Siebel Scholars

The Siebel Scholars Program was founded in 2000 to recognize the most talented students at the world’s leading graduate schools of business, computer science, bioengineering, and energy science including Carnegie Mellon University; École Polytechnique; Harvard University; Johns Hopkins University; Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Northwestern University; Politecnico di Torino; Princeton University; Stanford University; Tsinghua University; University of California, Berkeley; University of California, San Diego; University of Chicago; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; University of Pennsylvania; and University of Tokyo.

Each year, outstanding graduate students from each institution are honored as Siebel Scholars based on academic excellence and leadership. Each Siebel Scholar receives a merit-based award of $35,000 in the final year of his or her graduate studies. The award is granted in addition to any other financial aid, assistantships, fellowships, loans, or other awards he or she may receive.

Today, over 1,600 of the world’s brightest minds are Siebel Scholars. This exceptional group has the unique opportunity to directly influence the technologies, policies, and economic and social decisions that shape the future. Siebel Scholars serve as key advisors to the Siebel Foundation, guiding the development of innovative programs the Foundation initiates. The Siebel Scholars community is also integral to a highly outcome-driven Siebel Scholars conference to explore critical social issues.

Criteria

The Siebel Scholars award is based solely upon academic achievement and excellence and is not need-based financial aid. A committee comprised of the Dean and three (3) faculty members or senior staff shall nominate five outstanding students as nominees for this merit-based award. Each of the five nominees must meet all of the following criteria at the time of selection:

• Nominee ranks within the top 10% of their Department of Computer Science class based on academic results.
• Nominee has a track record of distinguished academic merit.
• Nominee demonstrates excellent leadership qualities.
• Nominee has completed at least one year at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and is reasonably expected to have only one year remaining in the Master’s program, or be in the last year of the undergraduate program in a co-terminus undergraduate and Master’s program (in which case the student should expect to graduate with both degrees within one academic year), or Nominee is a Master’s student in a 16 or 18 month program (either those who have been in the Master’s program for one year and have six months left, or those who have been in the program for six months and have one year left)

All awardees must be registered and attend classes at an affiliate Siebel Scholars campus in a degree-seeking program. If a student is not currently enrolled in classes, or transfers to a non-affiliated Siebel Scholars campus, the Foundation must be notified, and the award may be rescinded.

Please note: graduate students who will attain a MS in the course of their PhD studies are not eligible.