Prestigious Fellowships and Scholarships
Arthur Liman Public Interest Summer Fellowship
The Liman Summer Fellowship gives juniors and seniors the opportunity to work at substantive summer internships in the field of public interest law/social justice.
Arthur Liman Public Interest Summer Fellowship
Astronaut Scholarship
Scholarships are awarded to students seeking a STEM degree with intentions to pursue research or advance their field upon completion of their final degrees. Sophomores and juniors who plan to conduct research during their junior and/or senior semesters are eligible to apply.
Barry Goldwater Scholarship
The Barry Goldwater Foundation awards scholarships to college students who are in their sophomore or junior term and intend to pursue research careers in the natural sciences, mathematics, and engineering.
Beinecke Scholarship Program
Scholarships are awarded for the graduate education of young men and women of exceptional promise, to pursue opportunities available to them and to be courageous in the selection of a graduate course of study in the arts, humanities and social sciences.
Harry S. Truman Scholarship
The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation supports the graduate education and professional development of outstanding young people committed to public service leadership. Applicants should demonstrate an extensive record of campus and community service, a high probability of becoming a "change agent," and a strong academic record.
Udall Undergraduate Scholarship
The Udall Foundation awards scholarships to college sophomores and juniors for leadership, public service, and commitment to issues related to Native American nations or the environment.
Udall Undergraduate Scholarship
United Negro College Fund (UNCF) Achievement Capstone Scholarship
The United Negro College Fund (UNCF) Achievement Capstone Scholarship Program honors graduating seniors whose record of undergraduate accomplishment, both within education institutions and beyond, holds the promise of realizing the aspirations of under-represented Americans and building a better society on the foundation of the rights granted by the 1964 Civil Rights Act. It recognizes the and it will provide them with financial awards that support and encourage them in the careers on which they are about to embark.
(UNCF) Achievement Capstone Scholarship
Woodruff & Whitehead Fellowship
The Woodruff, Whitehead and Evans Foundations Fellowship provides work experience to recent college graduates interested in the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors. The Fellow assists staff in a range of Foundation activity. Applicants should be bright, curious, and self-motivated, and should demonstrate strong written and oral communication skills.
Woodruff & Whitehead Fellowship
International Prestigious Opportunities
At Spelman College, we believe that talented students and alumnae should see themselves as candidates for some of the world's most prestigious opportunities.
Whether you are considering a Rhodes Scholarship, Marshall Scholarship, Schwarzman Scholarship, Fulbright, Luce or another internationally competitive award, the International Fellowship Advising Office is here to help you explore possibilities, refine your goals, and develop a compelling application.
The application process itself is an important form of intellectual and professional development. Through reflection, writing, revision, conversation, and interview preparation, applicants gain a deeper understanding of their values, aspirations, and capacity to contribute to the world.
We encourage students and alumnae to begin exploring opportunities early and to reach out whenever curiosity strikes.
International opportunities are managed by Andrea Lewis, Ph.D., and Michelle Hite, Ph.D.
What Successful Candidates Have in Common
Competitive international scholarships and fellowships reward more than academic achievement. They reward initiative, curiosity, preparation, and a willingness to pursue questions independently. The strongest applicants we have worked with are self-starters. Long before submitting an application, they have spent time exploring opportunities, reading foundation websites, attending webinars, studying selection criteria, and reflecting seriously on why a particular award aligns with their goals. In many cases, students discover opportunities on their own and arrive with thoughtful questions, preliminary ideas, and a growing understanding of the values and mission of the foundation to which they are applying. This kind of initiative matters. Prestigious fellowships seek individuals who can identify opportunities, navigate complex systems, and pursue ambitious goals with purpose and independence.
For students pursuing awards that require institutional endorsement, the application process often represents one of the most mature stages of intellectual and professional development. Applicants are asked not only what they hope to do, but why their experiences, commitments, and aspirations matter. The process requires self-reflection, intellectual clarity, and a willingness to revise one's thinking in conversation with others.
Our role is to support that process. We can help you interpret application prompts, understand the priorities of different foundations, strengthen written materials, prepare for interviews, and present your experiences in ways that are both compelling and authentic. We cannot do the work of exploration for you, but we can help you deepen and refine the work you have already begun. We will ultimately secure the institutional letter of endorsement from the President or Provost on your behalf.
For students pursuing awards that require institutional endorsement, the application process often represents one of the most mature stages of intellectual and professional development. Applicants are asked not only what they hope to do, but why their experiences, commitments, and aspirations matter. The process requires self-reflection, intellectual clarity, and a willingness to revise one's thinking in conversation with others.
Our role is to support that process. We can help you interpret application prompts, understand the priorities of different foundations, strengthen written materials, prepare for interviews, and present your experiences in ways that are both compelling and authentic. We cannot do the work of exploration for you, but we can help you deepen and refine the work you have already begun. We will ultimately secure the institutional letter of endorsement from the President or Provost on your behalf.
