BEGINNINGS

Compatibility is Key

First:   Self-Assess

The important first step is finding the fellowship(s) that matches your interests and goals.  Consider how you want to enhance your educational and life experience.   Think about your goals and your strengths--what you would like to get from a fellowship and what you have to bring to one.

Goals:

• Where might you like to go geographically? 
• Do you want to participate in a formal program or pursue something more independent?
• What kind of school/program, independent project, or internship opportunity interests you?

• What special interests and/or activities might you like to pursue?

Strengths: 

• Academic Achievements
• Field of Study/Inquiry
• Involvement in Extra-Curricular Activities
• Public Service
• Leadership Experience and mentoring
• Values, personal challenges you have overcome, etc.

Second:  Identify Appropriate Fellowships

Browse our List of Fellowships to begin to explore which fellowships meet your goals and invite you to highlight your particular strengths.  Make sure that you meet the stated eligibility requirements and that your aims are compatible with the goals of the fellowship.  Once you identify the fellowship(s) you find most appealing and appropriate for your needs and interests, continue to learn as much as possible about the award(s) and the details of the place and program in which you hope to study or research.  For most fellowships, you will need to write strong personal essays and project proposals, which will require multiple revisions. See Writing Fellowship Essays.  You will also need to secure strong letters of  recommendation.  Finally, you will need to prepare for the interview that accompanies many fellowship application processes. 

When Should I Explore and Apply for Fellowships?

Many of the DOCFO fellowships are for seniors, but there are some for sophomores and juniors as well.  Sophomores interested in environmental issues or tribal issues, for example, may apply for the Udall Fellowship.  For sophomores in the sciences, mathematics, engineering there is the Barry Goldwater Scholarship.  Juniors are eligible for the Udall, the Goldwater, the Truman Scholarship, and the Beinecke Scholarship.  Some of the better known fellowships for graduating seniors and recent graduates are the Rhodes, Marshall, Fulbright, and Luce.  

Many fellowships for graduating seniors are due early in the Fall of the senior year.  Therefore, you need to get started during your junior year and work over the summer on your application(s).  If you are going to study abroad during your junior year, please consult with the DOCFO before you leave; while abroad, you can communicate with us through email or by telephone. 

Even after you have graduated, you can apply for many of the fellowships available for seniors.   There is no age limit for Fulbrights, and you can apply for a Luce if you are less than 30 years old on September 1 of the application year.  For a Churchill, you must be under 26 on October 1 of the year when you take up the fellowship; for a Rhodes, you must be under 24.   

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