Generously supported by W.W. Smith Charitable Trust, the new Smith Scholars program offers awards of $8,000-10,000 per year to support high achieving Temple University undergraduates from the five-county Philadelphia area and from the City of Camden, N.J. 

The goal of the Smith Scholars program is to identify and support talented Temple undergraduates who have faced financial challenges and other obstacles, and who are eager to pursue excellence.  Besides the funding, the program offers small-group advising, peer mentoring, one-on-one fellowship advising, application/personal statement guidance, and support to apply for other meaningful scholarship, fellowship, or research opportunities. 

Eligibility requirements

• Demonstrated academic achievement (at least a 3.5 cumulative Temple GPA).
• Permanent residency in the City of Camden, N.J., or in one of these Philadelphia-area counties: Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Philadelphia. 
• Financial need (submit a FAFSA by February 1 to ensure consideration; students who submit their FAFSA after February 1 are still eligible to apply but may not have priority). 
• Full-time undergraduate student status. 
• A minimum of four full-time semesters remaining at Temple, not including the semester of application submission.  
• Transfer students must have completed at least one full-time semester at Temple by the application deadline.  
• U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

Selection criteria

Beyond the eligibility requirements, we are looking for students who have the following qualities or experiences. We do not expect candidates to meet ALL of these criteria:

• Show academic promise.
• Show engagement with their campus, home community and/or career preparation.
• Have persisted despite obstacles and challenges.
• Have a general plan for their academic and career trajectory.
• Are excited to apply for future fellowships or scholarships and have a vision for how these opportunities support their academic and career trajectory.

Application and selection process 

The application includes a series of short responses and a personal statement. You will also review a list of internal and external scholarship opportunities and write about which one you might apply to in the future and why. Prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to follow these application tips. 

Semifinalists are invited to an interview, typically in May. 

Access the Smith Scholarship on ScholarshipUniverse. Eligible students should find it among their matched scholarship opportunities. The application typically goes live in February.

Deadline

March 19, 2025, before 11:59 pm. Final decisions will be announced before the end of May. We anticipate selecting about seven to 10 new Smith Scholars every year. 

Expectations for Smith Scholars

The Smith Scholars Program is designed to support and mentor participants as they prepare to apply for other meaningful scholarship, fellowship, or research opportunities. To this end, with the guidance of Fellowships Advising and Undergraduate Studies, participants are expected to:

Please note that awards for the Smith Scholars program are contingent on the receipt of funding from the funding agency and are not guaranteed. Scholars are eligible for a maximum of six undergraduate semesters of funding.

• Attend a Fellowships Advising information session in the year after selection 
• Meet one-on-one with a fellowship advisor in the semester after selection. Smith Scholars may also be asked to participate in small-group advising.
• Apply for at least one other internal or external scholarship, fellowship, or funded opportunity before the end of their senior year
• Meet with Fellowships Advising to review drafts in advance of the deadline for at least one internal or external scholarship, fellowship or funded opportunity before the end of their senior year