Graduate students can find fellowship opportunities in many different categories. You can find fellowships based on your area of study, research interests, and even your career interests.
Fellowship Opportunities
This article outlines some notable fellowship programs for graduate students, but one of the best places to begin your search is with your school’s fellowship office or financial aid office.
List of Fellowships for Graduate Students
This list contains several graduate fellowships that are open to students across the country, however it is not exhaustive.
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)
The GRFP awards fellowships to individuals who demonstrate potential in STEM, including STEM education. You must be a U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident. Stipends of $37,000 are provided for three years of support over a five-year fellowship period.
Hertz Foundation Graduate Fellowships
The Hertz Fellowship provides up to $250,000 over a 5-year funding period to graduate students who intent to pursue a PhD in applied physical and biological sciences, math, or engineering. The foundation has agreements with approximately 50 universities across the country.
National GEM Consortium (GEM)
GEM sponsors national fellowships to Master’s and PhD students in applied science and engineering. Stipends are between $8,000 and $16,000, sometimes more depending on program levels.
Fulbright U.S. Student Program
Fulbright offers multiple types of awards in the following categories: public health fellowships, teaching assistant, national geographic awards, and open study/research awards. Stipend amounts may vary.
ProFellow
ProFellow contains a database of over 2,800 fellowships for various academic levels. You’ll need to set up a free account to access the information.
Robertson Foundation for Government Service (RFG)
The RFG Fellowship is for Master’s students who are committed to serving in the federal government for a minimum of 3 years within their first 7 years of graduation. The stipend amount will vary based on your cost of attendance at a partner school.
Rangel Fellowship Program
The Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Program offers a fellow of up to $42,000 per year to graduate students interested in a career in foreign service at the U. S. Department of State.
Fellowships for Doctoral Degree Students
Here are some specific fellowships for doctoral students, including those that help with dissertations.
Charlotte W. Newcombe Foundation
This foundation awards a $31,000 stipend to doctoral candidates who are in their final year of writing their dissertation. Doctoral students must receive approval for their research proposals. Also, you must have passed all course work and preliminary exams.
WW Women’s Studies Fellowship
Sponsored by the Institute for Citizens and Scholars, this program provides $5,000 to PhD candidates who focus on women and gender issues. You must be on track to complete your dissertation within the fellowship year.
Ford Global Fellowships
Stipends in the amount of $25,000 are awarded to individuals engaged in addressing inequality. The Ford Foundation is looking for emerging leaders who are nominated by approved nominators that have been identified by Ford’s regional offices and fellowship team.
Fellowship Eligibility Requirements
There’s no single set of eligibility requirements for fellowships. But there are some things you’ll want to be prepared for:
- Nomination or letter of recommendation - Be sure to read the requirements to understand which person can serve as your primary and secondary nominator.
- Application process – This can often be done online and you’ll be asked to upload documents such as academic information, personal background info, published works, etc.
- Avoid Conflict of Interest – Typically, students cannot receive two actively funded fellowships at the same time. You can apply for more than one, but you’ll need to decide which one to accept if you receive multiple fellowship offers.
United States Citizen or Permanent Resident
The majority of fellowships available for graduate students require U.S. citizenship or permanent residency. Be sure to look at the eligibility criteria closely.
Full Time
Most graduate fellowships require that you be enrolled as a full-time student. Always read the eligibility criteria before applying to be sure.
International Students
Graduate fellowships may be more limited for international students, but a number of global foundations and other organizations to offer support. You can also start by talking to your school.
Fellowship Applications
Here are some top tips for finding and submitting fellowship applications.
- As obvious as it sounds, make sure to thoroughly research the right fellowship opportunities that align with your goals and area of focus.
- Don’t overlook school and department sponsored fellowships. While national awards are attractive, they can also be more competitive.
- Read all the application requirements carefully and make a to-do list, along with calendar reminders, to keep yourself organized.
- Take your time. Many students stress over their research statement but fail to put as much effort into their personal statement, project budget and other components of their application.
- If you can, review past successful proposal submissions to learn from them.
- Ask for feedback on your submission before you finalize everything. People like your advisor or professional colleagues may be great resources for help.
