Welcome
The Office of Fellowships advises Wayne State students and alumni in all stages of exploring and applying for nationally competitive fellowships and other externally funded, high-impact opportunities that fuel academic and professional enrichment across fields.
From exploring opportunities and strategizing about fit to providing feedback that helps you strengthen your application materials, we’re looking forward to connecting with you!
What is a fellowship?
"Fellowship" is a term that’s applied to a wide variety of externally funded opportunities that accelerate scholarly and professional development, increasing an individual’s capacity for impact. Fellowships can be short-term (a week, a summer) or longer-term (a year or several), local or international, and can support all kinds of activities ranging from graduate study to research, foreign language study, public service activities and beyond!
In addition to funding, a fellowship typically includes developmental programming and networking opportunities which set it apart from a typical scholarship or internship. Fellowships also tend to require a more extensive application process, including multiple essays and letters of recommendation, which the Office of Fellowships helps applicants navigate.
Even if a student does not receive the fellowships they applied for, those who actively engage in a fellowship application process frequently report that they gained quite a lot from the experience. These applications provide unique opportunities for active self-reflection – inviting applicants to clarify their goals and articulate their vision – as well as iterative writing and interviewing practice, all of which are highly transferrable to applications for future academic and career pursuits.
Find fellowships
With so many fellowships to consider, how do we begin narrowing to opportunities that could best support you and your goals? As you begin to explore options, keep the following factors in mind:
- EXPLORE a wide range of fellowship opportunities on this website
- JOIN our Canvas page (enroll here) to access additional resources and to receive our announcements in your email
- SCHEDULE a fellowships advising appointment through STARS
Eligibility – CAN you apply? Factors can include:
- Citizenship
- GPA
- Age
- Graduation timeline
- Financial need
- Field of study
Fit – SHOULD you apply? Factors can include:
- Does this opportunity align with your professional and/or academic goals?
- What issues matter most to you? Could this opportunity help you address them?
- What’s emphasized in the selection criteria? Does it resonate?
- Does the opportunity correspond with your priorities regarding timeline and location?
If you’re eligible and it’s a good fit, we encourage you to apply! Don’t self-select out – after all, you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. That said, if you’re going to apply, plan to put time and energy into the process. Fellowships represent a major investment in you; first, you must invest in yourself by putting together a strong application that you’re proud of.