Fellowships & Scholarships
Fellowships & Scholarships
Fellowships, broadly defined, fund purposeful activity.
To be more specific, fellowships can fund (among other things) language study abroad, undergraduate and postgraduate research, service opportunities, graduate and professional study, independent projects, teaching (both in the U.S. and abroad)... the possibilities are endless, which can be both inspiring and intimidating! Career Education and the Fellowships team are here to help you navigate, no matter where you’re starting or where you hope to go.
So how can we help?
Smart and capable as you are, you don't have to go it alone! The Fellowships team is here all year 'round, including over the summer, and happy to help you explore fellowships, brainstorm ideas, review drafts, choose recommenders, prep for interviews, and much more. Book a fellowships appointment now-- we can't wait to talk with you!
But wait, there's more: Fellowships virtual drop-ins, workshops, and panels happen throughout the calendar year: check out our events listings!
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Not sure where to start thinking about postgrad plans? Try this Visions & Values exercise, and use this fillable Timeline and Materials template to begin to organize your plans!
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Help us celebrate Wellesley nominees, finalists, alternates, honorable mentions, and awardees of fellowships! Will your name be next on our list?
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You Are Here
(And we’re here to help!)
There’s no wrong place to start a fellowships search. You may have an idea of what you might like to do; you may wonder what fellowships are available to you; or you might have no idea even what questions to ask! We have resources for no matter where you are in the fellowships process.
Celebrating Fellowships!
The Wellesley Fellowships team congratulates all our fellowship awardees, nominees, and honorable mentions! In these applying for fellowships and scholarships, these students and graduates dared to articulate their present interests and their hopes and dreams for the future.
Boren Awards (students)
Supports study abroad of less-commonly-taught languages in world regions critical to US interests, and underrepresented in study abroad. Study abroad programs of a year are preferred, but a spring plus summer can be a good option and summer programs will be considered for students majoring in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. Eligible for the Scholarship are Wellesley first years, sophomores, and juniors who are US citizens, and Wellesley seniors who are also applying for U.S.-based graduate programs might apply for the Fellowship. Campus application deadline typically in January.
Wellesley students should seek advice about appropriate study abroad programs from the Office of International Study, although the Fellowships office is happy to offer advice on Boren Scholarship applications.
Beinecke Scholarship Program (juniors)
Supports two years of graduate study at a university in the US or abroad for those aiming to pursue degrees in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. Eligible are US citizens and nationals who are current juniors. Campus application deadline typically in January.
Schimke and Shackford Graduate Fellowships (women graduates of any US institution)
Wellesley College offers a number of fellowships and scholarships for graduate study or research open to seniors and graduates of Wellesley. Two of these awards are also open to women graduates of any American institution. The Mary McEwen Schimke Scholarship is a supplemental award to provide relief from household and child care expenses while pursuing graduate study, and the M.A. Cartland Shackford Medical Fellowship is for the study of medicine with a view to general practice, not psychiatry.
Financing Your Graduate School Education
Everyone will specific questions regarding their financial situation and how it impacts the entire application and funding process. This resource provides information to help you project costs and possible methods of funding including loans, school-based aid, PhD specifics, outside funding, fellowships, and scholarships.
Writing a Personal Statement
A personal statement is a narrative essay that connects your background, experiences, and goals to the mission, requirements, and desired outcomes of the specific opportunity you are seeking. It is a critical component in the selection process, whether the essay is for a competitive internship, a graduate fellowship, or admittance to a graduate school program. It gives the selection committee the best opportunity to get to know you, how you think and make decisions, ways in which past experiences have been significant or formative, and how you envision your future.
Requesting Faculty References
This resource provides best practices for letters of reference — both for those requesting them and those writing them. Review the resources below to make sure your letters will be effective and on time, and that the process will run smoothly for all involved.