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.

"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

New Discipline, Program Approved

Clinical Psychology with a focus on research has been added to the list of disciplines that may be considered for ARCS Scholar Award funding. The addition was requested by the San Diego Chapter, vetted by the national University Relations Committee, and approved by the National Board at its October 2023 online meeting.

The National Board also approved the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science PhD program in Washington State University’s Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture as a new recipient of Seattle Chapter ARCS Scholar Awards.

In 2022, the board added STEM programs at other academic partners: Arizona State University’s College of Health Solutions, Biomedical Informatics; Northern Arizona University’s College of Environment, Forestry, and Natural Sciences, School of Earth and Sustainability; and University of Pittsburgh’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Department of Geology and Environmental Science.

UC Merced is Newest ARCS University

The University of California, Merced became ARCS Foundation’s newest academic partner in 2022. UC Merced’s Cognitive and Information Sciences, Environmental Systems, and Physics programs are eligible for Northern California Chapter ARCS Scholar Awards.

"Our affiliation with ARCS has already increased awareness of UC Merced's commitment to providing resources to future leaders in science, engineering, and medical fields right here in the Central Valley," commented Chancellor Juan Sanchez Munoz.

"ARCS Foundation is a vital partner of the University of Washington, not only because of its remarkable financial support of graduate students, but because of its truly visionary mission to promote graduate education, encourage first-class graduate students to find solutions, and create better lives for us all." — Mark A. Emmert, PhD, NCAA Executive Director and former University of Washington President

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