FAQ Leadership Scholarship

Leadership can take many forms and you will be asked to provide your definition of leadership in your application essay. Leadership projects can stem from your involvement in an RSO or campus organization, from causes you care about, or from volunteering opportunities in your communities in Seattle, Washington State or anywhere else.  

However, if you have a role in an RSO or group, that is still not your project. We ask that you think about a project/activity within that role that you can develop in your position (think, for example, about an initiative that is needed or a project that could help your group and allow you to grow as a leader).  

The most competitive leadership applications are those in which the student identifies a need in a group or community and addresses it through their project. For example, applying proposing to volunteer with a community organization and working to carry out a specific project that serves a need in that community could be very competitive if you can articulate the leadership learning goals you have for yourself through that work. Alternatively, applying proposing to serve as President of an RSO without providing more detail about a project you hope to carry out within that role would not be very competitive.  

Finally, we know leadership cannot happen in isolation, so you will be asked to talk about collaborators and partners, while also specifying your role and contributions to the project. We look forward to seeing what leadership looks like for you! 

Any undergraduate student from any of the three UW campuses (Bothell, Seattle and Tacoma), who is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree and is planning to engage in a leadership project is eligible to apply for a Mary Gates Leadership Scholarship. Applicants from any major and at any stage of their undergraduate academic career are welcome to apply.  

While previous leadership experience may provide preparation for a project, having leadership experience is not a requirement for this scholarship. Even if a student has already started working on the project, the application should clearly focus on a project/project phase the student plans to pursue during the quarter(s) in which they would receive the scholarship.  

The Mary Gates Leadership Scholarship is not a recognition for the leadership skills you may have already developed. It is meant to support you for a leadership project you plan to do and the leadership learning and development you plan to do through that project. 

If you have questions about your specific project, we recommend coming to an information session. You are also welcome contact us at mgates@uw.edu or to make an individual appointment to discuss your proposal.  

Students who are most successful in the leadership scholarship application process are those who are beyond the “idea” stage and have begun planning or implementing their ideas. Planning may include such activities as making contact with collaborators or others who will be involved, scheduling and organizing meetings, recruiting volunteers or participants, writing a mission statement, or getting elected to office. The scholarship committee members need to be able to imagine you in action. If you are unsure of whether you are far enough along in your project to be a successful candidate for a Mary Gates Leadership Scholarship, we recommend coming to an information session. You are also welcome contact us at mgates@uw.edu or to make an individual appointment to discuss your proposal. 

 Yes, previous award recipients are eligible to apply for a second award. Please see eligibility information for more details. Please also see the additional selection criteria for previous award recipients to be prepared to address these heightened expectations. 

No. While you might have more than one mentor for your project, for your Leadership Scholarship application only one mentor letter is needed to support your application. If there is a second person who is also a mentor for you, feel welcome to discuss this in your essay. If you receive a scholarship, it is important for you to let us know if your mentor changes during the award period. 

It is essential that you choose a mentor who will have the time and make the commitment to support your leadership development through this project. The amount of support scholars need from their mentors varies, but they need to be available for you. To that end, your mentor letter is a crucial part of your application. Be sure to give your mentor enough time to craft a letter for you that speaks to their willingness to support you and how they will work with you to encourage development of your leadership abilities. 

If your mentor is not able to upload their letter between the time you submit your application and the date that the mentor letter is due, please contact us at mgates@uw.edu.

Leadership scholarships are competitive. On average, about one third of leadership applicants receive awards, but each application cycle is unique. In Autumn 2025, we anticipate awarding over 50 leadership scholarships. 

There is no general answer to this question. It depends on the activities, what kinds of skills you are trying to gain, etc. It is possible that multiple leadership activities may be tied together for a strong, cohesive application, but it is also possible that focusing on a specific project is the best way for you to develop focused leadership skills. Keep in mind that we are looking for the depth and quality of your leadership experience, which you will need to balance with your academic studies.  

If you are planning to reapply for a Leadership Scholarship, we strongly encourage you to attend one of our “Reworking your MG application” workshops. These are catered to returning applicants and will cover reviewer feedback applicable to the majority of applicants.  

Due to an increased demand for feedback, we cannot meet equitably through one-on-one appointments and instead invite you to attend a workshop if you would like to get support in reworking your application for a future cycle. Re-applying is highly encouraged. 

Each of the two quarters you select to receive the funding, you will receive the scholarship money during the second week of the quarter, through your UW student account. If you set up direct deposit, the scholarship funds will be deposited into the bank account you indicate. Otherwise, a check will be mailed to your local address on file in your MyUW student profile. If your money does not disburse, double check that you have set up direct deposit. Contact Mary Gates Endowment staff at mgates@uw.edu if you still do not receive your award disbursement. 

Need to update your addresses on file with UW? Get instructions here. 

Generally, yes. Mary Gates Leadership Scholarships support individual students to engage in leadership, and do not fund the leadership project itself. This is student funding, not project funding. Receipt of other funding, which supports the leadership project directly, is typically not considered a conflict. 

If you receive financial aid and have other scholarships, fellowships, awards or stipends and are also selected for a Mary Gates Leadership Scholarship, however, you may not be eligible to receive the full amount of the award. We will use the information provided by the Office of Student Financial Aid to finalize award amounts and we will be in touch with you if we are not able to disburse the full amount you were awarded.  If you would like to discuss your situation, please contact the Mary Gates Endowment staff at mgates@uw.edu.