Honors students should consider the following post-graduate scholarship opportunities. Many of them require a great deal of preparation so students should begin the process of preparing their candidacy for these awards as early as possible. Follow the links for more information on specific scholarships. If you have questions about the process of applying for post-graduate scholarships, please contact the Honors College National Scholarships Coordinator, Dr. Jennifer Gerz-Escandon. She can be reached by email at jgerzescandon@gsu.edu.
Fulbright Student Program
The Fulbright exchange program, sponsored by the US Department of State, funds a variety of work and study abroad opportunities; US citizens who are graduating seniors, holders of a bachelor’s degree, or young professionals or artists are eligible to apply to teach, study, or conduct research abroad; applicants must be in good health, are expected to serve as cultural ambassadors for the US, and need to demonstrate adaptability; the number of grants is contingent on any given year’s Congressional appropriation, but there are many of them relative to other scholarship programs; you can improve your chances of winning a Fulbright by applying to less popular countries; scholarships are for one academic year (9-12 months) and cover living expenses (calculated based on the standard of living in the host country), international airfare, and sometimes tuition; it is hard to generalize about Fulbright grants because there are so many different kinds, but you can obtain a catalog from the Institute of International Education, 809 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017-3580, or browse the web site: www.us.fulbrightonline.org. The GSU Fulbright Program Advisor is currently Dr. Maria P. Gindhart in the Ernest G. Welch School of Art and Design. Applications from GSU go through her, with support from the Honors College. She can be contacted at 404-413-5243 or mgindhart@gsu.edu. The GSU campus deadline is 2 October, but there are steps that must be completed well before that. www.iie.org/Fulbright/
Ty Cobb Scholarships
Sponsored by the Ty Cobb Educational Foundation; open to “capable and deserving residents of Georgia who need financial assistance completing their college education”; scholarships are for one year, but may be renewed for additional years; also open to professional students in medicine and dentistry; individual awards ($2,000/year for undergraduates and $3,000/year for medical and dental students) are paid directly to the university; candidates must be attending college full-time, must have completed at least 30 semester or 45 quarter hours of academic credits with a 3.0 GPA or higher (not counting credits in PE, band, ROTC, or other activity), and must demonstrate financial need; applications available between March 15 and June 10, due June 15 to the foundation. www.tycobbfoundation.com
Rhodes Scholarships
Sponsored by the Rhodes Trust in accordance with specifications laid down in his will by British imperialist Cecil Rhodes; 32 US scholarships are awarded annually, with sixteen regions each selecting 2 winners; the scholarships pay for 1-3 years of graduate study at Oxford University, plus a stipend and travel expenses to and from England; the US competition is open only to US citizens aged 18-24 at the beginning of October in the year of application (although citizens of certain other countries—mostly former British colonies–may compete in those countries’ competitions); Rhodes Scholars are chosen on the basis of “literary and scholastic attainments,” “energy to use one’s talents to the full,” “truth, courage, devotion to duty, sympathy for and protection of the weak, kindliness, unselfishness and fellowship,” and “moral force of character and instincts to lead, and to take an interest in one’s fellow beings”; candidates must be endorsed by their undergraduate institutions and may apply either in the state where they have completed at least two years of university training and received a BA or in the state in which they were legally resident on April 15 of the application year (Georgia shares a district with North and South Carolina); required materials include an application form, transcript(s), a list of activities and honors, a 1,000-word personal statement describing the candidate’s interests, aspirations, and proposed course of study, and 5-8 letters of recommendation (at least 4 of which must be from college or university teachers); finalists are interviewed in person in mid-November and must pay their own expenses in appearing before their District Selection Committee; application forms (some details of which change annually) are posted on the Rhodes web site every July for the following beginning of October deadline; GSU deadline for endorsement mid-September. www.rhodesscholar.org
Marshall Scholarships
Sponsored by the British government in gratitude for the post-WWII Marshall Plan, these scholarships enable American students of high ability to pursue graduate study in the United Kingdom; up to 40 scholarships are awarded annually, and they pay for 2 years of graduate study in most, but not all, fields (see the web site for details, but note that professional degrees in medicine, law, etc. are not eligible for funding), plus a stipend, travel expenses, and various allowances; applicants must be US citizens at the time of application, hold their first undergraduate degree from an accredited four-year college or university in the US (unfortunately, this means that a person who earned a degree from a two-year institution before transferring to GSU is ineligible to apply for a Marshall), have a GPA of 3.7 or higher, be a graduating senior or recent graduate (within the past two and a half years), and not have studied for or hold a degree from a British university; candidates who apply to study at universities other than Oxford and Cambridge have a better chance of being selected; candidates must be endorsed by their institutions; finalists will be interviewed by one of eight regional selection panels in mid-November (Georgia shares a region with Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands)—candidates can apply either in the region where they have their permanent home address or in the region where they are studying; applications include an online form, four online letters of recommendation, transcript(s), and a detailed plan of study and must be submitted by the beginning of October; GSU deadline for endorsement mid-September. www.marshallscholarship.org
