Undergraduate Program

There are many scholarship and grant opportunities that are geared towards optics students, including:

Charles and Janet Forbes Entrepreneurial Competition

The Forbes Entrepreneurial Award encourages current, full-time undergraduate engineering students to consider the commercial potential of topics or processes they are studying.

Discover Grant for Undergraduate Summer Research

The Schwartz Discover Grant supports immersive, full-time summer research experiences for undergraduate students at the University of Rochester.

e5 Program

The e5 Program offers selected students a fifth, tuition-free year of college to launch a project and engage in an experiential pursuit, whether economic or social in nature.

Fellowship Opportunities

Funded by various sponsors, fellowships are merit-based academic awards granted through national and international competitions.

Goldstein Grant

The David G. Goldstein Student Innovation Grant was created to help empower undergraduate and graduate students to pursue innovative ideas in optics and propel those ideas to realization.

Grand Challenges Scholarship Program (GCSP)

The GCSP is inspired by 14 broad problems facing society in sustainability, health, security, and knowledge. At the end of the experience, students will have a thorough understanding of the problem and insight into solutions for the challenge.

Handler Scholarship

The Alan and Jane Handler Scholarship is a premier scholarship at the University of Rochester for students who are selected based on exceptional academic potential, financial need, and outstanding leadership potential.

Lockheed Martin STEM Scholarship

The STEM Scholarship Program awards 100 recipients studying an eligible STEM major at a four-year college or university. Recipients may renew the scholarship up to three times.

McNair Program

A federally funded grant program designed to increase the numbers of low-income, first-generation, and underrepresented minority undergraduates who pursue PhD degrees and go on to careers in research and teaching at the university level.

Optica Scholarships and Grants

Access foundation resources for students to continue their education, gain new experiences, and make advances in research.

Research and Innovation Grant (RIG)

The RIG is a $3,000 grant offered to approximately 100 students per year upon admission to Rochester that can be used for experiential education opportunities during the academic year and/or over the summer after the student’s first semester at Rochester.

SMART Scholarship

The SMART Scholarship-for-Service Program is a combined educational and workforce development opportunity for STEM students. SMART offers scholarships for undergraduate, master's, and doctoral students pursuing a STEM degree.

The University has several offices dedicated to supporting students during their time here at Rochester, including:

College Center for Advising Services

The College Center for Advising Services (CCAS) is committed to assisting undergraduates with their academic needs by helping them find:

• Accurate academic information
• Opportunities to make the most of your undergraduate years
• Solutions to academic problems

The advisors in CCAS are a fantastic resource for questions or concerns about your academic experience.

Learning Center

The Learning Center offers a wide variety of programs for undergraduate students, including:

• Peer-led team learning workshops
• Study groups
• Tutoring
• Academic success coaching
• Study Zone

Writing and Speaking Center

The Writing and Speaking Center offers free writing and speaking tutoring to all members of the University of Rochester community. The center is staffed by professional, graduate, and undergraduate writing and speaking tutors who provide individualized feedback and assistance on all types of academic writing and speaking.

The University of Rochester has multiple resources for students who have or know someone who is going through a mental health crisis.

University Counseling Center (UCC)

All full-time students can take advantage of UCC’s services, including individual and group therapy, medication management, 24-hour crisis services, consultations, and educational presentations. Sessions with UCC counselors are free and strictly confidential.

CARE Network

The CARE Network is a resource to aid University of Rochester students in distress. This system allows Rochester faculty, staff, students, and affiliates to confidentially express concern for a student and get them connected to appropriate campus resources.

Creating an inclusive and welcoming environment is a core value of the University of Rochester. The following offices were created to help support this mission and the students it serves:

The David T. Kearns Center

The David T. Kearns Center for Leadership and Diversity strives to expand the educational pipeline through the doctoral degree for low-income, first-generation college, and underrepresented minority students.

Paul J. Burgett Intercultural Center

The mission of the Paul J. Burgett Intercultural Center (BIC) is to promote cultural awareness and engagement, educate on issues of identity, culture, and divers.

Office of Minority Student Affairs

The Office of Minority Student Affairs (OMSA) is the official academic home of all historically underrepresented minority students. OMSA supports students through:

• Advocacy
• Holistic advising
• Education
• Collaborating with campus units
• Connecting students to resources

Campus Clubs

In addition to the offices listed above, there are several clubs on campus whose mission is to support diversity and inclusion in STEM and on campus, including:

• Out in STEM
• Society of Women Engineers
• National Society of Black Engineers
• Society of Asian Scientist and Engineers
• Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers