Fellowship Application Tips for PhD Graduates

Finding a Fellowship That’s Right for You

In addition to exploring fellowships on this website, there are additional opportunities provided by the Pivot system and by your school or department. Your advisor, mentors, and program faculty are great sources to consult more on fellowships in your field and subfield. These fellowships could be government agencies, professional organizations or private foundations. 

Make sure that you are eligible for the fellowship before putting the effort into applying for it. Check the fellowship’s requirements on the fellowship’s website, your supervisor, and/or the grant officer to ensure the type of funding (research, travel, stipend, etc.), citizenship requirements, field/subfield, year of study (early years of graduate school or dissertation research and writing), and demographic information match your background.

Contact the funding agency if you have questions about eligibility or fit. Sometimes fellowships that seem narrow (such as for educational research) also encourage submissions of education-related work in other fields, like history, STEM and anthropology.

Fellowship Writing Tips

Review successful proposals for the same (or similar) fellowship

One of the best ways to learn more about what a successful proposal looks like is to ask your colleagues (preferably who work in your field and were previously funded by the same fellowship) to share their prior submissions, any comments they may have received during the applying process, revision(s), and any additional application strategies. Many funders may also provide samples on their websites or upon requests. 

Carefully read the application requirements and make a detailed to-do list with a feasible timeline to fulfill those requirements

Some of the common documents required by a fellowship include research statements, personal statements, recommendation letters, and curriculum vitae. Establish a feasible to-do list with small steps to encourage yourself to fulfill these documents on a timely manner. Make sure you get your drafts completed early with the best version you can, then send these to your colleagues working in the same field as well as outside of your field for feedback. Also, review carefully the requirements of the fellowship and the mission statement of the agency to which you are applying. Show how your research, scholarship, and community engagement align with their mission and funding priorities. 

Recommendation letters 

Recommenders should know you well professionally and personally. To help them write a detailed letter, send them your CV, your research/personal statement, and some notes on what you would like them to mention (such as specific aspects of your prior work with them or key recognitions). Make sure to give them enough time in advance (preferred at least three to four weeks prior to deadline and send them one or two reminders if you do not hear from them a week before deadline). 

Research statement/proposal

To make yourself competitive, you must clearly identify the gaps in knowledge in your field, ask strong research questions, and propose a novel approach to answer these questions. Then, compose a persuasive argument for why your research is worth the funding. Explaining the significance of your work in a comprehensible way to your field and to society is the key.

Some key questions to keep in mind while composing your proposal:

  • What is your research question? What is the purpose or aim (as well as sub-aims) of your proposed research? Why are you passionate about this specific research topic?
  • What is the relevant literature and research that led to your research question(s)?
  • What methods/approach/strategies will you use to answer your research question(s)?
  • What are your anticipated outcomes using your approach? 
  • What are some of the pitfalls you may encounter and your alternative strategies to overcome these to accomplish your aim?
  • What is the significance or contribution of your proposed research to your field and society?
  • Do you have a compelling research or life experiences that make you competitive and most likely to succeed in this project?

Share your goals and motivations in your personal statement

Personal statement speaks for who you are besides technical qualifications (academics, grades, activities, awards, etc.). The reviewers want to get to know you as a person and learn about your goals, plans, personal background, and motivation. Some fellowships that fund historically underrepresented/excluded groups expect you to write about how your identity and background make you unique and how this fellowship will help you contribute to your community and support other scholars from historically underrepresented/excluded backgrounds.

Get feedback on your research proposal and revise multiple times

While you focus on writing about your research, it is easy to forget the diversity of your readers who may or may not be in your field of study. It is helpful to share your proposal to your peers within and outside of your field of study. Choose which suggestion is most relevant to you and revise your writing accordingly. Then revise a few more times before submission; there is always something you may miss or can be written in a better way. Revise, revise, revise, and be sure to have a friend or colleague help proofread your application before you submit it.

Follow up after application submission and after receiving the award

After submitting your application, send a thank-you note to the administrator, recommenders, etc., who have helped you complete the application. 

Additional Sites for More Tips

Explore Fellowship Opportunities or learn more about scholarships and fellowships for graduate students pursuing PhDs listed by school at the University of Pittsburgh.