So You're Interested in a Fellowship? Read On...

Excellent! I approve. Now do something about it.

Almost always a student needs to take the initiative in order to get a fellowship. The only time this is not true is if the department offers you one in your graduate acceptance letter.

Why should you look for fellowships?

1. They usually pay you more than a teaching or research assistantship.
2. They look very, very good on your resume, ultimately helping you to get a better job.
3. They give you flexibility to work on your own projects, not your advisor's.
4. The university often can supplement the benefits.
5. They often come with perks such as travel money, free hardware/software, good academic/industry contacts, and invitations to exclusive events.
6. They improve your chances for research assistantships once your fellowship ends.
7. They potentially free a research assistantship for another student while you are paid from elsewhere---this makes friends of other students who now can get RA funding.

So how do you do it?

Look on my homepage (and elsewhere) for a list of some possible fellowships. Check the application deadlines (typically October through January). Fill them out. Talk to me, talk to other faculty members, talk to lots of people to figure out how to best describe yourself in the application. Besides, you will probably need letters of recommendation, anyway. If people do not know you, it shows up in the letters and reduces your chances. Talk to faculty members!

Submit your application.

Wait. (Do research while waiting.)

Celebrate! (Or try again.)

Last Modified: Friday, November 11, 2005

Chris Wyman (cwyman@cs.uiowa.edu)