Cornell University

Office of National Fellowships

Find a Fellowship

Exploration Tips

Plan ahead

Time management is important for fellowship applications, both short-term and long-term. You can learn more about time management and presentation support from the Learning Strategies Center. You can also self-enroll in the Learning Strategies Center's Canvas module on Time Management.  

There is not one way to prepare for a fellowship, as it is a next step that can grow out of many interests and lead to lots of different paths. Similarly, there is not one way to prepare a fellowship application, as each person has a different way of approaching the process. Below are some suggestions for how to begin and navigate a fellowship application. 

Get Curious

Read the newspaper. Be interested in everything. Fellowships typically invest in people who are curious about the world and knowledgeable about what is happening around them. 

Hone Your Communication Skills

Every fellowship has a written component. Make sure you practice communicating clearly and thoughtfully in different contexts. The Writing Center is an excellent resource to get acquainted with. 

Get to Know the World

Study abroad. Study a foreign language. Become an international student mentor. Make friends with people from different countries and backgrounds than your own. Attend cultural events on campus. There is no one way to engage beyond your comfort zone, but pursue opportunities to do so.

Explore

Seek out opportunities related to your major(s) and future goals. These can include research, internships, graduate level coursework, special seminars, or conferences.

Find Mentors

You are going to need people to write letters of recommendations. Get to know faculty during their office hours. It's also great to build ties and connections with advanced students, grad students, postdocs, and staff members. 

Cultivate Resilience

Sometimes things don't work out the way you hope they will. Just keep in mind that failure can lead to future successes. Dust yourself off and try again. Fellowship review committees are not looking for people who don’t fail. They are looking for people who fail, pick themselves up and continue the journey to learn and contribute. 

Explore Fellowship Options

See what kinds of fellowships are out there and think about when you might apply. Stop into the Office of National Fellowships for a walk-in or brief appointment. We’re always glad to see you.  

Make Time for Regular Reflection

Once a semester, spend some time writing or thinking deeply about what matters most to you. Where are you headed? Why are you engaging in the activities you have chosen? What problems in the world do you most want to solve? Take the extra step to write down what you have accomplished, learning moments, moments of challenge and people who inspired or supported you.

Search for Opportunities

Below you will find links to a number of fellowships databases to start your search. Our staff are able to support you in an application to most of the fellowships that you will find on any of these sites with a few caveats. Fulbright is advised by the Einaudi Center. We are not able to support applications for doctoral or post-doctoral fellowships.

View the Toolkit →

Keep in mind that some fellowships you find here have only national deadlines while others have both a campus deadline and a national deadline. The campus deadlines are generally specific to fellowships and scholarships where Cornell is given a set number of available spots and nominees need to be determined through a campus committee review process. For fellowships with a campus deadline, submission of all application materials (including letters of recommendation, transcripts, etc.) is required by the campus deadline, which is earlier than the national deadline. Check the individual fellowship descriptions below for submission requirements for each application.

Fellowships that require an endorsement are: Rhodes, Marshall, McCall-MacBain, Michel David-Weill, Churchill, Keasbey, Carnegie Gaither Fellows, Goldwater, Truman, St. Andrew's, Udall, and Beinecke.

Additional Fellowship Databases:

Resources for International & Study Abroad Students:

Additional Resources: