St. Andrew's Society Scholarship

Please note that in addition to the below listed criteria, finalists will have to include a statement from an appropriate official certifying that financial assistance would be required for a year of graduate study.

• Applicants must be senior undergraduate students who will obtain a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and can demonstrate the significance of studying in Scotland.
• Proof of application to their selected school in Scotland will be required of finalists.
• Candidates should possess qualifications which will enable them to be good ambassadors for the United States while in Scotland.
• The basis for selection shall include the student’s: academic achievement; extracurricular activities; financial need; clarity of career purpose in pursuing  the graduate studies; a statement that sets forth why you wish to continue your education, with clarity around the graduate study objective(s) to be achieved  and why you wish to study in Scotland; some Scottish descent; and proof of U.S. citizenship.
• Candidates must reside or attend school within 250 miles of New York State. (Note: Bowdoin is within the required 250 mile range.)
• Preference will be given to applicants who have not previously studied in the United Kingdom.
• Applicants should be aware that the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs is involved with the campus review process. Students with serious social or academic violations, such as those that are included as part of their permanent record at Bowdoin, are advised to consult with the Director of Student Fellowships and Research early in the process. Students may also consult with their dean for guidance.

The College is allowed to nominate only one Bowdoin student annually for the Saint Andrew’s Society Scholarship. The Committee will review the materials listed below, and those applicants determined to be most competitive will be contacted to schedule a campus interview. To be considered, applicants must submit the materials listed below to the Office of Student Fellowships and Research by the “Initial Bowdoin Deadline” (see above). Based on these materials and the campus interview, the Committee will determine which student will receive Bowdoin’s endorsement. Applicants are encouraged to review the Application Cover Letter and Guidelines that we are sent each year.    

• Completed Saint Andrew’s Scholarship Application including thesis/proposal that addresses the following:
  1. why you wish to continue your education beyond the present year;
  2. why you wish to study in Scotland and how this study will contribute to your overall goals.
  Your answer to each question need not exceed 200 words.
• Unofficial academic history from Polaris
• Current resume
• Signed and witnessed "Permission Form and Waiver"
• One letter of recommendation. A faculty member should electronically submit his/her letter to Gina Pappas by the "Initial Bowdoin Deadline". (Please note that if you receive Bowdoin’s nomination, your final application must include two letters of recommendations.)

The above items should be saved as PDFs and electronically submitted to gpappas@bowdoin.edu.

If you receive Bowdoin’s nomination, it is your responsibility to continue revising and collecting your materials. By the “Final Bowdoin Deadline,” Bowdoin’s nominee must submit the following items as PDFs to the Office of Student Fellowships and Research, which will send all materials directly to the program for further consideration.

• Completed Saint Andrew’s Scholarship Application, including thesis/proposal that addresses the following:
  1. why you wish to continue your education beyond the present year;
  2. why you wish to study in Scotland and how this study will contribute to your overall goals.
  Your answer to each question need not exceed 200 words.
• Official transcript(s)
• Two letters of recommendation from professors
• Current resume
• Copy of your birth certificate (i.e., proof of U.S. citizenship)
• Letter from Bowdoin's Director of Student Aid certifying that you would require assistance in order to pursue a year of graduate study in Scotland
• Proof of application to your selected school in Scotland is strongly encouraged, but not required

The items listed above should be saved as PDFs and electronically submitted to Gina Pappas (gpappas@bowdoin.edu).

In addition, the Office of Student Fellowships and Research will be responsible for securing a letter of institutional endorsement.

More about the Selection Process. It is the national committee’s practice to invite six finalists to a luncheon in New York City during February or early March. Following this meeting two of these finalists will be awarded scholarships for graduate study in Scotland.

Sam Neirink '22
St. Andrew's Society Scholarship
Sam is a Biology Major with a concentration in Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology and an English Minor. He has a particular interest in invasive species and their management. He plans to study trophic interactions and evolutionary ecology at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, obtaining a masters degree there. After doing so, Sam would like to find a way to combine teaching with field science and conservation work. At Bowdoin, he participates largely in the Bowdoin Outing Club, with whom he is a student trip leader.

Sam Burnim '14
Bowdoin’s first recipient of the St. Andrew’s Scholarship, Sam will use this award to pursue a master’s in health systems and public policy at the University of Edinburgh. Sam’s interest in models of healthcare for patients with mental health disabilities began in high school when he served as a personal care assistant for a child with cognitive disabilities. At Bowdoin, Sam majored in biochemistry and, among many other activities, led Bear Buddies, a volunteer program that mentors children with cognitive challenges, while serving as a McKeen Fellow at the Center for the Common Good. Upon completing his master’s, Sam intends to attend medical school and become a pediatric psychiatrist.