How do I become a GFX Scholar?
Apply for the 2023-24 GFX Scholars cohort by Friday, May 19. The application will take about 5-10 minutes and allows you space to select your top 3 or 4 programs.
Who is eligible to apply to be a GFX Scholar?
All incoming first-year Grainger College of Engineering students, including students in Agricultural & Biological Engineering (ABE) and Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering (ChBE) are eligible to apply.
What is the benefit of being a GFX Scholar?
The GFX Scholars program is a great opportunity to gain valuable real-world experience during your first year of college. While most of your first-year classes will be general technical courses, the GFX Scholars courses are designed to help you develop key competencies, develop your resume, and build community with other first-year engineers in a smaller classroom setting. In each cohort, you'll learn valuable skills that go beyond your technical courses and help you develop as an engineer.
Can I be in more than one of the programs?
To ensure that as many incoming first-year engineers as possible can take advantage of the scholars program, we can only accept students to one program each. When applying, please make sure to rank your top 3 or 4 choices.
How much of a time commitment will my GFX Scholars course require?
All GFX Scholars courses are 1-2 credit hours, so they are low-stress and don't take too much time out of your schedule. Classes typically meet once a week and work outside of the classroom consists of either a semester-long project or short homework assignments that will be used for in-class discussion. Students find the workload to be very manageable. Beyond the regular class meetings and coursework, there are no additional time commitments as part of the GFX Scholars program.
How difficult are the GFX Scholars courses? Will they have a strong impact on my GPA?
The main focus of these courses is the experience, rather than the grade. As such, the coursework is much more engaging and interactive. If you participate actively in your course and are engaged in class, you can expect to do well in the course!
Is there an extra cost associated with any of the programs?
There is no extra cost to be a part of GFX! If you’re a Global Sustainability Scholar or a Global Disaster Resilience Scholar, there is an extra cost associated with going on the study abroad trip. All students in these programs automatically qualify for one $1500 scholarship through the International Programs in Engineering office, and there are many additional scholarships you can apply for as well. Don't let the financial aspect of the trip hold you back from participating! If you're still concerned about financing the trip, your instructors can help you explore other resources.
Do I need to know another language to be a Global Sustainability or Global Disaster Resilience Scholar?
While it is certainly helpful to have some familiarity with Spanish for the Global Disaster Resilience program, it is not required. Students in the program previously have come in with all different levels of experience with the local languages; some are fluent and others have never spoken it before. Either way, communication happens. The host families are experienced at communicating with students who don’t have much experience in the local language, so they are very understanding and patient. Overall, don’t stress about being able to communicate. You’d be surprised about how easy it is to communicate and build connections without speaking the same language!
