clearly addressed. Do not assume that a broad subject label settles eligibility.
Official sources and items to verify
- NOAA EPP Undergraduate Scholarship: prospective students — benefits and eligibility.
- NOAA EPP Undergraduate Scholarship FAQ — required application components, recommender process, completeness, and notification.
- NOAA EPP Undergraduate Scholarship program page — shared application information.
- NOAA Office of Education shared application portal — current portal status and the listed Hollings closing date.
Two current-cycle facts remain unconfirmed in the supplied source material: whether January 31, 2027 is the separate EPP deadline, and how many EPP awards are available. Applicants should verify the deadline in the EPP application and ask NOAA about the award count if it affects their planning. The current pages also do not provide the EPP essay prompts, stipend breakdown, or a complete list of mission-related majors; use the live application and official program guidance for those specifics.