Top Scholarships for Forensic Analysts

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the most successful and employable forensic analysts are those who have bachelor’s degrees from accredited universities. However, four years of college can certainly be expensive. Fortunately, there are several scholarships available to help students offset some of those costs.

Sandy Jeffers Memorial Scholarship

The Sandy Jeffers Memorial Scholarship awards one semester’s worth of tuition to one undergraduate student each year who is working toward a bachelor’s degree in a field of forensic or historical anthropology at the University of Tennessee, which is located in Knoxville. Applicants must provide a written statement of their own, three academic references, and transcripts of their grades. Since the award is given based on both merit and financial need, students must also detail how they are paying for their education and why they are facing hardship in a financial sense.

James and Harriet Tong Forensic Chemistry Scholarship

The James and Harriet Tong Forensic Chemistry Scholarship is awarded to four students each year – one each in their freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior year of studies – at Ohio University which is located in Athens, Ohio. These students must be enrolled in and demonstrating aptitude in the school’s Forensic Chemistry program, which is quite rigorous in nature. A specific amount is not specified by the foundation, and students must be nominated by an academic reference in order to be considered for the award.

Radford University Forensic Science Institute Boyd Forensic and Anthropological Science Scholarship

This award, which has an unspecified amount, is given to students who are attending Radford University in Radford, Virginia. These students must demonstrate excellence in academics in the school’s forensics program, and they must also be involved in assisting faculty and upperclassmen in research in either the forensic or anthropological science field. Aside from two letters of recommendation from school faculty, students will also need to write a 500-word essay that describes the research they are assisting with in great detail.

George H. Robertson Scholarship

This is another fantastic scholarship opportunity for individuals who are pursuing undergraduate degrees in forensic science. It is funded by the Chesapeake Bay Division of the International Association of Identification to students who are maintaining at least a 2.5 GPA and who are in at least their sophomore year of study. The number of recipients and the amount that is awarded varies from year to year.

J. Edgar Hoover Foundation Scientific Scholarship

Only one student per year is given this prestigious scholarship which is valued at $25,000 and can easily pay for all four years of college. However, the student who is awarded the prize must have been accepted into a forensic science program and must be pursuing a career in some field of law enforcement. It requires two letters of recommendation, a transcript, and a narrative letter detailing community involvement and career aspirations to be considered.

Remember that scholarships are unlike student loans in that they do not need to be repaid, so you are free to apply for as many of them as pertains to you in order to get the most help possible when it comes to easing the financial burden associated with attending a forensic science school.