Undergraduate Scholarships
Wake Forest University has a comprehensive website with information on undergraduate, post-graduate scholarships and fellowships. Interested students are encouraged to examine this website early in their time at Wake Forest, and consult with the director as early as spring of the first year. Students interested in the Peace Corps should also contact the director as well.
Wake Forest University’s Scholars Office provides current information about undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships and fellowships. Students are encouraged to explore these opportunities early and consult the Scholars Office about eligibility, nomination procedures, and current deadlines. Contact or 336.758.4497.
Randall Ledford Scholarships in Physics
The Ledford Scholarships are awarded to students who show outstanding potential in physics.
The Randall Ledford Scholarship I is awarded once every four years to a high school student interested in majoring in Physics at Wake Forest University. This is a four-year half-tuition scholarship awarded to a promising incoming physics major attending Wake Forest University. Anyone is eligible to apply for this award during the year it is available. The next application cycle will open in fall 2027 for a scholarship to be awarded to a student entering in fall 2028. The application deadline is February 15, 2028.
The Randall Ledford Scholarship II is awarded once every four years to a high school student interested in majoring in Physics at Wake Forest University. This is a four-year half-tuition scholarship awarded to a promising incoming physics major attending Wake Forest University who is currently attending high school in North Carolina. The next application cycle will open in fall 2029 for a scholarship to be awarded to a student entering in fall 2030. The application deadline is February 15, 2030.
This scholarship is funded through the generosity of Dr. Randall D. Ledford, WFU class of 1972. Dr. Ledford is Senior Vice-President and Chief Technology Officer of Emerson Electric Company, one of the world’s leading electronics companies. Before joining Emerson Electric, Dr. Ledford was president and general manager of several divisions of Texas Instruments Inc. including software, digital imaging, enterprise solutions and process automation. He began his career at Bell Telephone Laboratories where he worked on UNIX development, fiber optic communication and microwave transmissions. While at Texas Instruments, Dr. Ledford led the company’s development of the Digital Light Processor (DLP). The size of a postage stamp, this device is the world’s most complex microelectromechanical machine, with 1.3 million parts. The DLP was featured in the first digital theater premiere of a major motion picture, Star Wars: Episode I.
To apply for this award:
- Complete the Wake Forest University application for admission either in paper or online. See http://admissions.wfu.edu
. - At least one recommendation should come from someone who can comment on your potential in science.
- Include a brief letter asking to be considered for the Ledford Scholarship, describing how you became interested in science, describing your career aspirations, and describing how this scholarship will benefit you. Please send your brief letter to:
- Ledford Scholarship
Department of Physics
Olin Physical Laboratory
Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, NC 27109-7507
- Ledford Scholarship
Want to find out more about our department or the scholarship? Please come and visit. We can coordinate your visit with our admissions office and a campus tour. Give me a call, write, or send e-mail:
Daniel B. Kim-Shapiro
Professor of Physics and Harbert Family Distinguished Chair for Excellence in Teaching and Scholarship
Biophysics
Experimental and some computational biophysics, nitric oxide, hemoglobin and other heme proteins, blood flow, and Sickle cell and other cardiovascular diseases
208 Olin Physical Laboratory | Lab: 216 Olin Physical Laboratory
SMART Scholarships
The SMART scholarship was established by the Department of Defense (DoD) to support the education and recruitment of undergraduate and graduate students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics fields for recruiting and retaining civilian scientists and engineers to work in DoD agencies and laboratories. Students may apply at any stage of their undergraduate program.
Goldwater Scholarships
The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship supports outstanding sophomores and juniors preparing for research careers in mathematics, the natural sciences, and engineering. For the 2026–27 cycle, the Wake Forest pre-application deadline is October 5, 2026, and the application to seek nomination is due November 15, 2026. The national deadline is the last Friday in January at 5:00 p.m. Central Time. See the Wake Forest Goldwater page for current details.
Churchill Scholarships
The Churchill Scholarship supports one year of graduate study in engineering, mathematics, and the physical and natural sciences at Churchill College, Cambridge. Students should contact the Wake Forest Scholars Office early for internal nomination guidance. The 2026 national nomination deadline is November 2, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
Fulbright Scholarships
The Fulbright U.S. Student Program provides graduating seniors and recent graduates opportunities for research, graduate study, or English teaching abroad. Students seeking Wake Forest nomination should submit the Intent to Apply by September 1. For 2026, the national deadline is October 7 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. See the Wake Forest Fulbright page for current details.
Marshall Scholarships
Marshall Scholarships finance graduate study in the United Kingdom for high-achieving young Americans. For the Wake Forest UK-awards process, the Intent to Apply is due May 8 and the on-campus nomination application is due August 1. Final national deadlines fall in late September or early October and vary by award. See the Wake Forest UK Awards page for current details.
Rhodes Scholarships
The Rhodes Scholarship supports postgraduate study at the University of Oxford. For the Wake Forest UK-awards process, the Intent to Apply is due May 8 and the on-campus nomination application is due August 1. Final national deadlines fall in late September or early October and vary by award. See the Wake Forest UK Awards page for current details.