Fellowships & Scholarships for Undergraduates

Savitri Restrepo Alvarez
Savitri Restrepo Alvarez ‘16 was named a member of the inaugural class of Schwarzman Scholars, which recognizes the importance of China in addressing global challenges in the 21st century.

Fellowships & Scholarships for Undergraduates

It’s a common misconception that fellowships are only available for after graduation, when in fact, fellowships can support a wide range of activities for undergraduates, including study abroad, self-designed projects, and research.  Whether you’re looking for opportunities during your undergrad experience or you’re starting to think ahead to life after Wellesley, there are many different ways to explore what fellowships might be right for you.

Explore by... 

Major, International Status, or Activity/Topic  |  Deadlines
Helpful Resources  |  Tips for Narrowing Your Search

Exploring Undergrad Fellowships

 

Helpful Resources

Fellowships Toolkit
Personal statements  |  Proposals  |  CVs (curriculum vitaes)  |  Resumes |  References

 

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!

October 30: Optional Draft Deadline for undergraduate fellowships—submit drafts to guarantee draft review appointment before relevant deadline

But wait, there's more: Fellowships virtual drop-ins, workshops, and panels happen throughout the calendar year: check out our events listings!

 

 

Tips for Narrowing Your Search

Kate Dailinger
Kate Dailinger
Director, Fellowships
Caitlin Roberts-Donovan
Caitlin Roberts-Donovan
Assistant Director, Fellowships

Gah! How am I ever supposed to pick one fellowship (or more!) from so many?

The good news is that there are a lot of fellowships you can apply for—but we understand that can also be really overwhelming!

Here are some tips for navigating the fellowships process with minimal stress
  • Start with a really basic question: what do you like to do?  What do you love to study, or what are you doing when the hours go by the most quickly?  Ideas that come from these questions are at the start (and, truly, at the heart) of any fellowship application.
  • Do some exploring!  You can look at sample application timelines to see how the application process progresses, browse deadlines, or check out our advice about specific fellowships.
  • Make an appointment via Handshake: you don’t have to have a ten-year plan (or even a ten week plan!) to have a conversation. We’re here to help you narrow things down, navigate the process, and make a plan. 
  • Questions? Don’t hesitate to email us at fellowships@wellesley.edu

Juniors and seniors: thinking about life after graduation

Your last two years of college move in a weird (you might say wibbly-wobbly) way: at times it can feel like graduation is ages away, and other times it can feel like commencement is in five minutes. We get it! We also get that it can be overwhelming to start to think about what comes next—and that’s exactly where we can help.  

Pro-tips on starting to think about fellowships for after graduation
  • You don’t have to have your whole life planned out in order to apply for a fellowship; in fact, often putting together a fellowship application can help you solidify and articulate your goals! 
  • Don’t put too much pressure on yourself—start here: what might you like to do? Where might you want to go? The process starts with thinking about those questions, not a spontaneous personal statement!
  • Be mindful of deadlines: deadlines can fall as early as the summer/August before senior year.  The fellowships team is more than happy to help you work backwards from deadlines and figure out a timeline that will work for you.
    • Remember: Junior spring is an ideal time to start thinking about fellowships for after graduation!
  • You absolutely don’t have to have your diploma in hand before you check out our resources for graduates!
  • If you’re applying to graduate or professional school, you should be applying for funding as you apply for grad school—not after you’ve been accepted. We have resources that can help you plan not only for graduate school, but also how to fund it.
  • Remember that the fellowships team is here to help: we can help you sort through and prioritize opportunities; build timelines; review drafts (and drafts, and more drafts!); and prep for interviews, among other things. Smart and as capable as you are, you don’t have to do this alone!
The Truman Scholarship has so deeply helped me to take a hard look at myself and what kind of public servant I want to be. Although the application process was grueling (particularly the interview), it was an invaluable exercise in stick-to-itiveness, and along the way I've found a group of bright, driven, and hilarious service-oriented friends.
Katelyn Campbell ’17
2016 Truman Scholar