Nationally-Competitive Fellowships & Scholarships

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT SOME FEATURED OPPORTUNITIES FOR

• Freshmen
• Sophomores
• Juniors
• Seniors
• Alumni
• International Students
• Study Abroad & Language Acquisition Programs

If you are applying for any of the following fellowships, which all have an internal campus review and interview process (and sometimes a campus selection process), be sure to make note of the two deadline dates!  They are important for you AND for your recommenders in planning.

WHEN SHOULD YOU BEGIN THE APPLICATION PROCESS?

There is no one hard and fast rule; however, as these are rigorous, highly-selective competitions, your odds of achieving a satisfying and successful outcome will be increased by taking great care with all components of your application. Applicants should be cognizant of the following things:

• Even for those who are very good writers, fellowship essays typically require multiple revisions.  It is not unheard of for drafts to go through upwards of 10 incarnations. 

• Most applications contain prompts for short-answer responses, which need to be given careful consideration.  These are often the first items seen by selectors and are not “throw-aways.”

• In most instances, a quality application will necessitate having completed a measure of research regarding things such as: the fellowship’s selection criteria and expectations; the country where you are proposing to spend time; universities and academic programs which are suited to your plans and goals; or a specific research project you are proposing.  You may need to reach out to potential partner researchers, faculty members or department heads, and you must allow sufficient time for them to respond to your inquiries.

• For many of the major fellowships, there is an internal campus review and interview process and thus a separate Wabash College Campus Deadline, in addition to the official deadline established by the foundation. This is a date which applicants must view as a firm deadline. (See table above.)

• Recommenders will need to be given ample opportunity to hear from you about the fellowship, to ask you questions, and to craft a letter on your behalf.  Please demonstrate respect for your recommenders by providing them with generous advance notice, keeping in mind that when there is an internal campus deadline for your fellowship, you must inform your recommenders that their letters are also to be submitted by that earlier deadline. 

• It is appropriate (and oftentimes a requirement) for applicants to obtain assistance from the Fellowship Advisor - and sometimes from the Writing Center and/or Career Services, too.  Keep in mind that the likelihood of receiving high-quality assistance is enhanced by allowing adequate time for review and feedback.  If you are rushing to the finish line, the level of support you receive is very likely to be diminished. 

• You typically need to upload a transcript and possibly a CV or resume, which will take time to obtain, prepare or update.

In order to put together a competitive application for a major award, it is recommended that applicants begin work at least TWO MONTHS in advance of the campus deadline - and preferably earlier.  The Fellowship Advisor works throughout the summer and, in fact, has more time to devote to essay and application review then. It would behoove you to take advantage of that fact!