What are Fellowships?

There are a wide variety of programs and scholarships that fall under the umbrella of fellowships, and they all look a little different from one another. In general, fellowships are prestigious programs that enable you to get the education and experience to pursue your dreams. Some programs provide funding for graduate school, some provide mentorship and work experience, some offer opportunities for overseas study or research. Many are a year in length, some cover you for longer periods of two, three, or even four years. A few are shorter, a semester only, or even a summer. Almost all provide funding and/or stipends to cover your expenses for these opportunities.

They are investments in you. And they can help you in many ways.

  • Pay for your Education
    Fellowships can pay for your undergraduate or your graduate education (sometimes both). And sometimes they even pay you to study, research or work overseas.

  • Open Doors for Yourself
    These awards are incredibly prestigious, and they open doors for you for the rest of your life. We hear this over and over again: potential employers and graduate school admissions counselors look again at candidates who have won these awards.

  • Broaden your Experiences
    Some fellowships enable you to research, study or work overseas, experiences that both build your skills and broaden you as a person.

  • Change How You View Others
    Expose yourself to places and people and ways of thinking you wouldn’t have otherwise experienced. These opportunities can expand your understanding of the world in which we live.

  • Change How You View Yourself
    These experiences build self-confidence. Even simply applying for an award in a serious way builds your self-confidence and expands the range of possibilities you imagine for yourself. They put you in the company of the very top students in the country.

If this sounds appealing to you, start by doing your research. Read the information and advice on this site. Look carefully through the website of any programs that interest you. Make an appointment with the Drexel Fellowships Office.