Suzanne del Gizzo
Dept of English

The Basics

Every fellowship and grant will have its own application form--with all kinds of minute details specific to it, however, most  fellowships and grants will generally ask for:

• a transcript
• two or more letters of recommendation
  --make sure your recommend-ers know you and your work (don't forget to give them a CV to remind them of your achievements), also make sure they are familiar your reasons for pursuing the grant or fellowship and your proposed project (give them your project proposal--the double whammy--get their feedback and familiarize them with your rationale).
• a personal statement

You may also be asked for:

• a project proposal or plan of study
  --this requirement is a lot like a "statement of purpose"!  Make sure you have your advisors and colleagues read it over for clarity and strength of ideas.
• an interview
  --what can we say, take deep breaths, be assertive, interesting, and interested!  See the isn advice of the job market interview here-- it is basically the same process!

Making Your Application Strong

A strong application is one which presents itself as a coherent whole--where your project, interests, and course of study appear interconnected and meet the requirements of the grant or fellowship.

Since these grants and fellowships are often very competitive (that is why, after all, they are so prestigious), you should be aware that the application will be read with and compared to many others.  It may also be read by several groups of people--scholars, administrators--during the process.  Make sure that the application is accessible as well as informative, follow directions exactly in your presentation and ordering of materials.  To ensure that you are conveying the impression you intend, consult with as many people as possible. 

HELP!

Use the resources you have--your advisors and colleagues.   In particular, seek out faculty and friends in the field who know about the grant or fellowship you are applying for and pump them for information--who will be reviewing the application?, what are the trends in this field right now?, etc.

Part of First Workshop "If I knew then what I know now..."
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