Why Spelman Has an Internal Fellowship Process
Our campus process exists for educational reasons, not merely administrative ones. Nationally competitive scholarships and fellowships reward thoughtful preparation, sustained revision, intellectual maturity, and the ability to articulate one's purpose with clarity. These qualities rarely emerge through a last-minute application. The internal process gives applicants time to receive substantive feedback, strengthen their written materials, coordinate recommendations, prepare for interviews, and develop the professional habits that distinguish successful candidates. The goal is not simply to submit an application. It is to become the strongest applicant possible.
Just as importantly, the process helps applicants understand the distinctive mission and expectations of each foundation. Fellowship competitions are not interchangeable. Each seeks particular forms of leadership, intellectual engagement, and public purpose. The advising relationship is not simply an opportunity to improve an application. It is an opportunity to engage in sustained conversation about your intellectual interests, professional aspirations, and the kind of contribution you hope to make in the world. Working through the campus process allows applicants to refine not only what they hope to do, but why they are especially well suited for a particular opportunity.
Just as importantly, the process helps applicants understand the distinctive mission and expectations of each foundation. Fellowship competitions are not interchangeable. Each seeks particular forms of leadership, intellectual engagement, and public purpose. The advising relationship is not simply an opportunity to improve an application. It is an opportunity to engage in sustained conversation about your intellectual interests, professional aspirations, and the kind of contribution you hope to make in the world. Working through the campus process allows applicants to refine not only what they hope to do, but why they are especially well suited for a particular opportunity.
How the Process Works
Explore Opportunities
Begin by learning about the scholarships and fellowships that align with your interests, aspirations, and stage of study. The most competitive applicants begin long before they begin writing. Read program websites carefully, review eligibility requirements, attend webinars, and consider how each opportunity connects to your academic, professional, and personal aspirations.
Not sure where to begin? We are happy to help you refine your approach to pursuing opportunities that may be a good fit.
Submit an Endorsement Request Form
Many prestigious scholarships require institutional endorsement. Completing the Institutional Endorsement Request Form begins our work together. It allows us to learn about your interests, experiences, and aspirations, identify opportunities that align with your aspirations communicate important campus deadlines, and develop a timeline for preparing the strongest application possible.
Submitting the form also ensures that you receive timely advising, information about the campus endorsement process, and opportunities for feedback throughout the development of your application.
Meet with a Fellowship Advisor
After submitting the form, applicants will be invited to meet with a member of the Fellowship Advising team. These conversations are developmental rather than evaluative. They help us learn more about your interests and aspirations, discuss the expectations of the competition, and identify ways we can support the development of your application.
Develop Your Application
Strong fellowship applications are built through multiple rounds of reflection and revision. Applicants often discover that the process changes not only what they write, but also how they understand their own experiences, aspirations, and commitments. The most successful candidates begin this work well before national deadlines.
Participate in the Campus Endorsement Process
For scholarships requiring institutional endorsement, applicants will participate in a campus review process.
The campus review process is designed to prepare applicants for national competition. Committee conversations, interviews, and faculty feedback help applicants strengthen their ideas, clarify their purpose, and develop greater confidence before materials are submitted nationally.
Submit Your National Application
Once the campus process is complete, endorsed applicants will move forward to the national competition. Fellowship advisors remain available throughout the remainder of the application process and, when appropriate, during finalist interviews and subsequent stages of competition.
Applying for Awards That Do Not Require Institutional Endorsement
Not all nationally competitive scholarships and fellowships require institutional endorsement. Students frequently apply directly to graduate fellowships, language programs, research opportunities, summer institutes, and other competitive awards. Even when institutional endorsement is not required, we strongly encourage applicants to engage in the advising process. The absence of an endorsement requirement does not diminish the value of thoughtful preparation, sustained revision, or informed feedback. In fact, many of the strongest applicants begin working with advisors long before they submit their applications.
Over the years, we have observed that successful applicants almost always seek substantive feedback on their written materials before submission. Fellowship applications ask applicants to write for audiences that differ from those encountered in graduate school admissions, classroom assignments, or professional settings. Selection committees are evaluating not only academic achievement, but also intellectual purpose, leadership, character, curiosity, and the potential to make meaningful contributions in the future. For this reason, a strong graduate school essay is not necessarily a strong fellowship essay. Different foundations seek different qualities, ask different questions, and advance different missions. Developing a competitive application requires more than strong writing; it requires understanding the particular values and expectations of the organization to which you are applying.
Our role is to help applicants navigate those distinctions. We can help you interpret application prompts, understand the priorities of different foundations, strengthen your written materials, prepare for interviews when appropriate, and present your experiences with greater clarity, coherence, and authenticity.
