Graduate students should highly consider applying for external fellowships. These are competitive external awards provided by a non-OSU sponsor in support of a student’s academic and research interests. Sponsors include governmental agencies, corporations, and foundations. In addition to recognition these awards provide to the recipient, many of these external fellowships provide generous stipends which often meet or exceed the minimum rate for graduate appointment at OSU.

External awards come in all forms and amounts, for single or multiple years of enrollment, and may include tuition and/or components, with restrictions varying from fellowship to fellowship.  Funds provided by external fellowships are either directly paid to the student or paid to the University to be administered. For fellowships administered by OSU, funding is available to support any tuition shortfall through the Graduate School’s Tuition Support Program.

With so many fellowship programs available, each with different criteria and goals, it's a good idea to define your funding objectives, your goals, and the larger purpose of your work. When you're ready to start searching, you can download the Fellowship Worksheet (Word document) to help organize information about prospective funders.

In addition to the National Science Foundation Award, there are a multitude of awards worth considering. Be sure to review helpful strategies and seek out OSU resources to aid you in your fellowship funding search and application process.

 

Resources

Helpful Strategies

  • Begin the process early. Proposals typically require written statements about both the researcher and the intended project, in addition to other financial and student details. We recommend giving yourself preferably at least six months lead time prior to the deadline to gather materials, develop your writing, and get feedback through the process.
  • Prepare your search by defining yourself and your work as broadly as possible: the type of graduate program you are in; your project location; what defines and distinguishes you as an applicant both in and outside of the classroom; the subject area, purpose, and duration of your project; the constituency affected by your work; and the amount and type of funds you need.
  • Define your field of interest as completely as possible. Create a comprehensive list of general and specific keywords that apply to your topic, including the geographic location of study and constituency affected. View your work in its largest perspective.
  • Many terms in the educational funding world are used interchangeably. For example, a Graduate Fellowship at OSU may not be the same as a Graduate Fellowship at another institution. It is important to compare funding programs carefully so that you understand just what is being provided before you apply and/or accept funding. Be sure to read the fine print. When searching for funding on funding websites, be sure to use very broad terminology at first, then fine-tune as you review your search results.
  • Understand the partnerships between sponsors and funding recipients. There are two sides to the funding equation: scholars provide creativity and expertise, sponsors provide the dollars, and both are essential. Consider what sponsors expect in return for funding your work such as progress reports, presenting and publishing your results, or future service.
  • Understand the linkages. Make information seeking your first priority by identifying the sponsor's goals and ideologies, and then tailor your proposal to fit those goals. The corollary - you may want to research the grant market before you decide on a research topic.
  • Be resourceful. Draw upon the expertise of the faculty who regularly compete for funding. Have faculty, peers, and other professionals review the quality of your ideas and your proposal (including the presentation of it).
  • Success breeds success. Sponsors like to support recipients of other awards, no matter how small. Even small awards bring prestige, demonstrating your potential for success.
  • APPLY! You won't be funded without asking to be funded.

Resources at OSU

Resources Outside of OSU

The resources below can be used to locate scholarships and fellowships that may not be listed on the Graduate School website.

College Board Scholarship Search - A scholarship search engine provided by the College Board on their website. The site also includes information on standardized testing (these are the folks that make the SAT and AP exams), paying for college, and other college information. The url for the website is https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/scholarship-search

Pivot-COS Funding- Pivot-COS (COS) is the leading Internet site for the global R&D community. COS brings together the world's most prominent scientists and researchers at more than 1,300 universities, corporations, and government agencies worldwide. COS provides tools and services that enable these professionals to communicate, exchange information and find the people and technologies that are important to their work. Included in these tools is Pivot. Pivot is updated daily and contains more than 23,000 records, representing over 400,000 funding opportunities, worth over $33 billion.

