Fellowships and other Funding for Graduate School

 

What is a Fellowship?

While the term "fellowship" is used by a variety of different programs, generally fellowships:

• are short-term opportunities lasting from a few months to several years
• focus on the professional development of the fellow
• are sponsored by a specific association or organization seeking to expand leadership in their field

Fellowship programs can be designed to support a range of activities including:

• graduate study in a specific field
• research to advance work on a particular issue
• developing a new community-based organization or initiative
• training and reflection to support the fellow's growth
• opportunities to further explore a particular field of work

Fellowships have traditionally been awarded to graduate and post-graduate students, but there is an increasing number of fellowships available to recent college graduates in public policy, the arts, education, and other nonprofit fields.

Benefits of a Fellowship

Experiential Learning

Fellowships are structured to provide significant work experiences, and fellows are often expected to take on a great deal of responsibility quickly. Generally, fellows are provided with unique experiences that are not typically available to someone starting in an entry-level position. This experiential learning component varies depending on the fellowship program.

Training and Professional Development

Fellowship programs are known for their commitment to the professional development of individual fellows and often include intensive training. Key elements of this training might include:

• academic seminars to develop frameworks and apply theory
• in-depth research and analysis of a particular issue area
• a broad curriculum of skills development: leadership, community organizing, public speaking, grant writing, media relation

Compensation

Compensation is often considered the biggest drawback of a fellowship. Although most fellowship programs do provide a living allowance or stipend, it is typically not comparable to the salary of a full-time job. This financial compensation varies greatly - stipends can range from $10,000 to up to $25,000 for a 9-12 month program.

Tips for Finding a Fellowship

1. Search fellowship sites such as the ones below
2. Search job listings - Do a keyword search "fellowship" while reviewing online job listings. Also, search for "internships" - some internships are essentially fellowships. Idealist.org is a particularly good website for this type of search.
3. Network - The nonprofit community is very collaborative and can provide good word-of-mouth information.
4. Identify organizations of interest to you - Contact them to see if they offer fellowships.
5. Talk to current fellows - Get the inside story. They are expecting to hear from prospective fellows. Most fellowship websites profile current and former fellows. There may be an alum from your campus who has been a recent fellow

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Here are just a few examples of where you can find fellowships:

California Pre-Doctoral Program

The California Pre-Doctoral Program is designed to increase the pool of potential faculty by supporting the doctoral aspirations of California State University (CSU) students who have experienced economic and educational disadvantages. The program places a special emphasis on increasing the number of CSU students who enter doctoral programs at one of the University of California (UC) institutions.

Department of Defense (DoD)

• National Defense Science & Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowships are awarded to applicants who will pursue a doctoral degree in, or closely related to, an area of DoD interest.
• The Science, Math & Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship supports undergraduate and graduate students pursuing degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. The program aims to increase the number of civilian scientists and engineers working at DoD laboratories. This is a Scholarship for Service award and requires service in the form of post-graduation employment.

Department of Energy (DOE)

• The DOE provides nationwide opportunities for research participation, fellowships, scholarships, training, and internship programs for undergraduates, grads, postdocs, and faculty.
• The Office of Science Graduate Fellowship program supports outstanding students to pursue graduate training in basic research in areas of physics, biology, chemistry, mathematics, engineering, computational sciences, and environmental sciences relevant to the Office of Science and to encourage the development of the next generation scientific and technical talent in the U.S. The Fellowship award provides partial tuition support, an annual stipend for living expenses, and a research stipend for full-time graduate study and thesis/dissertation research at a U.S. academic institution for three years.
• The Computational Science Graduate Fellowship program provides outstanding benefits and opportunities to students pursuing a PhD in scientific or engineering disciplines with an emphasis on high-performance computing.
• The National Nuclear Security Administration Stewardship Science Graduate Fellowship Program provides outstanding benefits and opportunities to students pursuing a Ph.D. in areas of interest to stewardship science, such as high-energy-density physics, low-energy nuclear science, or properties of materials under extreme conditions. Fellows also participate in research at a DOE laboratory.

Department of Homeland Security

The DHS Scholarship and Fellowship Program is intended for students interested in pursuing the basic science and technology innovations that can be applied to the DHS mission. Eligible students must be studying in a homeland security-related science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (HS-STEM) field with an interest, major, or concentration directly related to one of the homeland security research areas.

