Nationally Competitive Fellowships

The Office of Fellowships offers services to help students gain a competitive edge in the application process and grow personally from the experience of applying to a nationally competitive fellowship. Typically, fellowships fund study, research, or teaching in the U.S. or abroad. These awards are competitive and are awarded to students who are energetic and high-achieving, with the potential to make significant contributions for the public good. Additional assets include: high GPAs; service-learning courses or meaningful volunteer experience; honors courses (and other rigorous coursework); research experience; studying abroad; leadership and participation in campus and community activities.

Below is a list of awards to which the fellowships office recommends high-achieving students apply. Scholarship and fellowship opportunities below are organized by year students should apply. Please note, though you might apply during your junior year for a fellowship, you should begin preparing to apply before that time. It is never too early to begin thinking about which award(s) would best fit your academic and professional goals.

In the tables below, the following headings should be translated as such:

• Campus start: this is the date by which you should contact the fellowships office that you are interested in applying for the fellowship/scholarship during the appropriate year.

• Campus decision: this is the date by which you will need to submit your final application to the fellowships office to be reviewed and determined if you will be one of the candidates for the fellowship from Wayne State University.

• Scholarship deadline: this is the external deadline for the fellowship. If you are chosen as a candidate from WSU, you will need to submit your application by this date to the fellowship/scholarship website (following the directions laid out on the respective pages).

Sophomore+

Boren Scholarships (undergraduate)

Boren Scholarships provide undergraduate students with the resources and encouragement they need to acquire skills and experiences in areas of the world critical to the future security of our nation, in exchange for their commitment to seek work in the federal government. The program funds up to $25,000 to study abroad in areas of the world that are critical to U.S. interests and underrepresented in study abroad, including Africa, Asia, Central & Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin American, and the Middle East.

For more information, please visit the Boren Awards website.

Critical Language Scholarship

The Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program is an intensive overseas language and cultural immersion program for American students enrolled at U.S. colleges and universities. Students spend eight to ten weeks abroad studying one of 15 critical languages. The program includes intensive language instruction and structured cultural enrichment experiences designed to promote rapid language gains.

For more information, please visit the Critical Language Scholarship website.

Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship

The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program offers grants, of up to $5,000, for U.S. citizen undergraduate students of limited financial means to pursue academic studies or credit-bearing, career-oriented internships abroad.

For more information, please visit the Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship website.

Junior

Barry Goldwater Scholarship

Created to alleviate a critical current and future shortage of highly qualified scientists, mathematicians, and engineers and to provide a continuing source of highly qualified individuals to those fields of academic study and research. This award can be used at any accredited institution for a maximum of two years.

For more information, please visit the Barry Goldwater Scholarship website.

Harry S. Truman Scholarship

The Truman Scholarship is a $30,000 grant awarded to undergraduate students who wish financial support to attend graduate school in preparation for careers in government, the non-profit sector or elsewhere in public service.

For more information, please visit the Harry S. Truman Scholarship website.

Udall Foundation Scholarship

The Udall Foundation awards scholarships to college sophomores and juniors for leadership, public service, and commitment to issues related to Native American nations or to the environment. The scholarship awards up to $7,000 per grantee.

For more information, please visit the Udall Foundation Scholarship website.

Senior

Boren Fellowship (graduate)

Boren Fellowships are open to graduating seniors and current graduate students to apply for funding for a study abroad program in areas of the world that are critical to U.S. national security interests. The primary aim of the Boren Fellowship is for its recipients to develop critical language skills that prepare them to complete at least one year of work in the federal government. Fellows are awarded up to $25,000.

For more information, please visit the Boren Awards website.

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: James C. Gaither Junior Fellows Program

The James C. Gaither Junior Fellows program, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace offers approximately 12-14 one-year fellowships to uniquely qualified graduating seniors and individuals who have graduated during the past academic year. They are selected from a pool of nominees nominated by several hundred participating universities and colleges. James C. Gaither Junior Fellows work as research assistants to Carnegie's senior scholars. 

For more information, please visit the James C Gaither Junior Fellows website.

Fulbright Program

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program offers six to twelve-month opportunities for students and young professionals to undertake international graduate study, advanced research, university teaching, and primary and secondary school teaching worldwide.

For more information, please visit the Fulbright Program Scholarship website.

Gates Cambridge Scholarship

The Gates Cambridge Scholarship seeks scholars who will become leaders in helping to address global problems related to health, equity, and technology.  Successful applicants will have the ability to make a significant contribution to their discipline while in Cambridge, with a strong aptitude for research, analysis and a creative approach to defining and solving problems.

For more information, please visit the Gates Cambridge Scholarship website.

Marshall Scholarships

Marshall Scholarships finance young Americans of high ability to study for a one to two-year degree in the United Kingdom. Up to fifty Scholars are selected each year to study at graduate level at an UK institution in any field of study.

For more information, please visit the Marshall Scholarships website.

The George J. Mitchell Scholarship

The Mitchell Scholarship is designed to introduce and connect future American leaders to the island of Ireland, while recognizing and fostering academic excellence, leadership, and a commitment to public service. Scholars receive funding for one academic year of graduate study at a university in Ireland or Northern Ireland.

For more information, please visit the Mitchell Scholarship website.

Payne International Development Fellowship

The USAID Donald M. Payne International Development Graduate Fellowship Program seeks to attract outstanding young people who are interested in pursuing careers in the Foreign Service of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). If you want to work on the front lines of some of the most pressing global challenges of our times — poverty, hunger, injustice, disease, environmental degradation, climate change, conflict and violent extremism – the Foreign Service of the U.S. Agency for International Development provides an opportunity to advance U.S. foreign policy interests and reflect the American people's compassion and support of human dignity. The Payne Fellowship, which provides up to $90,000 in benefits over two years for graduate school, internships, and professional development activities, provides a unique pathway to the USAID Foreign Service.

For more information, please visit the Payne International Development Fellowship website.

Rangel International Affairs Program

The Rangel Program offers graduate fellowships to outstanding seniors and college graduates who want to join the Foreign Service. These fellowships help finance two-year graduate programs, provide two summer internships, mentoring from a Foreign Service Officer, and other professional development activities.

For more information, please visit the Rangel International Affairs Program website.

Rhodes Scholarships

Rhodes Scholars are elected for two years of study at the University of Oxford, with the possibility of renewal for a third year. All educational costs, such as matriculation, tuition, laboratory and certain other fees, are paid on the Scholar's behalf by the Rhodes Trustees.

For more information, please visit the Rhodes Scholarship website.

Schwarzman Scholars 

Schwarzman Scholars receive fully-funded, one-year, master's program at Tsinghua University in Beijing. The program is designed to build a global community of future leaders who will serve to deepen understanding between China and the rest of the world.

For more information, please visit the Schwarzman Scholars website.

Next steps: Pre-application form

To begin the process of applying to one of these fellowships, please complete the pre-application form found by clicking the button below. You will need the names of 5-8 potential references, a 2-page CV, a 1,000 word personal statement, and a 500 word research statement in order to complete the form.

Pre-application form

After completing it, someone from the Office of Fellowships will be in touch with you.

Please email fellowships@wayne.edu if you have any questions.

Office of Fellowships Team