UCLA Graduate School Fellowship database

Google Web Directory Scholarships - a list of websites indexed by the Google search engine that has to do with scholarships or scholarship searching. https://www.google.com/edu/scholarships/

GrantsNet - a searchable, continuously updated, a database of funding opportunities in biomedical research and science education. It contains programs that offer training and research funding for graduate and medical students, postdoctoral fellows, and junior faculty, as well as programs in science, math, engineering, and technology for undergraduate faculty and students. Special tools and resources will help you customize your search to quickly find the information you need, keep you up to date with the latest trends in research and education funding, and give you the inside scoop on how to write winning grant applications. http://www.grantsnet.com

National Science Foundation - The NSF funds research and education in science and engineering, through grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements. The Foundation accounts for about 20 percent of federal support to academic institutions for basic research. 

NASA Education Program - Annually, NASA offers a rich slate of enrichment and study opportunities for students and educators, ranging from grade school to post-doctorate levels. Program information and application forms can be located on the NASA Education Home Page For more information visit https://www.nasa.gov/learning-resources/internship-programs/.

IBP's Pathways to Science - IBP connects underrepresented students with STEM funding and research opportunities, and has provided faculty and administrators with tools and resources to help promote the positive factors that keep underrepresented students on the STEM pathway into successful STEM careers. We design and implement strategies to increase access to STEM education, funding, and careers, with special emphasis on diverse underrepresented groups.

Wired Scholar - Created by student loan organization Sallie Mae, this website provides lots of information on funding your college education. They also include a search engine for fellowships and scholarships on their site at http://www.wiredscholar.com/paying/scholarship_search/pay_scholarship_search.jsp.

 

The following page represent a large collection of national and global fellowships where students may apply directly to the granting organization or agency.

*NOTE - national and global scholarship availability, information, and resources are subject to change without notice

 

Multidisciplinary Fellowships

American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education, Inc.(AAHHE)

American Association of University Women Dissertation Fellowship - A national competition for women at the final stage of writing their dissertation.

American Indian Graduate Center - Offers graduate fellowships for American Indian and Alaska Native students from federally recognized US tribes.

Australia to US Fellowship - The American Australian Association awards individual Fellowships for advanced study in the United States of up to US$25,000 each year.

Blue Waters Fellowship - Blue Waters Graduate Fellowships provide Ph.D. students with a year of support. Applicants should be in the second or later year of their graduate program with a well-developed, related research proposal.

Canadian Studies Grant Program

EPA STAR Fellowship - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as part of its Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program, is offering Graduate Fellowships for master's and doctoral level students in environmental fields of study.

Ford Foundation Diversity Fellowships - These fellowships are designed to increase the diversity of the nation's college and university faculties by increasing their ethnic and racial diversity, to maximize the educational benefits of diversity, and to increase the number of professors who can and will use diversity as a resource for enriching the education of all students.

Hubert H. Humphrey Doctoral Fellowship - This fellowship is for doctoral dissertations related to arms control and disarmament issues in a wide range of academic disciplines.

Jacob K. Javits Fellowship Program

Kauffman Dissertation Fellowship Program

Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund - Educational grants to women from developing countries whose graduate studies and plans aim to benefit women and children in their respective regions.

Phi Kappa Phi Fellowship Program

Smithsonian Institution Fellowships

Spencer Foundation Dissertation Fellowship for Education Related Research - These fellowships support individuals whose dissertations show potential for bringing fresh and constructive perspectives to the history, theory, or practice of formal or informal education anywhere in the world.

TIAA-CREF Ruth Simms Hamilton Research Fellowship - These fellowships support graduate students with a grade point average (GPA) of 3.5 or higher (out of 4.0) who are researching topics related to African Diaspora and who have written an original, cutting edge research paper on an aspect of the African Diaspora.

The Supreme Court Fellows Program seeks outstanding individuals from diverse professions and academic backgrounds, including law, the social and behavioral sciences, public and business administration, systems research and analysis, communications, and the humanities.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Scholarship and Fellowship Applications

Williams College- Gaius Charles Bolin Dissertation Fellowships were designed to promote diversity on college faculties by encouraging able minority students to complete the doctoral degree and to pursue careers in college teaching. For more information, visit http://faculty.williams.edu/graduate-fellowships-2/graduate-fellowships/

The Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation - Founded in 1945, the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to the encouragement of excellence in education through the identification of critical needs and the development of effective national programs to address them.

Sciences and Engineering Fellowships

Academia Resource Management - Provides professional development through internship and fellowship programs for business, science, and engineering students, graduates, and faculty.

Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Home Page - Currently a total of 116 fellowships are awarded annually in seven fields: chemistry, computational and evolutionary molecular biology, computer science, economics, mathematics, neuroscience, and physics.

Amelia Earhart Fellowship Awards - provides annual grants for women in aerospace-related sciences and aerospace-related engineering.

American Indian Science & Engineering Society (AISES) - A national, nonprofit organization, AISES nurtures the building of community by bridging science and technology with traditional Native values. Offers scholarships in the following disciplines: science, engineering, and technology areas.

American Meteorological Society

American Public Power Association - awards scholarships each year as part of its DEED (Demonstration of Energy-Efficient Developments) Program. DEED also awards one Technical Design Project each year, which is intended to promote the involvement of students studying in energy-related disciplines.

The Association for Institutional Research (AIR) . Dissertation fellowships are available to doctoral students in all disciplines.

Bullitt Foundation - The Bullitt Foundation is offering the "Bullitt Environmental Leadership Fellowship" which is a two-year $50,000 award. This award is for graduate students who would like to pursue leadership positions in the environmental field. For more information, please visit the Bullitt Foundations's website:http://www.bullitt.org/programs/environmental-fellowship/.

EPA Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Fellowships for Graduate Environmental Study - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announces the posting of the Request for Applications, EPA Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Fellowships for Graduate Environmental Study with the goal of offering Graduate Fellowships for master’s and doctoral level students in environmental fields of study.

Fannie and John Hertz Foundation - supports graduate students working towards the Ph.D. degree in the fields of applied physics, applied chemistry, applied mathematics, applied modern biology and all areas of engineering.

Graduate Women in Science Grants-In-Aid - Sigma Delta Epsilon fellowships are open to women in biological and chemical sciences as well as all natural sciences. A stipend is available for research and research support (not tuition or travel).

Howard Hughes Medical Institute Predoctoral Fellowships in Biological Sciences - The fellowships are intended for students who have completed less than one year of graduate study in the biological sciences.

Hydro Research Foundation 2016 Research Awards Program - The Hydro Research Foundation is leading the Research Awards Program designed to stimulate new student research and academic interest in conventional or pumped storage hydropower.

IBM Scholars Ph.D. Fellowship Program - The IBM Ph.D. Fellowship Program is intended to honor exceptional Ph.D. students in disciplines of mutual interest, including: chemistry, computer science, electrical engineering, materials science, mathematics, mechanical engineering, and physics, as well as emerging technical fields, such as e-commerce, nanotechnology, and the computational sciences. 

Knauss Marine Policy Fellowships - provides a unique educational experience to students enrolled in graduate programs in fields related to marine or Great Lakes studies.

The Link Foundation - The Link Foundation is offering the Energy Fellowship Program to foster energy research; to enhance both the theoretical and practical knowledge and application of energy research; and to disseminate the results of that research through lectures, seminars, and publications.

NASA Graduate Student Researchers - NASA's Education Division Graduate Student Researchers Program is designed to help meet the continuing needs of the aeronautics and space effort by increasing the number of highly trained scientists and engineers in aerospace, space science, space applications and space technology.

National Center for Environmental Research and Quality Assurance - offers a variety of funding opportunities in the area of environmental study.

National Consortium for Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering and Science Fellowship Programs (GEM) - The National Consortium for Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering and Science, Inc. (GEM), a nonprofit organization, was formed in 1976 to increase the number of American Indian, African American, Latino, Puerto Rican, and other Hispanic Americans pursuing graduate degrees in engineering, physical science and natural science disciplines.

National Physical Science Consortium for Graduate Fellowships for Minorities and Women in the Physical Sciences

National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships - NSF’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) recognizes and supports individuals early in their graduate training in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields.

North Pacific Research Board - Awards support scientific and scholarly research that informs effective management and sustainable use of marine resources in North Pacific waters.

Office of Naval Reactors, Naval Nuclear Propulsion

Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Research Training Grants and Fellowships These fellowships are for individuals with or working on a research doctorate or for individuals with or working on a health-professional doctorate.

