Scholarships and Funded Support

The following opportunities exist for students in the Physics and Astronomy Department to receive scholarships and other funded support.

A list of recipients for previous scholarships and other awards is available.

On this page:

• Scholarships
• Summer Research Assistantships
• Funded Research Programs
• On-Campus Funding

Scholarships

As a continuing physics student, you may be eligible for a number of scholarship opportunities. These scholarships are applied to through the BeachScholarships system, the centralized database of scholarship opportunities at California State University, Long Beach.

BeachScholarships deadline is March 11, 2025.

After submitting the general application, you will automatically be considered for dozens of scholarships! Consideration is based on eligibility criteria noted in the scholarship description.

A small number of scholarships also require supplemental information or documentation in addition to the general application. If you meet the criteria for these scholarships, you will be asked to provide additional documentation when you complete the general application.

Additional Scholarship Opportunities

The following scholarships may have a different deadline from typical BeachScholarships opportunities, or may have a special application process.

METRIC Scholarship Program

Mentored Excellence Toward Research and Industry Careers (METRIC and METRIC 2) students receive need-based scholarships and participate in activities designed to facilitate their scholastic and professional development and to prepare them for careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. See METRIC Scholarship Program for additional information about the program.

Financial Aid and Scholarships Office

The Financial Aid and Scholarships Office is the official hub for scholarship information at CSULB. The office collects, organizes, and distributes information on hundreds of external scholarships as well as administers university scholarships for the campus. Explore CSULB Scholarships.

Summer Research Assistantships

Summer Research Assistantships are awarded to students seeking opportunities to pursue paid mentored research opportunities with faculty in the Physics and Astronomy Department.

Application period has closed.

Eligibility Criteria

• Demonstrated merit and strong potential to carry out research in one of the Physics and Astronomy Department.
• Continuing graduate or undergraduate student with planned enrollment for Fall 2025 semester.
• Research plan approved and signed by faculty research mentor.

Note: summer research assistantships are paid employment and subject to state and federal taxes. Opportunities for employment are competitive and will be awarded following committee review.

The application includes the following assistantships in the Physics and Astronomy Department:

• Margaret Heeb Summer Research Assistantship in honor of Wilma Jordan
• Google Summer Research Assistantship
• Department of Physics and Astronomy Summer Research Assistantship
• Gisela and Wilfried Eckhardt Summer Research Assistantships
• Keung Lai Luke Undergraduate Summer Research Assistantships
• Keung Lai Luke Graduate Summer Research Assistantships

Funded Research Programs

The following student research programs may offer stipends, provide tuition support, cover the costs of travel and attendance to conferences, or offer other funded support for CSULB students. Many programs have a joint application with other similar programs. Please see the individual programs for more details.

• Doctoral Diversity Initiative (DDI) partners with UCSD to broaden participation of students successfully completing Ph.D. programs and entering leadership positions in academia in the field of materials science. Available to CSULB undergraduate students. Funded by the UC Chancellor's Office.
• KURE Summer Bridge Program (SBP) is 1st- or 2nd-year students majoring in science or math at CSULB or for high school students who are planning to enroll in a science or math major at CSULB. Participating students will be part of a team conducting research on environmental toxins that are common in household items or products.
• Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) is part of a statewide effort to enhance the math and science skills of undergraduate students who have faced or face social, educational, or economic barriers, and are majoring in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM). Funded by NSF.

On-Campus Funding

The Graduate Center maintains a list of on-campus funding opportunities. Most of the opportunities are aimed at graduate students, but a few are also available to undergraduate students.