Introduction to Fellowships for Graduates
Fellowships and scholarships can fund graduate or professional study, purposeful travel, professional placements, self-designed projects, and so much more. They can help you build your experience and qualifications, help you explore a passion, and clarify a path forward. What would you do with a fellowship?
Fellowships and Scholarships for Graduate Study
There are more fellowships and scholarships than you might think there are to help fund graduate or professional study. It’s helpful to be creative and persistent in your search, and in your applications. This research will give you an overview of some of the fellowships out there, and tips for searching for opportunities.
Projects for Peace Alumni Award (graduates)
Projects for Peace is a global program that partners with educational institutions to identify and support young peacebuilders and changemakers. Each year, the Projects for Peace Alumni Award will award up to $50,000 to support the continuing peacebuilding efforts of a past Projects for Peace grantee. The Award is made possible through the Kathryn Wasserman Davis Collaborative in Conflict Transformation at Middlebury. Campus application deadline typically in January.
McCall MacBain Scholarships at McGill (rising seniors & graduates)
The McCall MacBain Scholarships seek to bring together exceptional students from around the world who strive to engage in positive change by taking on meaningful leadership roles. McCall MacBain Scholars connect with mentors and participate in an interdisciplinary leadership program while pursuing a fully funded master’s or professional degree at McGill University! (Campus deadline typically in August.)
“[There are] a lot of different conceptions of the ocean, and a lot of exciting and creative solutions that are happening all over the world.”
“It was a wonderful new experience to visit community health care centers and NGOs. I was able to speak with community health workers who provide appropriate and equitable care as trusted members of their community.”
“You will always have access to [Career Education]. Keep using them, keep checking in with them afterward, because the Wellesley community is always willing to help.”
“I previously had dreams to be an author, but found myself called by the combination of logic, mystery, and truth in science.”
“By living in vegan communities and exploring their foodscapes, I hope to understand the lived experiences of being vegan across cultures and find ways to adapt veganism to various cultural contexts and customs.”
Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship is a term that is often cited as a career interest, but what exactly does it mean to be an entrepreneur? According to one definition, an entrepreneur is someone who exercises initiative by organizing a venture and is the decision maker who decides what, how and how much of a good or service will be produced. On the other hand, the economist Joseph Schumpeter believes there are two classes of entrepreneurs: historical small business owners and innovators. Regardless of what you might be interested in, it is clear that being an entrepreneur encompasses a wide-ranging set of opportunities and responsibilities.
A Brief Introduction to Fellowships and Scholarships
Fellowships and scholarships offer funding to support a range of purposeful activities, including undergraduate research, language study/other study abroad, self-designed projects, teaching and service, graduate or professional study, or even internships and professional placements. They can open doors for you to things you might not be able to pursue otherwise.
There are opportunities for students and graduates of every nationality and at every stage of their careers. What might be the right fit for you?
Careers in Higher Education
This resource will give you an overview of the career opportunities available if you want to pursue a job in a college or university setting. There are two basic career pathways in Higher Education — academic affairs and student affairs.
"Part of the reason I was able to create this [Notch Partners, LLC] was because I didn’t come from the same background as everybody else, and I don’t see things the same way. Wellesley just equipped me with this idea that you can do anything.”
“A strong Davis Projects for Peace proposal is always one that is grounded in a real knowledge of and investment in a community, providing a foundation that gives the student both inspiration and credibility as she strives to make real change.”
“Medicine is about studying how life works, but the practice of medicine is also learning about life through other people. I have appreciated the opportunity to experience both this summer.”
Fulbright Program (rising seniors & graduates)
Supports a year (or occasionally more) of study or research abroad in any discipline, or year-long English teaching assistantships (ETAs) abroad in programs designed by the host countries. Eligible are graduating seniors and graduates who are US citizens. Campus application deadline for Wellesley students and graduates typically in August, after an optional draft deadline in July.
Wellesley College Graduate Fellowships (WCGF—seniors & graduates)
Wellesley College offers a number of fellowships and scholarships for graduate study or research open to Wellesley seniors and graduates. Two awards are open to women graduates of any American institution (the Schimke and the Shackford). Awards are usually made to applicants currently enrolled in or applying to graduate/professional school for the following academic year; there is a single common application process for most of these awards, and the campus deadline is typically in January.
Yenching Academy Scholarship at Peking University (seniors & graduates)
The Yenching Academy of Peking University builds bridges between China and the rest of the world through an interdisciplinary master’s program in China Studies for outstanding graduates from all over the globe. This initiative brings together young people who show promise to lead and innovate in their fields in an intensive learning environment where they can explore China and its role in the world — past, present, and future. The Academy aims to thereby shape a new generation of global citizens with a nuanced understanding of China and its role in the world.
Wellesley is an official Partner Institution for the Yenching Academy: campus deadline typically in November.