Semiconductor Research Corporation Graduate Fellowship - Open to students who: are US or Canadian citizens or have permanent resident status; are pursuing or planning to pursue a Ph.D. degree with research relevant to microelectronics under the guidance of an SRC-sponsored faculty member; will be performing research under an SRC-funded contract; are willing to provide a copy of their Ph.D. dissertation to the SRC.

SMART Scholarship/Fellowship Program - Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation Defense Scholarship/Fellowship Program (SMART) is designed for undergraduate and graduate students who are outstanding students in the Science, Technology and Engineering fields. 

Society of Women Engineers Graduate Scholarships - For women pursuing undergraduate or graduate degrees in the areas of engineering, engineering technology, and computer science.

UNCF·Merck Graduate Science Research Dissertation Fellowships - This fellowship is designed to help African-American graduate students complete course work, conduct research and prepare the dissertation for a doctoral degree in the biomedical life or physical sciences.

U.S. Department of Defense National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowships

U.S. Department of Energy

Office of Science Graduate Fellowship Program

Humanities and Social Sciences Fellowships

American Council of Learned Societies Fellowship and Grant Programs

Andrew Mellon Foundation - The Andrew W. Mellon Fellowships in Humanities are designed to support exceptionally promising students as they pursue advanced study in the disciplines of the humanities.

Congressional Black Caucus Fellows Program - Offers opportunities for students to learn about all aspects of the legislative process.

K. Patricia Cross Future Leaders Award - The K. Patricia Cross Future Leaders Award recognizes graduate students who show exemplary promise as future leaders of higher education; who demonstrate a commitment to developing academic and civic responsibility in themselves and others; and whose work reflects a strong emphasis on teaching and learning.

International Dissertation Field Research Fellowship (IDRF) - The Social Science Research Council and the American Council of Learned Societies offer the IDRF program, which is designed to support graduate students in the humanities and social sciences conducting dissertation field research in all areas and regions of the world.

James Madison Fellowships - For future and current secondary school teachers. Awards for up to two years leading to an MA or MS in history, political science, or social studies, or to an MS in Education in history, government, political science, or social studies.

Mellon Fellowships for Dissertation Research in the Humanities in Original Sources - The Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) is pleased to offer fellowships funded by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for dissertation research in the humanities in original sources.

Charlotte W. Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellowships - Fellowships designed to encourage the original and significant study of ethical or religious values in all fields of the humanities and social sciences.

National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowships - Fellowships supports individuals pursuing advanced research in the humanities that contributes to scholarly knowledge or the general public's understanding of the humanities.

National Institute of Justice Graduate Research Fellowship - This fellowship provides dissertation research support to outstanding doctoral students undertaking independent research on issues in crime and justice.

The Ph.D. Project - The Ph.D. Project began its mission in 1994 to increase the diversity of business school faculty by attracting African-Americans, Hispanic-Americans and Native Americans to business doctoral programs, and providing a network of peer support throughout the programs.

Radcliffe Institute Advanced Study - Offers fellowships designed to support scholars, scientists, artists, activists, and writers of exceptional promise and demonstrated accomplishment who wish to pursue independent work in academic and professional fields and in the creative arts.

Mary Isabel Sibley Fellowship

Social Science Research Council Fellowships - The SSRC sponsors fellowship and grant programs on a wide range of topics, and across many different career stages. Most support goes to predissertation, dissertation, and postdoctoral fellowships, offered through annual competitions.

Spencer Foundation Dissertation Fellowship for Education Related Research - These fellowships support individuals whose dissertations show potential for bringing fresh and constructive perspectives to the history, theory, or practice of formal or informal education anywhere in the world.

Swann Foundation Fellowship in Caricature and Cartoon - The Swann Foundation awards one fellowship annually to assist ongoing scholarly research and writing projects in the field of caricature and cartoon.

Sylff Graduate Fellowships for International Research - Graduate Fellowships for International Research are supported by an endowment to the Oregon University System (OUS) that established the Ryoichi Sasakawa Young Leaders Fellowship Fund (Sylff).

U.S. Department of Education - offers a wide variety of funding opportunities.

The Woodrow Wilson Dissertation Fellowships in Women's Health - The Woodrow Wilson - Johnson & Johnson Dissertation Fellowships in Women's Health encourage original and significant research about women that crosses disciplinary, regional, or cultural boundaries.

