Fellowships: funded programs for students and graduates

Fellowship or scholarship?

The names overlap: the Rhodes Scholarship funds graduate study, while some government scholarships are called fellowships. What matters is what the award pays and what it expects from you.

In American universities, a graduate fellowship usually means funding that pays a stipend, and often tuition, without teaching or other work in return, as opposed to an assistantship, where you teach or work on a research project in exchange for your funding.

Fellowship programs by career stage

Fellowships for undergraduate students. Mostly paid summer research programmes and lab internships, at home or abroad. They're short, but they help with a later application for a funded master's or PhD.

Master's fellowships. Fewer than at other stages. A few government and foundation programmes fund master's degrees under the name of fellowship, but most master's funding is called a scholarship: see our master's scholarships page.

PhD fellowships. Graduate and doctoral fellowships fund all or part of a PhD, from national programmes such as the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship in the USA to company-funded fellowships in computing. See PhD and research fellowships.

Postdoctoral fellowships. Funding for researchers with a doctorate to run their own project, usually at a host institution of their choice. The Marie Skłodowska-Curie and Humboldt fellowships are among the best known: the European Commission and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation publish their rules. See postdoctoral fellowships.

Professional and policy fellowships. For people already working: leadership programmes, mid-career study and placements in government or international organisations. Examples include the Humphrey Fellowship and the Mandela Washington Fellowship. See professional and policy fellowships.

What paid fellowships cover

A funded fellowship can pay any of these:

• a stipend or salary for living costs;
• tuition, when the fellowship includes a degree;
• research costs, conference travel and equipment;
• travel to the host country, health insurance and, sometimes, an allowance for a partner or children.

Fully funded fellowships cover living costs for the whole period. Some, especially in Europe, employ the fellow on a contract with social security, as the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions require, with rare exceptions. Others pay a stipend without social security, which can leave the fellow to arrange health insurance and a pension. Read what each one pays before comparing amounts.

How to spot a fake or pay-to-join fellowship

The word "fellowship" is also used by programmes that charge their participants. A funded fellowship pays you; it doesn't charge a participation fee. Be wary of a programme that guarantees acceptance, asks for payment after you're selected, or doesn't say who funds it. A small application fee, which some universities charge, is a different thing, but the fellowship itself should come with money, not a bill.

How to apply for a fellowship

Most fellowship applications ask for:

1. A project or a statement of what you'll do during the fellowship and why it matters.
2. A CV and, for research fellowships, your publications or other research output.
3. References, usually two or three, from people who know your work.
4. A host's agreement, for research fellowships: a supervisor or institution that will take you on. Some fellowships are submitted by the host institution on your behalf.

Many also include an interview. Funders publish the criteria their reviewers score against: write to those criteria, in the funder's own terms.

Frequently asked questions

Is a fellowship better than a scholarship?

Neither is better in itself. A fellowship usually pays more towards living costs and adds a project or programme, while a scholarship focuses on paying for your degree. Compare what each one covers and what it asks of you.

Do fellows get paid?

In a funded fellowship, yes: a stipend or a salary for the length of the fellowship. How much depends on the country, the funder and your career stage. Each fellowship in the search above shows what it pays.

Can international students apply for fellowships?

Many fellowships are open to any nationality; others are only for citizens or permanent residents of one country, such as the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship in the USA. Add your nationality to the search to see the ones you can apply for.

What is the difference between a fellowship and an internship?

An internship is work experience in an organisation, paid or not. A fellowship is a funded award, usually competitive, that pays you to study, research or take part in a programme. Some paid research internships for students are called fellowships.