- Which applications require the GRE? Most major fellowships require the general and sometimes subject area test. Students applying to graduate school should take the GRE anyway. Generally speaking, Churchill, DOD, Ford, Hertz, and NSF all require the general test. Always check the most recent bulletin and/or call the fellowship agency to find out. A visit to the fellowship's website might also provide answers. It is recommended that you register and take the test early enough in order to have the reported scores by the fellowship’s deadline. For more information, visit the GRE website at www.ets.org.
- Where can I get a certificate of good health? McCosh Health Center will provide this service, but do not wait until the last minute to make an appointment. If the fellowship application provides you with a form to fill out, use that form!
- Where can I get passport photos? Should I get color or black and white? Any photo shop in Princeton does passport photos, as well as CVS. If the application will be xeroxed after you submit it (the Luce, for example), you should get black and white. If you are submitting multiple copies of an application (like the Churchill), color photos are preferable. If you can only get one or the other, do not worry about it. Please check the application. The fellowship organization may or may not require a photo of a specific size.
- May I handwrite my applications? Fellowship applications must be typed, word processed or completed online, regardless of how neat your handwriting is. We recommend that you apply online if appropriate or word-process the application if possible. Proofread carefully. If needed, a typewriter is available on the second floor of the Princeton Public Library on Witherspoon Street. Anyone operating it must be familiar with using a typewriter because library staff are not able to offer assistance in its use. You can also ask your department or residential college if a typewriter is available for your use.
- Where do I submit my application(s)? Check the instructions on this website.
- How many copies of my application should I submit? Check the instructions on the application and follow them! Remember to sign your application in the designated space. An application may require you to sign each copy individually.
- Where should my recommenders send their letters? What happens if they do not arrive on time? Again, check the instructions on the form. They must arrive on time in order to ensure consideration. Provide addressed and stamped envelopes, offer to pick up and mail and/or hand deliver letters, and call your recommenders before the letter is due to confirm that your recommenders remember the deadline. A recommendation that arrives via e-mail will not have a signature. Therefore, this method of delivery is not acceptable. Faxing a letter of recommendation is discouraged. The applicant is responsible for contacting the recommender and having the letter re-sent, if necessary, or for finding another recommender.
- Most of the fellowships listed in this Fellowship Guide are only open to U.S. citizens. If you are not a U.S. citizen, what are your options? The Dale and Sachs invite non-U.S. citizens to apply. With stipulations, the Labouisse, ReachOut56-81, Rhodes, and Rotary are also open to citizens of other countries. A permanent resident may apply for the Hertz and NSF, and a naturalized resident or child of naturalized parents may apply for the Merage and Soros. All citizens of all countries, except the U.K., can apply for the Gates. Canadians should also look into the Trudeau at www.trudeaufoundation.ca/. Consult the applications for specific information on eligibility. You may also want to contact the fellowship office at a university in your country to get information about other opportunities.
In addition, the National Association of Fellowships Advisors’ (NAFA) website is a useful resource for funding opportunities open to non-U.S. citizens. These external sites related to prestigious scholarships and awards that may be helpful to you is located on the NAFA website at www.nafadvisors.org/resources.htm.
- If I need several copies of my transcript for an application, do they all need to be originals?
No. It is usually acceptable to submit one original of a transcript and photocopies thereafter. You can order a Princeton transcript online at http://registrar.princeton.edu/student-services/transcript/. As you know, grades from courses taken elsewhere do not appear on the Princeton transcript. If you think that you might apply for several fellowships, you should contact ALL the institutions, including summer course work, where you have taken courses. Request transcripts well in advance of the fellowship application deadline.