National and Global Scholarships Advising supports undergraduate and graduate students and alumni who wish to explore these possibilities. The website includes tips and links for students and faculty advisors interested in preparing scholarship applications, a list of the scholarship programs that require applicants to be nominated by the university, links to application materials, and deadlines. You will also find a list of scholarships students may apply to directly, without a nomination from the university, and links to additional information. Select opportunities include:

  • Boren Fellowships: Fund research and language study proposals by U.S. graduate students in world regions critical to U.S. interests. Designed to give graduate students maximum flexibility to pursue their academic goals alongside their study of the target language. Language study throughout the duration of the grant may be supplemented with any or all of the following activities: academic internship, classroom study, research. Maximum awards are determined by duration abroad: Up to $25,000 for 25-52 weeks (preferred), up to $12,500 for 12-24 weeks, up to $12,000 for domestic language study (optional). Please contact OSU Boren representative LeAnn Adam at [email protected] for application support. 
  • The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) - The CHCI Graduate Fellowship Program (GFP) seeks to enhance participants’ leadership abilities, strengthen professional skills, and produce more competent and competitive Latino professionals. This nine-month paid program offers exceptions Latinos, who have earned at least a master's degree within three years of the program start date, unparalleled exposure to hands-on experience in the following public policy areas: Education, Housing, Health, Law, STEM. For more information: http://www.chci.org/
  • Critical Language Scholarships: Awards for 8-10 weeks of fully funded overseas foreign language instruction and cultural enrichment experience in 15 critical-need languages for U.S. students in higher education. Undergraduate and graduate students eligible. No previous language study required for Azerbaijani, Bangla, Hindi, Indonesian, Persian, Punjabi, Swahili, Turkish and Urdu. One year of previous language study required for Arabic, Korean, Russian and Portuguese. Two years of previous language study required for Chinese and Japanese. Deadline is November annually for language institutes the following summer.  Please contact OSU CLS representative LeAnn Adam at [email protected] for application support.
  • Fulbright U.S. Student Program - Provides fully-funded grants for individually designed study/research projects or for English Teaching Assistant Programs in over 140 countries to recent graduates and graduate students. All academic and professional fields. The program facilitates cultural exchange through direct interaction on an individual basis in the classroom, field, and home, allowing the grantee to gain an appreciation of others’ viewpoints and beliefs. Campus endorsement is required. Please visit OSU National and Global Scholarships Advising for updated OSU Fulbright application information, or email LeAnn Adam at [email protected].
  • Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship: Provides grants to colleges and universities to fund individual doctoral students who conduct research in other countries, in modern foreign languages and area studies for periods of six to 12 months. To find out if you are eligible, please refer to the following website: http://www.ed.gov/programs/iegpsddrap/contacts.html
  • Humboldt Research Fellowship Program - The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation was established by the Federal Republic of Germany to promote international cooperation in research. The Humboldt Research Fellowship Program supports highly qualified post-doctoral scholars of all nationalities and disciplines so that they may carry out long-term research projects in Germany.
  • National Nuclear Security Administration - The National Nuclear Security Administration's (NNSA) Nonproliferation Graduate Fellowship Program is a highly specialized program that provides unique hands-on experience to prepare exceptional graduate students for a career in nuclear nonproliferation or national security. The 12-month, full-time, salary-plus-benefits fellowships focus on NNSA programs designed to detect, prevent, and reverse the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Applicants must be a U.S. citizen eligible for a high-level security clearance. Desirable academic specializations include: International Relations; Security Studies; Nonproliferation Studies; Political Science; Public Administration; Economics; plus a foreign language. Applications are accepted through late October, and fellowship terms begin the following June. Visit http://ngfp.pnnl.gov to learn more and apply
  • Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program - The PMF Program is a great leadership training ground, whether prospective students want a career in public service or elsewhere. Those ultimately selected as Finalists seek appointments as PMFs (Fellows). PMFs perform valuable service to the American people while jump-starting their careers, and get full salary and benefits as well as challenging assignments, formal professional training, rotations to other agencies, feedback on their work plus an opportunity to make government run more efficiently.