Preparing your project
Students are welcome to apply for a research scholarship whether their research project is already in motion or is still in the planning stages, and you don't need to be working with a faculty mentor yet to be eligible.
However, you need to have support from a UW-affiliated faculty mentor for the defined research project you are applying with to complete your application. What matters is a clear sense of the work you intend to do during the funded quarters and the mentorship that will support it.
The strongest applications tend to come from students who are past the earliest idea stage — far enough along to describe a concrete plan, specific methods, and a realistic timeline for the award period. If you are unsure whether your project is developed enough to apply, you are welcome to attend an information session or meet with Mary Gates Endowment staff to talk it through.
Working with a mentor
One letter must come from a UW-affiliated faculty member; a second from a grad student or postdoc is optional.
A faculty mentor is central to the application. At least one letter of support must come from a UW-affiliated faculty member, though students who work closely with a graduate student or postdoc may include a second letter from them as well. Mentors may submit separate letters or co-write and co-sign a single one, uploaded by the primary faculty mentor.
If you are unsure whether your mentor qualifies as UW-affiliated faculty, the Endowment staff are glad to help — you can reach them at mgates@uw.edu.