The National Association of Academies of Science is continuing a needs-based scholarship program to pay the registration costs of student delegates who wish to attend the 2024 American Junior Academy of Science Annual Conference.



The 2024 AJAS Annual Conference will be in Denver, CO from Feb. 14-17, 2024. The 2024 NAAS-AJAS meeting will be held in-person only, with no virtual attendance options. Registration is now open through January 1, 2024. As in past years, our meeting will be in conjunction with the AAAS Annual Meeting being held concurrently at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, CO.

Scholarship Background
The NAAS is continuing a needs-based scholarship program to pay the registration costs of student delegates who wish to attend the 2024 AJAS Annual Conference. The intent of this scholarship is to provide support for student delegates who have demonstrated merit to attend AJAS, but where financial limitations would otherwise prohibit their participation. At least $15,000 of scholarship money is available.

If you would like to donate to this scholarship fund – and support students attending the AJAS Annual Conference –please email admin@academiesofscience.org.

Eligibility
Any academy of science planning on sending one or more student delegates to the 2024 AJAS Annual Conference is encouraged to apply. 

If you are filling out a scholarship application, please register as normal but do not pay for your registration fee using Paypal (click 'pay with check' instead) then wait to pay until after the scholarship announcements are made.

Application Process
Interested academies should apply using the form linked below. Individual academies are asked to submit an approximately 250-word proposal to the NAAS describing concisely how they would use a portion of the funds to allow one or more delegates with financial need to attend the 2024 AJAS Annual Conference. Delegate names do not need to be identified. 

Your narrative should include the following elements:

• Number of students you will support with this scholarship
• Ideal dollar amount you need to fully implement your strategy
• How you will proceed if you do not receive the full funding amount

Submissions are due back not later than 5:00 pm EST on December 15, 2023. 

View Application

Selection Criteria
Academies are encouraged to focus on the following criteria, listed in no particular order, for financial assistance to student delegates:

• Students who attend a Title 1 School
• Students who qualify for free or reduced lunch
• Students who will be first-generation college students
• Students who identify as historically underrepresented in STEM
• Students who do not meet the above criteria but who self-identify financial need
• Another innovative approach not described above.

An independent working group will evaluate the various proposals with the goal of distributing the funds as widely as feasible among the selected academies. Selected academies will be given a waiver of registration fees to support their proposal.

We anticipate receiving more requests for funding than can be provided, therefore, not all who apply may receive funding.

Estimated Costs
The 2024 AJAS Scholarship can only be used to cover the AJAS registration costs for student delegates. This year, the cost of registration is $400 per person. You can see more details about other costs on the 2024 AJAS Registration webpage. 

Fund Disbursement
Academies will receive scholarships in the form of waived registration fees. If you are filling out a scholarship application, please register as normal but do not pay for your registration fee using Paypal (click 'pay with check' instead) then wait to pay until after the scholarship announcements are made. We will be able to send a credit card or check request after the scholarships are announced for any outstanding balances owed. 

Contact
Please direct questions to Dr. Rachel Owen at admin@academiesofscience.org.