Fellowships

If you are a junior or a senior, you might be thinking about what comes next. Here we will walk you through some important steps and information as you consider what to do after college. Thorough review of this page and relevant, linked resources is required before meeting with a URAF advisor for a 1:1 appointment. As questions come up, please contact URAF advisors via fellowships@fas.harvard.edu. We look forward to working with you!

Step 1: Think deeply about who you are and what you would value spending time on.

We recommend that you start by understanding yourself, before trying to understand what the options are out there. What would you value spending time, effort, and money on in the weeks, months, or years following graduation? Is there something you haven't been able to do? Something you want to do even more or investigate more deeply? A place you want to explore? People you want to work with? Having conversations with yourself, your family, friends, and mentors will help you gain clarity here.

Step 1 Actions:

• Talk about your future and your interests with your support system.
• Make a list of your interests, goals, characteristics and skills.

Step 2: Build your understanding of the postgraduate funding landscape.

You may already have a list of the things you think you should apply to. Don't let a pre-conceived list limit you or force you into applying to things that might not align as well with what you want. Now is the time to explore all the options that are out there, in a preliminary way, while making note of eligibility criteria and deadlines. Get familiar with the general tasks and timelines associated with applying to these opportunities to set yourself up for not only success but also minimal stress.

Step 2 Actions:

• Review URAF's recording: Introduction to Postgraduate Fellowships.
• Understand the difference between internal, external, and endorsement.
• Review URAF's opportunities directory and filter by postgraduate opportunities.
• Create a list of opportunities that interest you.

Step 3: Cross reference your goals, interests, characteristics and skills with those of each opportunity of interest.

Understanding where an opportunity does and does not overlap with your skills, goals, and interests will help you decide if you should apply. More than that, the clear and strong ties you identify between an opportunity and yourself can become the basis of a strong application. Know that you should be matching opportunities to yourself, and not the other way around.  It is normal not to be sure if you clearly match with an opportunity. That's where your support system comes in. It may be time to shift your conversations with your support system to focus on deciding whether a specific opportunity is right for you.

Step 3 Actions:

• Review recordings and other resource material for each opportunity of interest.
• Create a list of purposes, eligibility, and criteria for each opportunity of interest.
• Find where items on that list match your own goals, interests, characteristics, and skills. Make sure to save this information for reference while applying.
• Seek advising from URAF, House Fellowships Tutors, and mentors.

Step 4: Build your applications.

Now it's time to translate all the hard work you've done through introspection, research, and analysis to paper (electronic or hard copy!). Make note of all the various application components required for each opportunity of interest. In whichever way is most comfortable to you, begin to draft those essays, answer those questions, list those activities, compose those resumes, and whatever else is asked of you! The more weeks you save in your timeline to work on this step, the less stressful it will be.

Step 4 Actions:

• List out the applications components for each opportunity of interest, including the instructions specific for each component.
• Draft your responses and other application materials.
• Continue to seek advising from URAF, House Fellowships Tutors, and mentors. 

Step 5: Practice patience and good communication, and celebrate!

Applying to postgraduate opportunities will feel like a marathon, not a sprint. You'll be working on various components of applications for weeks only just to submit one application and turn back around and start work on another. There are very few points of this process that you can rush. The whole process takes patience, consistency, dedication, organization, coordination and persistence. You may find out you have one opportunity in hand and need to decide on it before figuring out where you stand with another opportunity. This is normal; sometimes it can be frustrating (even exhausting!), but it is an important part of postgraduate life. Sometimes you just have to make the best decision you can with the information you have at hand!

Step 5 actions:

• Patience: Programs will not always have an update for you when you ask for them. This is normal and doesn't necessarily mean anything.
• Communication: If a program is asking you for a response on an application clarification or an offer, respond ASAP!
• Celebrate! Every submission and acceptance is worthy of celebration. Find something that makes you feel good when you have a win, big or small. We know it takes time and effort navigating these challenging opportunities.