Note that some opportunities called “fellowships” are not funded - they are either unpaid or tuition-based. Sometimes fellowships include other benefits like health insurance, travel or relocation grants, funding for dependents, discretionary funding for language classes, or housing. Most fellowships are paid, providing financial support in the form of a stipend, salary, or grant. If you’re selected as a finalist, you’ll also be invited to participate in an individual or group interview (yep, it’s intense). Although application formats vary, they almost always require a written application and professional references. Fellowships that fund a self-designed project also require a project proposal. Similar to a graduate school application, a fellowship application typically requires a personal essay, two to three recommendation letters, a resume, transcripts, and other items. There are also summer fellowships of two to three months for enrolled or graduating students seeking to gain professional skills during the summer.Īpplication deadlines for fellowships are typically 6 months to a year before the fellowship begins, so it is good to begin your fellowship search early.įellowships are merit-based and have a competitive application process. Most professional fellowships are between three months to one year in length and are full-time gigs. The time commitment for fellowships typically ranges from a few weeks up to two years. So what is a professional fellowship exactly? I define it as a short-term, competitive, paid opportunity to do something exceptional. Professional fellowships are funded by a wide range of organizations including foundations, non-profit organizations, government agencies, universities, media, and corporations. There is a growing roster of merit-based professional fellowship opportunities that provide entry into a first job or career change, fund international work experiences, cultivate emerging leaders and changemakers, and support self-designed projects and social enterprises. Fellowships are no longer just for graduate students or PhDs.

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