1. Financing Graduate School and Beyond
Keisha John, PhD
Director of Diversity Programs
Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs

2. Why Apply? Money Recognition Freedom
Gain valuable experience in grant/proposal writing
Much deeper understanding of a field of interest
Reviewers comments
………

3. Finding the right fellowships for you
Criteria-
Demographics
Research
Potential
Sources-
Schools
Foundations & Institutes
Organizations & Professional Societies
Government

4. Searching for Funding
Professional Societies- ask your major professors, look at their CVs
Searchable sites online- Illinois, UCLA, Cornell, Harvard, ….

5. Examples

6. Ford Foundation Fellowships
Potential Applicants- U.S. citizens and nationals
Fields- Research based Ph.D. and non practice-oriented program
Number of Awards- 60 predoctoral and 35 dissertation
Deadline- November
Funding- $20,000 stipend and $2000 tuition and fees to institution for predoctoral. $21,000 stipend for dissertation.

7. NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)
Potential Applicants- Graduate students in their 1st or 2nd year who are pursuing research-based master's and doctoral degrees, are US citizens or permanent residents, and do not hold a graduate or professional degree. ( student submits application) Fields- Engineering; Computer and Information Sciences and Engineering; Materials Research Mathematical Sciences; Chemistry; Physics; Astronomy; Social Sciences; Psychology; STEM Education; Learning Life Sciences; Geosciences Number of Awards- 2,000 new fellowships Deadline- October/November ( discipline specific deadlines) Funding- $44,000 per Fellow tenure year (12-month increments) $32,000 for stipend and $12, 000 for research costs.

8. National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship
Potential Applicants- U.S. citizens and nationals who intend to pursue a doctoral degree Fields- All STEM fields Number of Awards- 200 Deadline- December Funding- 3 year fellowship package – stipend, educational costs, and insurance allowance

9. DOD Science, Mathematics And Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship
Potential Applicants- US citizens 18 years or older with a GPA of 3.0 or greater and willing to work at the DoD after graduation Fields- All STEM fields Number of Awards- 300 yearly- all degrees Deadline- December Funding- Stipend, full tuition and fees, summer internship, health insurance allowance, book allowance Scholarship for Service: Employment placement upon graduation

10. NATIONAL PHYSICAL SCIENCE CONSORTIUM graduate fellowships in science, mathematics, and engineering
Potential Applicants- US citizens Fields- Physical Sciences STEM fields Number of Awards- varies Deadline- December Funding- 2 to 6 years tenure. Stipend, full tuition and fees, summer internship

11. NASA Space Technology Research Fellowships
Potential Applicants- U.S. citizen or permanent resident students that have applied to, have been admitted to, or are already enrolled in, a full-time Master’s or Doctoral degree Fields- science, mathematics, and engineering related to NASA technology roadmaps. Number of Awards- varies Deadline- November Funding- 2 to 4 years tenure. Stipend, full tuition and fees, summer internship, faculty support all with a maximum of $74,000 per year

12. Loan repayment programs
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13. Start Now!
Complete a search and find opportunities for all stages of your graduate studies and beyond.

14. Common Application Components
Application Form Proposal Personal Essay CV/ Resume Recommendation Letters IRB/Animal Approval Work Plan and Budget

15. Application Preparation Timeline
TIME PRIOR TO DEADLINE
TASK TO COMPLETE
Anytime
Determine Options and Strategy
3 Months
Application Components Outline
Request Recommendation Letters, Transcripts, and Scores
2 Months
Submit Draft of Documents for Additional Audience Review
1.5 Months
Submit Draft of Documents to Mentor/ Advisor
1 Month
Submit Revised Drafts of Documents to reviewers
5 Days
Submit Final Draft to Fellowship/Award Sponsor

16. Characteristics of a Successful Submission
Meets sponsor’s review criteria Clear, Concise and Persuasive Documents Feasible Proposal Follows all directions Strong letters of recommendation Applicant demonstrated their potential for success- research, career, etc.. Will bring glory to sponsoring organization.

17. Keisha John, PhD keishajohn@virginia.edu
Contact Information
Keisha John, PhD