Department of State

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program offers fellowships for U.S. graduating college seniors, graduate students, young professionals, and artists to study, conduct research, and/or teach English abroad.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

• The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency offers a variety of fellowships and scholarships aimed at fostering the development of professionals in environmental science and related fields.
• The EPA also offers undergraduate and graduate internships such as their Pathways Program, where interns gain government experience and possible pathways to full-time positions. There are also opportunities for positions at other institutions and trainee programs.

GEM Fellowship

GEM is a national consortium for graduate degrees for minorities in engineering and science, inc. GEM's fellowship programs span the entire recruitment, retention, and professional development spectrum. GEM's principal activity is the provision of graduate fellowships at the MS and Ph.D. levels coupled with paid summer internships. GEM also offers informational sessions on the importance of graduate school and tools for access and successful matriculation. GEM also produces publications for graduate and undergraduate students, and university and industry administrators to assist in the education process of how to obtain a graduate STEM education. GEM is devoted to increasing access and success in engineering and science graduate education and practice.

GEM's program activities go beyond financial support by engendering student success in academic and professional environments. GEM has a solid success record in implementing effective programs to increase the recruitment, retention, and graduation of minority students.

Graduate Education at the University of California

The UC Graduate Education website is a great source of information about the UC campuses specifically and includes some very helpful general information about graduate education. This site lists all of the graduate degree programs offered by UC campuses.

Graduate Record Exam (GRE)

You may wish to sign up early for the GRE Search Service (no cost). Many graduate schools and fellowship programs use the GRE Search Service to identify and contact students from groups traditionally underrepresented in higher education. If you match the recruitment profile of a participating institution/organization, you may be sent information about graduate programs, admissions requirements, financial aid opportunities, fellowships, and other graduate opportunities.

Hertz Foundation Fellowships

The Hertz Foundation Fellowship offers full funding to exceptional graduate students in applied physical and biological science, mathematics, or engineering for up to five years. The opportunity is intended for students with extraordinary scientific and technical knowledge, active leadership, and actively working toward shaping the future by solving real-world problems. 

Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission

Marshall Scholarships finance young Americans of high ability to study for a graduate degree in the United Kingdom.

The National Academies

• Ford Foundation Pre-doctoral Fellowship program seeks to increase the diversity of the nation's college and university faculties by increasing their ethnic and racial diversity, maximizing the educational benefits of diversity, and increasing the number of professors who can and will use diversity as a resource for enriching the education of all students.
• National Academies List of Fellowships and Opportunities

National Science Foundation (NSF)

• The Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) helps ensure the vitality of the human resource base of science and engineering in the United States and reinforces its diversity. The program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines who are pursuing research-based master's and doctoral degrees in the U.S. and abroad. The NSF welcomes applications from all qualified students and strongly encourages under-represented populations, including women, under-represented racial and ethnic minorities, and persons with disabilities, to apply for this fellowship.
• The International Research Experiences for Students (IRES) program offers U.S. students international research opportunities across various regions, including East Asia and the Pacific. This program aims to provide students with valuable international research experiences and foster global collaborations.
• The LSAMP Bridge to the Doctorate program is aimed at increasing the quality and quantity of students completing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) baccalaureate degree programs, and increasing the number of students interested in, academically qualified for, and matriculated into programs of graduate study. LSAMP supports sustained and comprehensive approaches that facilitate the achievement of the long-term goal of increasing the number of students who earn doctorates in STEM fields, particularly those from populations underrepresented in STEM fields.
• The NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) seeks research proposals from graduate students that address relevant research themes of national priority. Researchers at minority-serving institutions and emerging research institutions are strongly encouraged to submit proposals.

Paul and Daisy Soros

• Paul and Daisy Soros Graduate Fellowships for New Americans is open to students who are green card holders, naturalized citizens, or a child of new citizen(s) and who show a commitment to the values expressed in the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights, which includes activity in support of human rights and the rule of law, in opposition to unwarranted encroachment on personal liberty, and in advancing the responsibilities of citizenship in a free society. The applicant must either have a bachelor's degree or be in her/his final year of undergraduate study. Those who have a bachelor's degree may already be pursuing graduate study and may receive Fellowship support to continue that study.

Career Services

• Career Services supports students with their post-graduation planning. They can help by reviewing your resume or cover letter and discussing how fellowships fit into your post-graduation plans. 
  • Graduate School & Fellowship website (includes information about finding fellowships)
  • Meet with a Career Counselor

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