Stamps Scholars Program

Current second-year College students who plan to graduate in June 2028 are eligible to apply for the Stamps Scholars Program.

Interested students should submit the following materials through UChicago Handshake:

• A standardized cover sheet with information about the applicant, their project, and their faculty or staff mentor, available for download through the Handshake posting. *Please submit your cover sheet and your resume as one document: paste your resume into the cover sheet document on a separate page and upload it as one "Resume" document on Handshake.

• A resume, no longer than one page. For assistance with preparing a resume, please visit Career Advancement’s Resume & Interview toolkit or schedule an appointment with a career adviser.

• An unofficial transcript, accessible through myUChicago.

• A statement of purpose, no longer than two pages (either single or double spaced is acceptable), explaining:

  • the applicant’s academic or professional goals, especially for their final two years at UChicago

  • the project(s) or experience(s) the student plans to use the enrichment funds for if selected as a Stamps Scholar

  • the UChicago faculty or staff member whom the student has identified to serve as a mentor and provide support and guidance during the project(s)

  • how the student’s prior experiences have prepared them to succeed in the proposed project(s)

  • how the project(s) would support their stated goals

  • Please consult this sheet for funding guidelines.

• A questionnaire with information requested by the Stamps Scholars Program Foundation. The questionnaire link is available in the Handshake posting.

• A letter of recommendation from a UChicago faculty, staff member, or UChicago-affiliated expert in a relevant field who can attest to the applicant's character, the viability of their proposed project(s), and their academic, extracurricular, or professional performance.

  Recommenders can submit their letters using this form. Letters are due by the application deadline.

• A completed Stamps Scholars Mentor Form from a UChicago faculty, staff member, or UChicago-affiliated expert in a relevant field who has agreed to serve as the student’s mentor for their proposed project from the student's statement of purpose. This can be the same faculty or staff member who is writing the recommendation on behalf of the student but does not need to be. Mentors can submit their agreement form using this online form.

Following application review, select candidates will be invited to move forward in the selection process to participate in a virtual interview component, completing several interview questions through the Big Interview platform. Candidates selected for this component of the process will receive specific instructions and guidance via email.

The application review committee will nominate a select number of candidates for an interview with the Stamps Scholars Program staff, which will make final decisions.

Students should direct all requests for application reviews to Career Advancement. For a review of your application materials, please schedule an appointment with a Career Advancement adviser through UChicago Handshake. For appointment type, select "General Career Advising" and then "Application Review."

By applying to the program, you give the University of Chicago permission to share all information you provide in your application with the Stamps Scholars Program.

Recipients are expected to participate in Stamps Scholars programming both at UChicago and with the national Stamps Scholars network, including:

• New Stamps Scholars Orientation and Welcome Reception in Spring 2026

• Quarterly programs and discussion seminars during the academic year