Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships & Awards (OMSFA)

Unique timing

Students must apply for this scholarship nearly 1.5 years in advance of when they hope to transfer to UW.

For example, if you have another year of full-time enrollment at your community college during 2026-27, and hope to transfer to UW in fall 2027, then you would apply for the Martin Achievement Scholarship during the Feb-April 2026 application cycle. Eligibility to apply during the Feb-April 2026 application cycle includes those who plan to transfer to UW in Summer 2027, Fall 2027, or Winter 2028.

The Martin Achievement Scholarships provide $5,000 toward the final year at community college and $12,000/year for up to 3 years at University of Washington in Seattle. The UW portion of the scholarship is dependent on successful admission to the University of Washington in Seattle as a matriculated student. 

Eligibility requirements

To be considered for the scholarship, applicants must:

• Be Washington State residents, and
• Meet any one of the following three categories:
  1. US citizens, or
  2. US Permanent Residents, or
  3. Undocumented students who qualify for in-state tuition.
     • Please see the Washington Application for State Financial Aid (WASFA) website for additional information about in-state tuition and Washington State financial aid qualifications. Please also read about UW’s requirements.
     • If you have any questions or concerns about meeting this requirement, please contact Robin Chang at robinc@uw.eduor 206-543-2603.
• Be currently enrolled students at a community college in the state of Washington pursuing their first baccalaureate degree, and
• Have earned a minimum of 15 community college transfer credits at a community college in the state of Washington by the scholarship application deadline, and
• Be planning to enroll full-time at a WA community college throughout the next academic year, and
• Be planning to enter UW Seattle as transfer students no sooner than the summer after the next academic year, and
• Have demonstrated signs of exceptional ability in sciences, engineering, math, business, humanities, social sciences, music, art (all academic disciplines are supported), leadership and/or service to the community.

Important eligibility notes:

• Running Start students are not eligible to apply for this scholarship, but should consider applying for the Martin Honors Scholarship next year.
• Students planning to transfer to UW sooner should apply for the Martin Honors Scholarship (not the Achievement Scholarship), which will have an application available later in spring.
• Students planning to attend UW Bothell or UW Tacoma are not eligible to apply for Martin Family Foundation Scholarships. The UW portion of these scholarships are applicable at UW in Seattle only.
• Financial need may be considered during the selection process but is not a requirement.

The selection committees give no consideration to an applicant’s race, color, creed, religion, national origin, citizenship, sex, pregnancy, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability, or veteran status.

Funding & enrollment requirements

For students selected, the Martin Achievement Scholarships provide $5,000 toward the final year at their community college. Martin Achievement Scholars are expected to be enrolled full-time throughout that final year at their community college, and apply for transfer admission to UW in Seattle by the admission deadline.

• Learn about UW admission process and deadlines.
• Please note that receipt of the scholarship does not guarantee admission. Martin Achievement Scholars must apply for admission through the normal process.

Once at UW Seattle, the scholarship provides $12,000/year for up to 3 years (most scholars graduate in 2 years, but a 3rd year of funding is available if needed).

Scholars are expected to be enrolled full-time throughout the regular academic year (fall, winter and spring quarters).

Application & timeline

The Martin Achievement Scholarship application is available annually, February through April. The deadline to apply is generally in early April, just after spring break.

Please get additional information, application details, and to access the online application when it becomes available in February.

An internal UW selection committee will review all complete applications submitted by the deadline and invite a select number of applicants to interview with the Martin Family Foundation Board in May each year. Final selection decisions will be made by the Martin Family Foundation Board after those interviews.

Interview details: 

• Interview date: May (date TBD), 9:30am to approx. 12:00pm
  • Alternative dates cannot be accommodated. The Martin Family Foundation Board will be as flexible as possible to ensure all finalists have the opportunity to interview within this timeframe. We also ask finalists to be as flexible as possible to plan for these short interviews and keep your schedule as open as possible during this timeframe.
  • Interviews will be conducted in-person at UW in Seattle. Zoom interview options can be made available for those for whom in-person attendance would be a barrier.
  • Exact interview times will be determined once finalists are identified. Each interview is roughly 15 minutes.