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Gates Millennium Scholarship Applications Now Available. The deadline for receipt of materials is February 1, 2001.

Washington, D.C. - Nomination guidelines and forms for the second year of the Gates Millennium Scholars awards are now available. Educators and community leaders are invited to identify and nominate outstanding students with high academic achievement, leadership potential and demonstrated financial need. Nominators must act in their personal capacity; institutional nominations will not be accepted. The deadline for receipt of materials is February 1, 2001.

Funded by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Gates Millennium Scholars (GMS) was established in 1999 to provide African Americans, American Indians/Alaska Natives, Asian Pacific Americans, and Hispanic Americans with an opportunity to complete a college education. The goal of the GMS is to promote academic excellence and to provide an opportunity for thousands of outstanding students with significant financial need, particularly those intending to study mathematics, science, engineering, education or library science, to reach their fullest potential. In addition to increasing access to higher education for individuals from groups that have traditionally and historically been denied or discouraged from pursuing this path, GMS provides opportunities for scholars to prepare for leadership roles in their professions and in their communities. During its inaugural year (academic year 2000-2001), the Gates Millennium Scholars selected more than 4,000 Scholars who are attending 937 colleges and universities of their choice at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

In the 2001-2002 academic year, only degree-seeking students entering a college or university as freshmen on a full-time basis, and who meet the GMS selection criteria, will be considered for scholarships. Individuals are eligible to be nominated as Gates Millennium Scholars if they: -- Are African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian Pacific American or Hispanic American; -- Are citizens/legal permanent residents or nationals of the United States; -- Have attained a cumulative GPA of 3.30 on a 4.0 scale; -- Will enter an accredited college or university as full-time, degree-seeking freshmen in the fall of 2001; -- Have significant demonstrated financial need as defined by Federal Pell Grant eligibility criteria; and -- Have demonstrated leadership commitment through participation in community service, extracurricular or other activities that reflect leadership abilities.

Deadline for receipt of materials is February 1, 2001. For guidelines and nomination forms, or for more information, please visit the Gates Millennium Scholars web site. Copies of the application form can be downloaded from this website.