Graduate Study Fellowships

Graduate leadership fellowships are designed to encourage and support high-achieving graduating seniors and recent alumni as they progress to studies at the master's, doctoral, or pre-professional level. These fellowship communities provide valuable financial benefits and leadership development resources, helping new graduate students to achieve their academic and professional goals while preparing to make a positive impact in their fields and beyond.  

Start early: Most graduate fellowship applications are due in late summer or early fall of your graduating senior year. If you intend to pursue graduate school right after you finish your undergraduate degree, investigate graduate fellowship options and talk to a fellowship advisor by the spring term of junior year. 

Commitment to Academic Excellence 

While there’s no magic formula for success, graduate fellowship applicants typically have strong grades in their major(s) and have led sustained research or creative projects outside of class requirements. 

This passion for deep engagement and intellectual curiosity is carried into graduate study. Whether fellowship recipients are all attending graduate programs at a single university, or attending many universities around the U.S. or the globe, they interact frequently within the fellowship community, share perspectives across academic fields, and promote a culture of lifelong learning. Research or creative collaboration between these scholars can lead to significant advancements and interdisciplinary innovations. 

Focused Ambition 

Recipients of graduate fellowships intend top leadership careers in every field, ranging from academia to the arts, industry to public service, healthcare to entrepreneurship.  Whatever their majors, graduate fellows have a clear vision to use their knowledge and talents to positively impact the academic field or the world. Through interaction with mentors, advisors, and peers, they refine their work and broaden their impact. 

Scholarly Output 

Graduate fellowship recipients seek to build a reputation in the academic field or the public sphere through publishing, presenting, performing, exhibiting, or otherwise sharing their work. They aim to become visible scholar-leaders who contribute their ideas and perspectives to important conversations. 

Additional Benefits 

Fellowships cover a variety of graduate education expenses, allowing students to focus on their studies and research or creative work. Besides offering substantial funding, such as partial or full tuition and living stipends, fellowship program resources might include mentoring, cross-cultural engagement opportunities, co-curricular leadership or research development programs, and spaces to maintain connection with peers and program alumni, such as housing, shared study areas, or online communities.   

Eligibility Notes: 

Most international fellowships are designed to encourage Americans to go abroad early in their careers and form lasting relationships with other nations to enhance international collaboration; thus, many of these awards only allow applications from U.S. citizens. 

Class year is determined by intended graduation date, not coursework units completed. Individuals whose plans do not exactly fit a four-year degree plan can refer to these guidelines. 

• A first year (or freshman) will graduate between December and August, three or more academic years from now. 
• A sophomore will graduate between December and August, two academic years from now. 
• A junior will graduate between December and August, one academic year from now. 
• A graduating senior will receive a bachelor’s B.A. or B.A. degree between December and August in the current/upcoming academic year, and/or will proceed to master’s coursework if participating in a 4+1 degree plan. 
• An alumnus/a has already received a bachelor’s (B.S. or B.A.) degree and is not currently enrolled in any academic degree program.