Approved Universities

ARCS Foundation chapters support 675 approved programs and departments at 50 leading research universities across the United States. In assessing potential academic partners, ARCS evaluates strength of graduate degree programs, facutly size and quality, national rankings, and national research grant funding, among other criteria. Contact ARCS Foundation for more information.

New Discipline Added

Marine Biology has been added to the list of disciplines that may be considered for ARCS Scholar Award funding. The addition, along with approval of the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa's interdisciplinary PhD program in Marine Biology, were requested by the Honolulu Chapter, vetted by the national University Relations Committee, and approved by the National Board at its January 2024 meeting in Honolulu.

The National Board also approved the Chemistry/Biochemistry program at the University of California, Merced, ARCS Foundation's newest university partner.

National review considers the caliber of faculty, quality of research, and strength of department to ensure that ARCS Scholar Awards go to students in leading programs of study.

Other programs approved during 2023–2024 are Cancer Biology and Neuroscience at Emory and Psychology at Georgia Tech (Athlanta Chapter); Nutritional Science and Speech and Hearing at University of Arizona (Phoenix Chapter); and Statistics at Stanford (Northern California Chapter).

"I am extremely grateful for ARCS, which has generously invested in University of Pittsburgh students pursuing doctoral degrees in science, technology, and medical innovation. For more than a decade, this support has enabled Pitt students to shape scientific leadership and advance innovations on a global stage, and for society's gain." —Dr. Patrick Gallagher, Former Chancellor, University of Pittsburgh

"I am inspired by the dedication of ARCS Foundation in raising funds every year for outstanding graduate students named as ARCS Scholars. This strong support has helped more than a hundred of our students attend conferences, update computers, and help pay child-care costs to make their work possible." — Dr. Morton Shaprio, President, Northwestern University

U.S. institutions where ARCS Foundation chapters fund scholar awards to top graduate students

Atlanta Chapter Chartered 1992 Visit the chapter website	Emory University Georgia Institute of Technology Morehouse College University of Georgia
Colorado Chapter Chartered 1976 Visit the chapter website	University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus University of Colorado Boulder University of Colorado Colorado Springs University of Colorado Denver Colorado School of Mines Colorado State University
Honolulu Chapter Chartered 1974 Visit the chapter website	University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Illinois Chapter Chartered 1977 Visit the chapter website	Illinois Institute of Technology Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine Northwestern University The University of Chicago University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Los Angeles Chapter Chartered 1958 (Founding Chapter) Visit the chapter website	California Institute of Technology Harvey Mudd College University of California at Los Angeles Pomona College University of Southern California
Metropolitan Washington (D.C.) Chapter Chartered 1968 Visit the chapter website	Georgetown University The George Washington University Johns Hopkins University University of Maryland University of Virginia
Minnesota Chapter Chartered 2009 Visit the chapter website	University of Minnesota
Northern California Chapter Chartered 1970 Visit the chapter website	San Francisco State University Stanford University University of California, Berkeley University of California, Davis University of California, Merced University of California, San Francisco University of California, Santa Cruz
Orange County Chapter Chartered 1999 Visit the chapter website	University of California at Irvine
Oregon Chapter Chartered 2004 Visit the chapter website	Oregon Health & Science University Oregon State University University of Oregon
Phoenix Chapter Chartered 1975 Visit the chapter website	Arizona State University Northern Arizona University University of Arizona
Pittsburgh Chapter Chartered 2003 Visit the chapter website	Carnegie Mellon University University of Pittsburgh
San Diego Chapter Chartered 1985 Visit the chapter website	San Diego State University Scripps Research University of California at San Diego University of San Diego
Seattle Chapter Chartered 1978 Visit the chapter website	University of Washington Washington State University
Utah Chapter Chartered 2009 Visit the chapter website	University of Utah