Grants and Fellowships

Overview | Where to Begin | What to Expect | The Proposal | Letters of Recommendation

Overview

In exploring fellowship opportunities for study or travel during and after Wesleyan, you may feel overwhelmed by the number of books, forms and applications. We hope to simplify the process by introducing you to the resources at Wesleyan, to the general application procedure and to information on the major national fellowships. Some of the most prestigious and substantial fellowships and scholarships involve campus committees, and it is important to clearly understand the application process for each. The competition for fellowships is keen. Early preparation and determination are vital!

Where to Begin

The Graduate School/Fellowship section in the Career Resource Center library contains information about fellowships and other forms of financial assistance. A regularly updated bibliography will help you choose the books which will be most helpful to you.

• For links to specific grants, scholarships, and fellowships requiring campus review, click here.
• For other recommended resources for finding grants and fellowships, click here.

What to Expect

Time, research, motivation and money factor into the competition for fellowship awards. Researching the fellowship, determining your statement, writing the proposal and (hopefully) interviewing with the committee will be demanding. Consequently, candidates for fellowships should be serious about the process.

Be aware of the deadlines! Request an official transcript, gather letters of recommendation, complete the application and write your proposal on time. Draft a timeline so as not to miss a deadline.

The Proposal

After reading your proposal, the committee should have a clear understanding of your goals, your seriousness as an applicant and your personality. In addition, your proposal should reflect an understanding of the nature and the goals of the fellowship. Therefore, proposals should be designed for specific fellowships.

Brief proposals are encouraged, if not required. Two written pages, perhaps three, is the usual length. Plan what you want to say and how you want to say it before you write. And remember, your proposal should be feasible. If your creative imagination has dreamed up an impossible plan, modify your goals. An unrealistic proposal will not impress the selection committee. Ask a faculty member, academic advisor, dean or a Career Resource Center counselor to critique your proposal. And it goes without saying, no typos, misspellings, grammatical errors, etc.

A Proposal for Study should include:

• The university or institution at which you plan to study. Wesleyan faculty members can provide information on other universities. The International version of the college catalogs is on microfilm. Also, Olin Library has graduate school catalogs for the U.S. and Canada on microfilm.
• The area of study and/or program you want to pursue.
• Why you want to study this field or topic (independently or at a particular university).
• The relationship between your present studies and what you propose to study. If there is none, explain why you want to pursue this new area.
• Personal thoughts: What do you want to gain from your studies? Is there any special information about you which the committee should be aware of?

A Proposal for Travel should include:

• Where you want to travel.
• Why you want to travel/live in this place.
• The relationship that exists between your present or past study/work/interests and your proposal.
• Personal thoughts: What do you want to gain from your travel? Is there any special information about you which the committee should be aware of?

Letters of Recommendation

Letters of recommendation are an important factor in the fellowship application. For these letters to be as helpful a possible, you should work with your recommenders. Meet with them, give them information about your plan's proposal, outside work, other course work and activities. Also, be sure to request letters from your professors early enough to allow them to write a carefully considered evaluation. Review information about the CRC's Credential Service for storing letters of recommendation.