Whether or not an award requires institutional endorsement, the application process itself offers an opportunity for intellectual and professional growth. Students who begin early, seek thoughtful feedback, and engage seriously in revision not only submit stronger applications but also develop habits of reflection, preparation, and professional judgment that will serve them well long after a fellowship competition has ended.
A Note for Alumnae
Spelman's commitment to your success does not end at graduation. Our relationship with alumnae reflects our belief that fellowship advising is part of Spelman's lifelong commitment to intellectual and professional development. We welcome inquiries from alumnae who wish to pursue nationally competitive scholarships and fellowships. Because endorsement letters seek to present a full and accurate picture of an applicant's accomplishments and continued growth, alumnae may be asked to share information about their experiences since graduation and their ongoing relationship to the College. This information helps us write more meaningful endorsements and advocate effectively on your behalf.
What We Ask of Applicants
Successful applicants are intellectually curious, responsive to feedback, and committed to a process of sustained reflection and revision.
Fellowship advising is a collaborative process. Applicants who gain the most from the experience approach it with curiosity, openness to revision, and a willingness to begin early enough for genuine reflection and growth. Internal deadlines are designed to create the time necessary for this process. They are not merely administrative requirements; they are an essential part of developing the habits that distinguish outstanding applicants.
We ask that applicants:
Meet internal deadlines
Communicate regularly with advisors
Participate fully in advising and interview preparation activities
Engage thoughtfully with feedback
Represent themselves and Spelman College with integrity
In return, we commit to providing guidance, mentorship, candid feedback, and support throughout the application process.
Begin the Process
Every nationally competitive fellowship begins with curiosity.
Whether you already have a particular award in mind or are simply beginning to imagine what might be possible, we encourage you to begin the conversation early. The most thoughtful applications are not produced at the last minute. They emerge through sustained reflection, thoughtful mentorship, careful revision, and a willingness to engage deeply with your own aspirations and experiences.
Complete the Institutional Endorsement Request Form to begin working with the International Fellowship Advising Office.
We look forward to learning about your aspirations, helping you identify opportunities that align with your interests and ambitions, and supporting your growth throughout the application process. Whether or not a fellowship ultimately becomes part of your journey, we hope the process itself will deepen your sense of purpose, strengthen your intellectual and professional judgment, and prepare you for the opportunities that lie ahead.
International Fellowships and Scholarships
Fulbright U.S. Student Program
Chosen for their leadership potential, Fulbright fellows are given the opportunity to study, teach, or conduct research in other countries, and develop international competence and cross-cultural expertise.
Internal Deadline: Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026, by 5 p.m.
Fulbright U.S. Student Program
Luce Scholars Program
The Luce Scholars Program is a nationally competitive fellowship program. It was launched by the Henry Luce Foundation in 1974 to enhance the understanding of Asia among potential leaders in American society. The program provides stipends, language training, and individualized professional placement in Asia for 15-18 Luce Scholars each year. It welcomes applications from college seniors, graduate students, and young professionals in a variety of fields who have had limited exposure to Asia.
Internal Deadline: Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, by 5 p.m.
Marshall Scholarships
Marshall Scholarships finance young Americans of high ability to study for a graduate degree in the United Kingdom. Up to forty Scholars are selected each year to study at graduate level at an UK institution in any field of study.
Internal Deadline: Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026, by 5 p.m.
Rhodes Scholarships
The Rhodes Scholarships are the oldest and most celebrated international fellowship awards in the world. Rhodes Scholars are chosen not only for their outstanding scholarly achievements, but for their character, commitment to others and to the common good, and for their potential for leadership in whatever domains their careers may lead. Each year 32 young students from the United States are selected.
Internal Deadline: Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026, by 5 p.m.
Schwarzman Future Global Leaders Scholarship
Designed to prepare the next generation of global leaders, Schwarzman Scholars is the first scholarship created to respond to the geopolitical landscape of the 21st Century. Whether in politics, business or science, the success of future leaders around the world will depend upon an understanding of China’s role in global trends. The program gives the world’s best and brightest students the opportunity to develop their leadership skills and professional networks through a one-year Master’s Degree at Tsinghua University in Beijing – one of China’s most prestigious universities.
Internal Deadline: Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, by 5 p.m.
Schwarzman Future Global Leaders Scholarship
Other Opportunities
Graduate Feeder Program at the University of Georgia
The UGA Graduate Feeder program provides a supportive transition for undergraduate students as they learn about applying to graduate school and as they begin to assume the role of a graduate student at UGA.
UGA Graduate Feeder Program Application Instructions (PDF)
UGA Graduate Feeder Program Application (DOC)
Gateway Graduate School Bridge Program
The Gateway to Graduate School Bridge Program allows incoming graduate students from historically underrepresented backgrounds to begin their graduate education at the University of Georgia in the summer semester rather than the fall.