Financing School Through Fellowships

A fellowship is a merit-based scholarship. It is a way for students who are working in a specific area of study to get extended experience in their field. A fellowship is considered to be a very prestigious award, and very few students receive this honor. Some examples of well known and highly sought after fellowships are the MacArthur, Fulbright, NSF, Guggenheim, and Presidential Management fellowships.

The duration of these academic awards can extend from one to four years. They are meant to support a student in the maturation of their interests and expertise. For instance, there are dozens of Fulbright Fellows who get a chance to travel overseas to teach and learn in a different culture.

A fellowship is given to both undergraduate and graduate students. At the graduate level, a fellowship is given to students for the purpose of conducting research at a university, or to gain more work experience in his or her field.