Students looking for guidance on how to request letters of recommendation, write personal statements, and engage in successful interviews should review the following websites. We also encourage students to contact their Fellowship Advisor if they have any questions.

Asking for Letters of Recommendation

Letters of recommendation are one of the most important components of any fellowship application. Selection committees rely on faculty, staff, and previous employers to provide a detailed portrait of your accomplishments and character. When should I request letters from my recommenders? What materials and information should I provide?  For further reading on how to request and secure letters of recommendation, please refer to the following articles:

The Personal Statement

Many fellowship applications will require you to submit a personal statement. Think of it as a self-portrait that concisely depicts you as a person, a scholar, and an applicant. How do you write an effective personal statement? What writing styles and content work best? How do you effectively coordinate your personal statement's content with that of your letters of recommendation?  For further reading on how to write personal statements, please refer to the following articles:

Tips for Interviewing

Interviewing can be an intimidating part of the application process, but it does not have to be. Interviews allow selection committees to place a face and personality to your application. They also offer you an opportunity to expound on the contents of your application and proposal. How do you prepare for a fellowship interview? What kinds of questions can you expect to answer? What can you do to make the interview as natural as possible? For further reading on successful interviewing, please refer to the following articles: