Welcome to the Fellowships Office
What We Do
The Fellowships Office helps students identify and apply for nationally competitive awards. These awards can provide funding assistance for undergraduate and graduate study in the U.S. and abroad. The application process itself is also an exciting opportunity to prepare for graduate school, career goals, and more.
How to Get Started:
Search the Fellowships Office website lists under "Find a Fellowship" to learn more about awards and opportunities
Make an appointment early or come to drop-in hours in your college career to discuss interests, goals, and fellowships with the Fellowships Office team
Attend Fellowships Office information sessions.
Drop-in Hours:
Friday 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Fellowships
What We Do
The Fellowships Office helps students identify and apply for nationally competitive awards. These awards can provide funding assistance for undergraduate and graduate study in the U.S. and abroad. The application process itself is also an exciting opportunity to prepare for graduate school, career goals, and more.
How to Get Started
Search the Fellowships Office website lists under "Find a Fellowship" to learn more about awards and opportunities.
Make an appointment early or come to drop-in hours in your college career to discuss interests, goals, and fellowships with the Fellowships Office team.
Attend Fellowships Office information sessions.
Drop-In Hours
How To Prepare
- Strive for academic excellence in challenging courses.
- Pursue activities that develop leadership & communication skills.
- Seek campus & community service experiences.
- Participate in undergraduate research.
- Get to know your instructors each semester & develop mentors.
- Consider studying abroad & learning a foreign language.
- Make an appointment with a fellowships advisor and get expert advice.
Info Sessions
What We Do
The Fellowships Office assists student applicants for prestigious scholarships and fellowships such as Rhodes, Marshall, Gates Cambridge, Churchill, Fulbright, Mitchell, Udall, Goldwater, and others.
- We help Georgia Tech students determine scholarships for which they qualify and advise them about opportunities and how to prepare for future applications.
- We provide feedback to Georgia Tech students about their writing for nationally competitive scholarship applications.
- We coordinate internal scholarship committees to nominate Georgia Tech students for scholarships that require university nominations.
- When Georgia Tech students are invited for national interviews, the Fellowships Office arranges practice sessions to help students prepare and learn to organize their thoughts quickly.
Students who write successful nationally competitive scholarship applications usually begin making plans months (and sometimes years) in advance of the deadline. Students need to plan effective research experiences, summer internships, and participation in meaningful campus and community activities.
We encourage students to:
- make an appointment early in their college career to discuss specific and general application interests with fellowship advisors,
- attend scholarship information sessions,
- visit the official web sites of scholarships that fit with their career objectives and experiences and get started on the application process.
Undergrad Research
Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) at Georgia Tech
UROP helps Georgia Tech undergraduate students arrange, accomplish, present and publish research. They represent an invaluable on-campus resource for undergraduate students interested in participating in research symposia, contributing to journals such as Tech's The Tower, and otherwise developing and publicizing important research.
Amgen Scholars Program: An Undergraduate Research Program in Science and Biotechnology
The Amgen Scholars US Program provides hundreds of selected undergraduate students with an opportunity to engage in hands-on research at universities such as California Institute of Technology, MIT, Stanford, Columbia, Berkeley, UCLA, UC San Diego, UC San Francisco, University of Washington, and Washington University in St. Louis. Research fields and program dates vary at different institutions.
Applications are submitted through the individual host university. Go to the Amgen web site and look at programs for each participating university.
Deadline for applications: Early February each year. Program applications open at the end of November.
Eligibility: applicants should have a strong GPA; plan to pursue a PhD; be sophomores (at least 3 semesters of college course work), juniors, or non-graduating seniors; be a US citizen or permanent resident.
Amgen scholars receive a stipend and housing. Check the web site for the university in which you are interested for specific information about eligible fields and stipends.
NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)
The Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program supports active research participation by undergraduate students in any of the areas of research funded by the National Science Foundation. REU projects involve students in meaningful ways in ongoing research programs or in research projects specifically designed for the REU program.
To inquire about possible funding opportunities, please contact the organizations that have received awards. (Do not contact NSF.) A directory of active REU Sites, along with contact information, can be found here.
