Graduate School Preparation Mini-Grants

Wellesley Career Education logo
Wellesley Career Education

The Graduate/Professional School Preparation Fund, funded by a generous grant from the Wellesley Students’ Aid Society, is intended to help current Wellesley students with expenses related to graduate or professional school preparation. 

"I reached out to several Wellesley alums and former Pickering/Rangel recipients to help me prepare for the finalist interviews and essays. If I can give advice to anyone wanting to apply for this fellowship in the future it is to do the same thing! I couldn’t have done this without their guidance and encouragement."

"I'm excited by the unknown. I'm not sure where I'll be or who I'll meet at these embassies, but I'm looking forward to the new experiences!"

Undergraduate Research Fellowships

Caitlin Roberts-Donovan
Caitlin Roberts-Donovan

This page is a resource for students looking for fellowships to support undergraduate research (you can also check out our resource on language and study abroad). 

Schimke and Shackford Graduate Fellowships (women graduates of any US institution)

Kate Dailinger
Kate Dailinger

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

    Wellesley Career Education logo
    Wellesley Career 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.

    “I am so thrilled that I will be able to learn directly from women leaders in crucial environmental projects in a diverse array of Latin American countries that I otherwise could not have ever imagined visiting.”

    “I will be the first doctor in my family and the first to attend graduate school with the gift of the Sarah Perry Wood Medical Fellowship.”

    Beinecke Scholarship Program (juniors)

    Kate Dailinger
    Kate Dailinger

    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.

    Fellowships and Scholarships for Graduate Study

    Kate Dailinger
    Kate Dailinger

    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.

      Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program at Wellesley College (sophomores and juniors)

      Kate Dailinger
      Kate Dailinger

      The McNair Scholars Program is a federal TRIO program funded at 187 institutions across the United States and Puerto Rico by the U.S. Department of Education. McNair participants are first-generation college students with financial need, and/or members of a group that is traditionally underrepresented in graduate education and have demonstrated strong academic potential. The goal of the McNair Scholars Program is to increase graduate education for students from underrepresented groups.  At Wellesley, the McNair Scholars Program is STEM focused, and applications are typically due in November each year.

      Saint Andrew’s Society of New York Graduate Scholarship (seniors)

      Kate Dailinger
      Kate Dailinger

      Supports one year of study in any discipline at a university in Scotland. Eligible are Wellesley seniors who are US citizens with Scottish heritage and financial need. Campus application deadline typically in November.

      Michel David-Weill Scholarship (seniors)

      Kate Dailinger
      Kate Dailinger

      Supports a two-year master’s degree in any field at the Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po), but Economics is especially encouraged. Eligible are graduating seniors at Wellesley who are US citizens. Campus application deadline typically in November.

      “In order to make changes in laws and policies, we need to have data on our side. We need to be able to make a case that shows a causal link between misinformation online and the erosion of democracy.”

      Chinese Government Scholarship (seniors and graduates)

      Kate Dailinger
      Kate Dailinger

      The Chinese government has set up a variety of scholarship programs to sponsor international students, teachers, and scholars to study and do research at Chinese universities. Wellesley may nominate graduating seniors and graduates for these awards. Campus application deadline typically in early in the new year.

      Truman Scholarship (juniors)

      Kate Dailinger
      Kate Dailinger

      The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation supports the graduate education and professional development of outstanding young people committed to public service leadership. This scholarship provides funding toward senior year and graduate school for juniors interested in a career in public service. Campus application deadline typically in November.

      Introduction to Fellowships for Graduates

      Kate Dailinger
      Kate Dailinger

      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?