Bioinformatics & Computational Biology Scholarships

January Deadlines

Broad Summer Research Program (BSRP)
Why It Slaps: This is one of the strongest bioinformatics-adjacent summer opportunities on the list because it drops undergrads into a serious genomics and biomedical research environment at the Broad Institute. It is especially strong for students who want computational biology exposure, graduate-school prep, and a resume line that signals real research credibility. The benefits are unusually generous for a summer program, which makes it more realistic for students who cannot afford to work unpaid.
Amount: $5,400 stipend, free housing, travel to and from Boston within the U.S., and conference travel sponsorship.
Deadline: January 11, 2026.
Apply/info: Broad Summer Research Program (BSRP)

JAX Summer Student Program
Why It Slaps: The Jackson Laboratory program is a great fit for students leaning toward genetics, genomics, mouse models, computational biology, or biomedical data work. JAX carries serious name recognition in genetics research, and the package is strong enough to make the summer financially workable for many students. For future bioinformatics applicants, this is the kind of hands-on research experience that can strengthen later scholarship, REU, master’s, and PhD applications.
Amount: $7,500 stipend, plus room, board, and travel.
Deadline: January 26, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. ET.
Apply/info: JAX Summer Student Program

February Deadlines

UW Genome Sciences Summer REU
Why It Slaps: If you want a real genomics-heavy summer with a computational angle, this one is excellent. The University of Washington’s Genome Sciences department explicitly notes computational workshops, and the program benefits are unusually complete: stipend, housing, meals, and travel. That matters because students interested in bioinformatics often need a first real research experience before they can compete for bigger scholarships or graduate funding later.
Amount: $5,400 stipend, paid housing, meals, and travel for students outside the Seattle area.
Deadline: February 1.
Apply/info: UW Genome Sciences Summer REU

Computational Biology Summer Program (CBSP) at Memorial Sloan Kettering
Why It Slaps: This is one of the closest true-fit opportunities for students who specifically want to combine computer science or applied math with biomedicine. The whole program is built around computational biology, not just general lab science, and it places students across MSK, Weill Cornell, and Rockefeller labs. For a bioinformatics page, this is a centerpiece program because the fit is so direct.
Amount: $6,500 stipend; housing is available.
Deadline: February 2, 2026 at 8:00 a.m. Eastern.
Apply/info: Computational Biology Summer Program (CBSP)

NLM Data Science and Informatics (DSI) Scholars Program
Why It Slaps: This program is a strong match for students interested in computational biology, biomedical informatics, or data-driven health research. It is run by the National Library of Medicine on the NIH campus, which gives it both prestige and practical training value. It is also flexible in duration and ties students directly to research mentors, making it a smart option for students who want a summer experience that can lead into future NIH or graduate opportunities.
Amount: Paid according to NIH Intramural Research Training Award stipend rates, based on education and experience.
Deadline: Applications are reviewed starting January 15, 2026; the application closes February 18, 2026 at noon ET, and references are due February 25, 2026.
Apply/info: NLM DSI Scholars Program

Columbia DBMI Summer Research Program
Why It Slaps: This is one of the better New York-area options for students who want early exposure to biomedical informatics, health data science, and large real-world health datasets. It is especially useful for students who are still deciding whether they want to lean more toward bioinformatics, AI in medicine, health data science, or biomedical informatics. The research and data focus makes it more relevant than a generic biology summer program for this page.
Amount: Funding details are not publicly stated on the main 2026 program page.
Deadline: February 20.
Apply/info: Columbia DBMI Summer Research Program

Computational Biology Scholars at Stowers Institute
Why It Slaps: This one is more advanced than a basic undergraduate scholarship, but it is highly on-theme for serious computational biology and bioinformatics talent. The program is designed as a mentoring and career-building opportunity for early-career computational biologists and bioinformaticians, which makes it especially appealing for students or recent grads who are trying to move from coursework into real research.
Amount: Compensation details are not publicly stated on the overview page.
Deadline: February 9, 2026.
Apply/info: Computational Biology Scholars

March Deadlines

AMIA LEAD Fund Scholarship
Why It Slaps: This is not a giant tuition scholarship, but it is a smart strategic award for graduate-level students in biomedical and health informatics who already have accepted conference presentations. That makes it especially useful for students building conference visibility, networking, and credibility in the informatics world. If your readers include biomedical informatics or computational health students, this is absolutely worth listing.
Amount: Covers a portion of meeting registration; AMIA anticipated up to 12 scholarships for the 2026 Amplify Informatics Conference.
Deadline: March 6, 2026.
Apply/info: AMIA LEAD Fund Scholarship

