Advice for Applicants

Beginning the process

• Do your research early
• In addition to searching web sites for appropriate scholarships/fellowships, speak to faculty in your field of interest and contact professional organizations in your desired discipline and cultural groups
• Check your local library for resources including "The Grants Register"
• Additional information on the graduate school application process can be found at the Career Services Graduate/Professional School site

Familiarize yourself with all criteria for the specific scholarship before you apply

• Note all deadlines, letters, and essays
• If your qualifications do not match, don’t waste time applying
• Scholarship applications can be time consuming
• Time is better spent concentrating on a limited number of well-constructed applications
• The more you organize and plan ahead, the better your prospects

Ask for recommendations from faculty who know you and your work

Ask early to give them sufficient time

Make a copy of the original application and use it as a draft before completing the final application

Proofread everything and double check punctuation and spelling

Be sure the essay addresses all questions required by the scholarship/fellowship

Ask another individual to review

On the essay, be clear, make an impact, and when possible, demonstrate your points with examples

• Note how to build a strong essay such as Lewis & Clark College's site
• Note the sample essay sites of scholarship award winners such as Boston University

Make a copy of the final application for your records before submitting it to your committee (when Providence College nomination required) or the scholarship directly