Note: not all awards on this directory are up to date. Check with the institutional contact listed with your program of interest to ensure the opportunity is available this year. Also, most award information is released in the fall, so check at that point for more reliable information.
Deadlines
FAQ's
What is a fellowship? Are they different from scholarships?
A fellowship is a monetary award usually designated for graduate students, and many are nationally competitive. There are often specific requirements and expectations, and some fellowships are limited to particular fields of study. Students applying for fellowships should read carefully the requirements (usually on the fellowship web site) before applying to be certain they have the qualifications to apply for the award. Scholarships may be either for undergraduate or graduate students, and students need to check qualifications carefully to choose awards for which they are most qualified.
How can I decide if I am competitive for a fellowship or scholarship?
Competitive students are generally those who achieve high grades and have potential to make significant contributions for the public good. How high grades should be vary with different competitions, and students should read the web site for the award to determine if there is a specific GPA requirement. In addition to grades, there are other assets most reviewers consider:
- meaningful volunteer experience,
- honors courses,
- undergraduate research,
- study abroad, and
- leadership in campus and community activities.
How can international students find out about funding opportunities?
Many of the prestigious scholarships require a person to be a U.S. citizen.
The Community of Science (COS) database provides a way for international students to find information about funding opportunities for scholars from their country. Georgia Tech has a subscription to this site, and you can access the database from any Georgia Tech computer. You can access this database from library and departmental computers. The COS has information about all disciplines, not just science.
International students may also want to consult the resource book, Funding for United States Study: A Guide for International Students and Professionals published by the Institute of International Education. It is available in many libraries. In addition, you may be eligible for graduate assistantships or graduate co-op positions. Ask your faculty recommenders and the department to which you are applying about fellowships you might consider.
Are any of the prestigious scholarships for undergraduate students?
Is there an easy way for me to find award web sites other than searching for each one on Google?
See Fellowships. This site provides links to award web sites. The Financial Aid Information page provides links to web pages with information about scholarships, fellowships, grants, loans, and similar forms of funding. Other good places to look are the Financial Aid Search through Fastweb and the Community of Science scholarship and fellowship database. The Community of Science database search needs to be done on a Georgia Tech computer since Tech subscribes to the database.
I am a freshman. Is it too early for me to be thinking about fellowships?
I am not sure my grades and activities are competitive. Should I apply even when I am not sure I can compete nationwide?
Going through an application process is hard work, but it is the kind of hard work that is rewarding in many ways. Applicants get to know themselves and their goals by the writing they do, and they develop skills, such as interviewing and grant writing, they will use in the future. Polishing your writing skills is never a waste of time. The personalized mentoring from Fellowship Communication Program advisors is valuable and helps you know where to use your energy. Rhodes and Marshall require 3.7 or above GPA. Discuss with advisors your situation for other programs. You may have accomplishments that will help a lower GPA.
What possibilities are there for prestigious scholarships in other parts of the world?
Several of the prestigious scholarships provide opportunities in England, but I want to go to another part of the world. What possibilities are there?
Look at the Fulbright program, which has programs in approximately 140 countries. Requirements vary from country to country. Language ability is required for some areas but not for others. See http://us.fulbrightonline.org/home.html for additional information. Fulbright awards are available for students to go to graduate school, do research, or teach English as a second language. The Mitchell award provides 12 scholarships for students to go to Ireland to work on a master's degree.
I want to apply for an external fellowship but am not sure if my essays are what they should be. Is there anyone who can help?
Under Resources on this web site, see Writing Style Advice for help to write strong application essays. There are several resources on campus to help students. Use them.
Are fellowships taxable?
I know reference letters are important, but I am uncertain about how to ask for them. What do you recommend?
The best recommendations come from faculty in courses where you have done well and the professor knows you. It is helpful to ask if the person can provide you with a strong recommendation. If the professor says no or is unsure, it is better to learn this information at the beginning and ask someone else than to have a lukewarm recommendation. Throughout your college career, get to know professors so your abilities are known.
Materials to provide referees include the following:
- A cover sheet with your name, address, phone, and email information, purpose of the recommendation (graduate school or fellowship application);
- A copy of your personal statement or proposal;
- A list of course(s) you had with this person, grade, and semester and any special projects you did;
- Your overall GPA and unofficial copy of transcript;
- The date when the recommendation is due, the address where the letter is to go, and whether the letter is to be submitted online or in hard copy;
- If there are special requirements (in a sealed envelope signed across the seal or other direction), provide this information.
- Suggest that your letter writers look at this advice from Joe Schall to see what is important to include in the letter for the award you seek. Use the search box to find a specific award. There is information about what is wanted in the recommendation letters for that award as well as sample letters.
Do not ask recommenders at the last minute. Plan your applications and ask many weeks in advance.
Check with those who are writing shortly before letters are due to be certain all materials have been submitted.
Be considerate and write a thank you note to those who provide you references.
I need funding for my graduate work. What are some of my options?
Some students fund graduate study through professional positions obtained through the graduate cooperative program. For more information, contact the Center for Career Discovery and Development.
Contact the Office of Student Financial Planning and Services for information about funding graduate studies. A counselor there can give you information about loans and discuss your entire financial package with you - 404-894-4160 - finaid@gatech.edu - http://www.finaid.gatech.edu. You can discuss your funding situation with the graduate coordinator in your department. (See the web page for your current or prospective department to find out who the graduate coordinator is.).
Students in STEM areas should apply for an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship during the senior year, first year or the first semester of the second year of graduate study. Attend NSF information sessions and talk with an advisor in the Fellowships Office to help make your NSF application as strong as possible.
See the General Fellowship list for other possibilities.
Use the Community of Science (COS) Funding Database to find a wealth of funding opportunities. To use the COS site, the user should be connected with the Georgia Tech computer system since Georgia Tech pays for the subscription.
Can I decide to apply for a fellowship on my own? Do I need to go through Georgia Tech?
Many national scholarships require an institutional endorsement. For these awards students must apply through the Fellowships Office. Some awards limit the number of students who may be nominated from each university. Talk with an advisor so that you know about the endorsement process and if only a limited number may be recommended.
NSF, NDSEG, Hertz, and many other applications are submitted by the individual and not through the Fellowships Office. However, with all applications, you will benefit from feedback about your essays from a Georgia Tech fellowship advisor.
Resources
Please use the following online resources as you prepare to apply for prestigious scholarships and fellowships. Unless otherwise noted, these resources were not produced by the Fellowships Office at Georgia Tech.
ON WRITING PERSONAL STATEMENTS
- Writing a Personal Statement for Scholarships and Fellowships from Pomona College
- Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL)
ON PREPARING FOR INTERVIEWS
- The Rhodes and Marshall Scholarships Interview Preparation from Reed College
- How to Prepare for a Truman Interview from Claremont McKenna College
RECOMMENDATION LETTER ADVICE (JOE SCHALL)
Use the search box to find a specific award. There is information about what is wanted in the recommendation letters for that award as well as sample letters.
WRITING PERSONAL STATEMENTS ADVICE (JOE SCHALL)
Use the search box to find a specific award for advice about writing personal statements for the award.
INFORMATION ABOUT NSF, NDSEG, AND HERTZ APPLICATION PROCESSES
Information from a student perspective.
WRITING STYLE ADVICE
- Talk with Fellowship Office advisor. Send them your essays in Word format for comments.
- Joe Schall's Style Guide for Students
- Consult an advisor in the Communications Center (Clough Undergraduate Commons, fourth floor) and consult the writing advisor in your department if your department has one.
COMMUNITY OF SCIENCE DATABASE
Georgia Tech has a subscription to this database so use a Georgia Tech computer (such as one in the library) to check the Community of Science web site for scholarships and internships. This site is good to find funding opportunities and can be especially helpful for international students.
SEARCHABLE DATABASES FROM OTHER UNIVERSITIES
- OCR - University of California Riverside Office of Research Database
- Pathways to Science Database - A search tool for research funding in STEM fields
- University of California Los Angeles GRAPES Database