ASHG DNA Day Essay Contest
Why It Slaps: This is one of the few strong genetics-oriented opportunities open to high school students, which makes it valuable for the ScholarshipsAndGrants.us audience. It is not narrowly bioinformatics-only, but it fits beautifully for students interested in genetics, genomics, computational biology, or future biomedical research. It also works as an early credibility-builder for students who are not yet ready for college-level research programs.
Amount: Prize structure varies by placement; verify the current cycle’s award details on the contest page. ASHG’s prior public winner announcement listed cash prizes for top placements.
Deadline: The 2026 submission period closed March 8, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. U.S. ET.
Apply/info: ASHG DNA Day Essay Contest

NIH Undergraduate Scholarship Program (UGSP)
Why It Slaps: This is one of the best big-ticket funding options on the board for undergraduates with exceptional financial need who want biomedical research careers. It is especially relevant here because NIH explicitly invites applicants from fields including computer science and bioinformatics. The money is serious, but so is the service obligation, so this is best for students who are genuinely research-committed and ready for the NIH path.
Amount: Up to $20,000 per academic year for tuition, educational, and reasonable living expenses; awarded for one year and renewable up to two years.
Deadline: March 31, 2026 at noon ET; references due April 7, 2026; EFN form due May 18, 2026.
Apply/info: NIH Undergraduate Scholarship Program (UGSP)

University at Albany RNA Institute Summer Bioinformatics Research Program
Why It Slaps: This is one of the most obviously on-theme programs for this page because it is literally a summer bioinformatics research program. The virtual structure can make it more accessible than location-bound programs, and the curriculum includes RNA-seq analysis, coding, high-performance computing, and project-based research. That is a very clean fit for students testing whether bioinformatics is the right lane before grad school.
Amount: Certificate of completion, Skillsoft badge, and a small stipend for U.S. citizens.
Deadline: March 31, 2026.
Apply/info: RNA Institute Summer Bioinformatics Research Program

April Deadlines

DeLill Nasser Award for Professional Development in Genetics
Why It Slaps: This is a great adjacent-fit award for graduate students and postdocs working in genetics, genomics, or computational biology who need support for conferences or lab courses. It is not a giant tuition award, but it can meaningfully reduce out-of-pocket costs for career-building experiences. For students in bioinformatics who sit close to the genetics/genomics side of the field, this is a practical and credible award to watch every cycle.
Amount: $1,000.
Deadline: The spring cycle is typically mid-April, and the fall cycle is typically mid-September.
Apply/info: DeLill Nasser Award for Professional Development in Genetics

May Deadlines

Randy A. Haskins Memorial Scholarship
Why It Slaps: This is more health-informatics than pure bioinformatics, but it still makes sense for students whose computational biology interests overlap with healthcare IT, clinical data, or biomedical information systems. It is especially useful for Iowa-based students who need a smaller, more realistic award instead of only chasing national mega-scholarships. Local and chapter-based awards like this are often less crowded than the big-name national lists.
Amount: One $500 professional scholarship and two $500 student scholarships, with a one-year student HIMSS membership for selected students.
Deadline: May 15, 2026.
Apply/info: Randy A. Haskins Memorial Scholarship

June Deadlines

JEMF Student Research Award
Why It Slaps: This one is narrower than most because it is for students in accredited genetic counseling training programs, but it still belongs on a computational biology-adjacent page because it supports genetics-focused student research. It is most useful for readers working at the genetics, counseling, research, and genomics intersection. Small awards like this can be the difference between finishing a student research project well or leaving it underfunded.
Amount: $500 to each recipient.
Deadline: June 1, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. CT.
Apply/info: JEMF Student Research Award

July Deadlines

NJHIMSS Scholarship
Why It Slaps: This is another informatics-adjacent award that is more healthcare-data-oriented than lab-genomics-oriented, but it still fits students moving toward biomedical informatics, clinical informatics, or healthcare analytics. It is also one of the better state-based chapter awards because it clearly publishes multiple award categories and dollar amounts. For New Jersey students, this is the kind of realistic, official-page scholarship that is worth submitting before chasing long-shot national awards.
Amount: Undergraduate Award for $2,500, Katrina Kehlet Graduate Award for $4,000, and Veterans Award for $3,000.
Deadline: Applications open April 25 and close July 11; winners are notified by July 21.
Apply/info: NJHIMSS Scholarship

August / New Cycle Opens

Thermo Fisher Scientific Antibody Scholarship Program
Why It Slaps: This is a strong life-science scholarship for students whose bioinformatics interests connect to lab science, molecular biology, biochemistry, translational research, or antibody-related work. It is broader than pure computational biology, but that breadth is a good thing because many bioinformatics students live between wet lab and data analysis. The award pool is large enough to make it worth tracking every cycle.
Amount: $35,000 total: one $10,000 award and five $5,000 awards.
Deadline: The 2026 page says the new program starts August 1, 2026.
Apply/info: Thermo Fisher Scientific Antibody Scholarship Program

Admission-Cycle / No Separate Public Scholarship Deadline

Boston University Bioinformatics Program Merit Scholarships
Why It Slaps: This is one of the cleaner direct-fit institutional funding options because it is attached to an actual bioinformatics graduate program rather than a generic STEM bucket. For master’s students, BU offers merit scholarships without a separate application, which removes extra friction. The same page also makes clear that funded PhD support exists, so the page is useful whether a student is aiming for a master’s or doctorate.
Amount: Master’s merit scholarships provide partial tuition; PhD fellowships include full tuition, health insurance, travel funding, and an annual stipend starting at $45,000.
Deadline: Awarded through the admissions process; no separate scholarship application is required.
Apply/info: Boston University Bioinformatics Funding

Harvard Medical School INDECS Scholarship
Why It Slaps: This is one of the strongest institutional awards on the page for students targeting biomedical informatics at the master’s level. Full tuition and mandatory fees for the typical duration of the program is a serious benefit, especially at Harvard pricing. It is also a highly relevant fit for students whose interests overlap bioinformatics, biomedical informatics, data science, and translational computing.
Amount: Covers tuition and mandatory fees for the typical duration of the MMSc in Biomedical Informatics program.
Deadline: Follows the program’s admissions/scholarship process; verify the current cycle on the program page.
Apply/info: INDECS Scholarship

Rolland H. Reiter Scholarship in Biomedical Informatics
Why It Slaps: This is a very targeted scholarship for students who want biomedical informatics with a clinical application angle. That means it is not for everyone, but for the right student it is a highly relevant niche fit. Specialized departmental scholarships like this tend to get less random competition than broad public scholarship portals, which can make them smarter bets for qualified applicants.
Amount: Up to $6,000 toward tuition.
Deadline: Verify the current annual cycle with the department; the scholarship page does not prominently list a single public deadline.
Apply/info: Rolland H. Reiter Scholarship

Mark R. Thomason Excellence in Innovation Scholarship
Why It Slaps: This is a smaller award, but it is a true field-fit opportunity inside biomedical informatics. For graduate students already working in the space, even a $1,000 award can help with tuition, research supplies, conference travel, or poster costs. It is also one of those niche departmental scholarships that signals field-specific recognition, which can matter beyond the dollar amount.
Amount: $1,000.
Deadline: Verify the current cycle with the department; the public scholarship page does not prominently publish a separate annual deadline.
Apply/info: Mark R. Thomason Excellence in Innovation Scholarship

S-STEM ComBiNE Scholarship Program
Why It Slaps: This is one of the better true undergraduate pathway awards because it is explicitly designed around computational biology/bioinformatics preparation. The structure is especially appealing for students who want an interdisciplinary route that mixes biology with data science or computer science. The scholarship support plus paid summer research makes it much stronger than a plain freshman merit award.
Amount: Up to $10,000 annually for four years, plus paid summer research with a $2,250 stipend.
Deadline: Verify the current application cycle on the program page/application form.
Apply/info: S-STEM ComBiNE Scholarship Program

Choose Ohio First – Bioinformatics Innovators in Related STEM Fields (COF-BIRST)
Why It Slaps: This is one of the best state-based options on the page because it explicitly carries a bioinformatics identity, publishes a real annual amount, and does not require a separate application. It is broader than a strict bioinformatics major scholarship, but that is actually useful because many future bioinformatics students major in biology, biochemistry, computer science, or data science before specializing later.
Amount: Up to $4,468 per year.
Deadline: No separate application; eligible Ohio residents in listed majors are automatically considered through the admissions process.
Apply/info: Choose Ohio First – COF-BIRST

FAQs

Are there really 30 strong bioinformatics scholarships every year?
Not usually. Bioinformatics is a narrower niche than “STEM scholarships,” so the strongest page is often a mix of true scholarships, fellowships, and paid research programs.

Why are some of these biomedical informatics or genetics awards instead of pure bioinformatics awards?
Because real student pathways into bioinformatics often run through genomics, genetics, biomedical informatics, data science, biostatistics, and computational research. Those adjacent awards are often better fits than random generic STEM lists.

Are summer research programs worth listing on a scholarship page?
Yes. Many are fully funded or paid, and they often give students a better career boost than a small essay scholarship because they add research experience, mentoring, and future recommendation letter potential.

What majors should target this page?
Bioinformatics, computational biology, biology, genetics, genomics, computer science, data science, statistics, biostatistics, biomedical informatics, mathematics, and related quantitative life-science majors.

How should students prioritize these opportunities?
Start with January and February summer research deadlines first. Then go after March and April funding opportunities. After that, apply to institutional scholarships tied to admissions.

What should a strong bioinformatics scholarship application emphasize?
A clear story that connects biology and computation. The best applications usually show curiosity about real biological problems, comfort with data or coding, and a serious reason for wanting research training.