Application Help
Choosing to apply for an award, no matter how small, is a big decision. Suddenly you have personal statements to write, recommendation letters to request, and interviews with selection committees.
While it may seem overwhelming, applying for an award is a great way to not only enhance your education, but also to learn a lot about yourself. By exploring the attributes that make you the best candidate for a particular award, you have the opportunity to examine your past accomplishments and focus your future goals.
Use the resources on the left to provide advice on the various stages of the application process.
Tips and a basic strategy for structuring your scholarship and fellowship search and application process:
- Thoroughly read about each of the awards that you are interested in pursuing. After an in-depth investigation, you may end up choosing a few that best fit your future goals and profile. For some students this takes a lot of thought. Others know exactly what they want.
- Be able to state exactly why each opportunity appeals to you.
- Organize a list/table of what you need for each.
- Begin a rough outline of required essays and statements. The best proposals and statements are the ones that clearly demonstrate that the candidate has focus, which takes a lot of consideration and time to develop. If the deadline is not in the following academic year, you have an advantage if you begin now to get your thoughts and ideas down.
- Collect any required documents that will not be out of date by the application deadline (e.g., high school transcripts).
- Give careful thought about the best people to ask for recommendation letters.
- If you choose a prestigious scholarship, it has a campus representative. Arrange appointments with them in addition to the Fellowships Advisor. By establishing a working relationship with both the campus rep and the fellowship advisor, you can strengthen your application.
- Make an appointment with the Fellowships Advisor, Judy Zang (jzang@cmu.edu), to discuss your choices and future preparation.
- Not all available opportunities are listed on this website. Visit the FSO office for additional guidance and information.