404-954-7708 (Atlanta Region)
George J. Mitchell Scholarships
Sponsored by the US-Ireland alliance in commemoration of Senator Mitchell’s guidance of the Northern Ireland peace process in 1998; 12 scholarships are awarded annually, and they pay for one year of graduate study in any field (plus living and travel expenses) at any university in Ireland or Northern Ireland (candidates are required to identify and describe 3-5 graduate programs that interest them—university placement, as with the Marshall Scholarship, is a critical part of the selection process); the competition is open to US citizens over the age of 18 and under 30 on 1 October of the year of application; open to applicants who will hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university before taking up a Mitchell Scholarship; criteria for selection include academic excellence and intellectual distinction, an outstanding record of leadership, and sustained commitment to service and community; applicants who are full-time students must be endorsed by their institution; applications (most of which are completed online) include transcripts, 5 letters of recommendation (at least 3 of which must be from college-level teachers if the applicant is a full-time student), a list of awards and activities, and a 1,000-word personal statement; out of about 250 applicants each year, approximately 20 finalists are called to interview in mid- to late November in Washington, DC; applications are due at the beginning of October; deadline for GSU endorsement mid-September. www.us-irelandalliance.org
703-841-5843
Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans
Sponsored by Hungarian immigrants Paul and Daisy Soros, these scholarships pay for up to two years of graduate study in the United States in virtually any field (professional, academic, or creative); 30 fellowships are awarded annually; the competition is open to New Americans, defined as 1) resident aliens (holders of Green Cards), 2) naturalized US citizens, or 3) children of two parents who are both naturalized citizens; applicants may be graduating seniors or graduate students in the first two years of their courses and must be no older than 30 as of November 1 in the year of application; successful candidates must demonstrate at least two of the following three criteria: 1) creativity, originality, and initiative, 2) a capacity for accomplishment through sustained effort, and 3) a commitment to the values expressed in the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights; the scholarship pays a maintenance grant of $20,000/year, plus a tuition grant equal to one-half of the cost of the scholar’s graduate program, up to $16,000/academic year (this is paid directly to the institution); twice during the fellowship, fellows are expected to attend a fall conference in New York City; fellows may study at any accredited graduate program in the United States, but it is up to them to secure admission; the application includes an online form, two 1,000-word essays (one about the candidate’s past and one about his or her future), a 1-2-page resume, 3 letters of recommendation, an official form indicating the status of the candidate’s current studies, transcript(s), evidence of New American status, and graduate aptitude test scores; applications may be submitted online or by mail; 84 finalists are chosen for interview in January; finalists have two half-hour interviews with two different committees (expenses of appearing for interview are paid by the program); winners are announced in February; deadline is the beginning of November. www.pdsoros.org 212-547-6926
American Association of University Women Career Development Grants
Sponsored by an organization of women with university degrees, these grants support “women who hold a bachelor’s degree and are preparing to advance their careers, change careers, or re-enter the work force,” with special consideration given to AAUW members, women of color, and women pursuing their first advanced credentials in nontraditional fields; applicants must be US citizens or permanent residents, have received the bachelor’s degree within five years of taking up the grant, and be planning to spend a full year on study that is significantly related to their professional development; successful candidates can demonstrate commitment to the education of women and girls; grants are for $2,000-12,000 and pay for course work beyond the first bachelor’s degree at an accredited two- or four-year college or university, or at a technical school or distance-learning program accredited by an agency recognized by the US Department of Education; funds cannot be used to pay for doctoral work; applications include a completed form, a proposed budget with a narrative describing how the money would be spent (see website for allowable expenses), 1 letter of recommendation, and a $25-35 filing fee; deadline is mid-December. www.aauw.org 319-337-1716 ext. 60
American Association of University Women Selected Professions Fellowships
Sponsored by an organization of women with university degrees, these grants support one year of full-time study at an accredited institution in one of the designated master’s degree programs where women’s participation traditionally has been low, such as computer science and mathematics (see the web site for a list of eligible degree programs; women from certain ethnic minorities may also apply to support study in law, medicine, or business administration, and the AAUW also funds a substantial dissertation fellowship in engineering); applicants must be US citizens or permanent residents and full-time students; selection criteria include (in order of importance): potential as a role model and commitment to the advancement of women, academic excellence, and financial need; grants are for $5,000-12,000; distance learning is not eligible for funding; these grants are not open to AAUW members; applications include a budget, a narrative autobiography, a statement of career plans and professional goals, 3 letters of recommendation, transcript(s), samples of the applicant’s work (for some fields of study), and a $35 filing fee; deadline is mid-January (mid-December for engineering dissertation fellowships). www.aauw.org 319-337-1716 ext. 60
Barry M. Goldwater Scholarships
Sponsored by the Goldwater Foundation, which is funded by the US government, these undergraduate scholarships were established in 1986 in honor of long-serving US Senator Barry Goldwater to encourage excellence in science, mathematics, and engineering by providing highly qualified individuals to those fields of study and research (see web site for complete list of eligible fields of study); up to 300 scholarships are awarded annually and support one or two years of study toward a bachelor’s degree; applicants must be in their sophomore or junior year at the time of application, be US citizens or nationals or permanent residents of the US who intend to become citizens, have a GPA of “B” or better and be in the upper fourth of their class, and be full-time students of accredited institutions of higher education; candidates must be nominated by their college or university (GSU can nominate up to four applicants); selection criteria include the nominee’s career objectives and potential to make a significant contribution to his or her field; applications include the institution nomination, an online form (including some essay questions on the candidate’s background, career goals, and motivation), a 2-page essay related to the student’s chosen career, 3 letters of recommendation, transcript(s) from college-level work and secondary school, and proof of eligibility; scholarships can be used to pay for tuition, fees, books, and room and board, up to $7,500/year; applications become available online in September and are due at the end of January; deadline for GSU nomination mid-January. www.act.org/goldwater 319-341-2333
Ford Foundation Predoctoral Diversity Fellowships
Sponsored by the Ford Foundation and administered by the National Research Council, these fellowships are intended to increase the diversity of the nation’s college and university faculties; about 60 predoctoral fellowships are awarded each year (the Foundation also gives dissertation and postdoctoral fellowships); the predoctoral fellowships provide 3 years of support for graduate study leading to a Ph.D. or Sc.D. degree (see the web site for details on eligible fields of study: in general, “practice-oriented” and professional degrees, terminal master’s degrees, and joint degree programs will not be supported); the competition is open to “All citizens or nationals of the United States regardless of race, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability, or sexual orientation” (new citizens must have US citizenship as of 15 November of the year of application); applicants must provide evidence of “superior academic achievement,” must be committed to a career in teaching and research at the college or university level, must be enrolled in or planning to enroll by the following fall in an eligible doctorate program at a US educational institution, and must not previously have earned any doctoral degree; additional “positive factors” in the selection process include: “promise of continuing achievement as scholars and teachers,” “capacity to respond in pedagogically productive ways to the learning needs of students from diverse backgrounds,” “sustained personal engagement with communities that are underrepresented in the academy,” “likelihood of using the diversity of human experience as an educational resource in teaching and scholarship,” ethnic minority status (Alaska Native, Black/African-American, Mexican-American/Chicana/Chicano, Native American, Native Pacific Islander, Puerto Rican), appropriateness of the candidate’s plan of study, and ability to utilize 3 years of support (including a year of course work); applicants must secure their own admission to a graduate program, but they need not have been accepted by their desired institution at the time of application; the fellowship pays an annual stipend of $20,000, an award to the fellow’s institution of $2,000, expenses to attend at least one conference of Ford Fellows, and access to a network of former Ford Fellows who have volunteered to provide mentoring and support; applications consist of an online form, 2-page statement of previous research, 3-page essay on proposed plans of graduate study and research and long-range career plans, 3-page statement describing the applicant’s background and commitment to the goals of the Ford Foundation Diversity Fellowships program, 4 letters of recommendation submitted online, transcript(s), verification of predoctoral status, and GRE general test scores for candidates not already enrolled in a doctoral program; online applications due mid-November; supplementary materials must be received by mid-January. www.sites.nationalacademies.org/pga/fordfellowships/ 202-334-2872
Sidney B. Williams, Jr. Intellectual Property Law Scholarships
Sponsored by the American Intellectual Property Law Education Foundation, these scholarships pay up to $10,000/year (administered through the recipient’s law school) for up to 3 years of study toward a law degree for minority candidates committed to a career in intellectual property law; open to US citizens who will be enrolled in law school in the fall of the year of application; selection criteria include academic performance, financial need, and other factors (leadership skills/community activities/special accomplishments); applications include a completed application form, a FAFSA (free application for federal student aid) form, transcript(s), 2 letters of recommendation, and an interview; successful candidates receive mentoring opportunities as well as scholarship support; applications become available online in January and are due in February. www.aiplef.org 201-634-1870
Truman Scholarships
