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Fellowship Opportunities

Article on Fellowship Opportunities

Fellowships are an excellent and highly prestigious way for students at a graduate or post-graduate level to receive funding while continuing their education. Graduate fellowships are generally subject and student specific, and they can be federally funded, funded by the university, or funded by private institutions. The highly individualized nature of fellowships requires dedication and an early start in the search process.

Portable Federal Fellowships

Federally funded fellowship opportunities are offered by various federal agencies to students pursuing a masters or a doctorate degree in a subject that directly benefits or affects the agency. These fellowships are portable; that is, they can be applied to the school of the student’s choice. Application processes, eligibility requirements, and due dates, vary from agency to agency.

Federal Fellowship Opportunities

A few examples of the many federal agencies offering fellowships include the U.S Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Education, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Fields of study for these funds vary based on the organization, and they include research on public health by minority students, humanities students, or a NASA related field respectively. As they are available federally, these funds can be extremely competitive.

Portable Private Fellowships

Much like federal funds, private fellowships are portable, allowing students to choose their institution. Private organizations that offer fellowship opportunities vary greatly in subject, focus, and fellowship requirements. These funds can be awarded based on academic need, record, merit, or minority status depending on the institution. The application processes, therefore, also differs greatly from institution to institution.

Private Fellowship Opportunities

Independent organizations offering fellowships include the American Association of University Women, the Ford Foundation, and Microsoft. This list is by no means exhaustive and available opportunities span a range of topics. As an example, the listed organizations finance study in teaching, or computer science respectively. Programs can also be student specific, having special funds for minority or under-represented students.

Institutional Fellowships

Institutional fellowships are awarded to students directly from the school, and thus are not portable in nature. Some fellowships fund graduate study much like scholarships, without any additional work requirements. Others are used as compensation for work or internship hours. These funding programs also vary enormously by school and program. This can include teaching at the college level while receiving a masters or PhD.

Institutional Fellowships Opportunities

Institutional fellowships need to be sought out and applied for from your chosen institution of higher education. One example of the many available institutional fellowships is the Cachere University Fellowship at the University of New Orleans, a fellowship for minority students studying science or engineering. Consulting your undergraduate continuing education counselor or career advisor can provide helpful tips on this and other awards.

Fellowships offer graduate students an excellent option of funding their education. These funds are often field specific, but they can also be distributed based on merit, need, or minority status. An active search for appropriate funds should start as soon as the decision to enter higher education is made. Consult your academic advisor for current field-specific opportunities.