Sponsored by the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation; scholarships pay up to $30,000 toward graduate school expenses, and Truman scholars are invited to participate in various mentoring and leadership programs; very competitive (600-700 candidates nominated by their institutions compete for 60-65 scholarships each year); open to juniors (or students with senior standing in their third year of college) who are committed to a career in public service; candidates must be US citizens or nationals by the time the scholarships are awarded in mid-May; successful candidates have extensive records of campus and/or community service, excellent communication skills that will help them become “change agents” in their chosen fields, and stellar academic records; finalists are chosen on the basis of a written application that includes over half a dozen short essays addressing specific selection criteria; scholars are chosen from among the finalists on the basis of a “confrontational” regional interview some time during the first three weeks of March; successful applicants must attend a Leadership Week in mid-May; candidates must be nominated by their undergraduate institution; applications due in early February; GSU deadline mid-January. www.truman.gov 202-395-4831
David L. Boren Scholarships and Fellowships
These scholarships and fellowships support US undergraduate and graduate students to study less commonly taught languages in world regions critical to US interests: Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East. These scholarships pay up to $20,000 for undergraduates and $30,000 for graduate students depending on cost and length of the program (semester or year; STEM students can apply for summer programs. Undergraduate deadline in February; graduate deadline in January. GSU deadlines will be earlier (contact Study Abroad Office). www.borenawards.org
Morris K. Udall Undergraduate Scholarships
Sponsored by the Morris K. Udall Foundation, established by Congress in 1992 to honor his thirty years of service in the House of Representatives; 80 scholarships and 50 honorable mentions awarded to sophomores and juniors with “demonstrated commitment” to careers related to the environment, tribal public policy, or Native American health care (applicants in the last two categories must be Native Americans or Alaska Natives); scholarships pay up to $5,000 for a year’s worth of tuition, room and board, and other educational expenses (an honorable mention is worth $350); applicants must be sophomores or juniors (candidates may apply in both sophomore and junior years), be US citizens or nationals or permanent residents of the US who intend to become citizens, have a B average or better (top quarter of class), be pursuing full-time study during the scholarship year, be able to demonstrate commitment to the stated career goal and leadership ability/public service, be willing and able to attend a mandatory 4-day Scholars Orientation in Arizona in August (expenses paid by the Foundation), and be nominated by their institutions (GSU can nominate up to 6 candidates); the Foundation is looking for “future leaders” in its areas of focus and values evidence of problem-solving and consensus-building in applicants; applications include the institution nomination, an online form (including a series of short essay questions about the candidate’s leadership experience, activities, and commitment to the stated career goal), an 800-word essay relating one of Mo or Stewart Udall’s writings or legislative acts to the candidate’s own interests and career goal, 3 letters of recommendation, college transcript(s), and proof of eligibility; application materials available online early October and due at the beginning of March; deadline for GSU nomination early February. www.udall.gov (520) 901-8500
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships
Program funded by the US government to promote innovative research by directly funding “creative, diverse and passionate researchers”; roughly 900-1600 fellowships are awarded annually to students entering or in the early stages of research-based master’s or doctoral programs; fellows receive 3 years of support that includes a $30,000 annual stipend, a $10,500 cost-of-education allowance for tuition and fees, and a $1,000 one-time travel allowance; fellows and honorable mentions also have access to the NSF’s TeraGrid Supercomputer; fellows must study in the US at any accredited institution of higher education, and they may change institutions and take their fellowship with them; fellowships are awarded in specified fields in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (see website for detailed list, but practice-oriented professional degree programs are generally not eligible); applicants must be US citizens or nationals or permanent residents, be entering graduate school in the fall for which application is made or be current graduate students who have not completed more than the equivalent of 12 months of full-time graduate study at an accredited US institution, and be pursuing research-based master’s or doctoral degrees in fields supported by the NSF; applications include a 2-page personal statement, a 2-page description of previous research experience, a 2-page proposed plan of research, 3 reference letters, and academic transcript(s); applications available online in August and due in November. www.nsfgrfp.org/ (866) 673-4737
Gates Scholarships
Sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; scholarships pay for 1-2 years of study at Cambridge University and include tuition and fees, a maintenance allowance, and airfare to and from the United Kingdom; about 125 people are interviewed and 40 scholars are chosen from the United States each year; citizens of any country other than the United Kingdom are eligible to apply; candidates for the Gates must apply separately to Cambridge University and award of a scholarship is contingent upon admission; selection criteria include academic excellence, leadership ability, a good fit between the candidate and Cambridge University, and a commitment to making the world a better and more equitable place; deadline mid-October, interviews early Feb. www.gatesscholar.org