Several months before fellowship deadline…

See Mariah Bumps at OCS for the widest range of post-graduate opportunities and decide if you want to apply for a fellowship or scholarship.

Identify which awards you want to apply for; narrow the field to a manageable number (usually one or two in a given term).

Then…

Go over this Timeline to see if applying is practical now:  most prestigious fellowships require 3 to 5 months of preparation time.  Not only will you have to compose essays and amass personal and institutional information, you will also need to show drafts of your project or study proposals to potential recommendation writers.  (For instance, beginning the process in Spring or early Summer is recommended for awards such as the Rhodes, Javits, Fulbright, Gates-Cambridge, Soros, Hertz etc which have early Fall deadlines.)

Two or more months prior to external fellowship deadline…

Contact the Graduate Fellowships Advisor, Sagaree Sengupta, and let her know of your plans.  She and others can help you interpret application rules and find information.  The GFA can help you decide if you have a feasible research or study proposal for your projected time frame.  You should meet with your faculty mentors as well and let them know your intentions.  Be prepared to be in email contact with the GFA throughout the process. 

And…

Draft your application essays, contact recommenders and send them drafts, along with the appropriate fellowship literature and recommendation forms (+Recommender’s Guide available from GFA).  The Graduate Fellowships Committee needs hard copy recommendations to help review the whole application. 

You should now be about two months away from the First Bates Submission.

(Approx. one month before final external deadline)

Actual due date:

______________

Turn in First Bates Submission to Nancy LePage, Project Assistant, in 7 Lane Hall by 4 p.m. on the date listed for the particular fellowship on the Graduate Fellowships Calendar. 

The First Bates Submission includes:

__Completed application form and essays

__Three copies of your official transcript from Bates, and transcripts from any from other institutions you have done college work at, including study abroad.  (Two of the transcripts are for submission with the final application, and one is for the campus committee).

__Recommendation letters, either hard copy (in sealed, signed envelopes) or email drafts addressed directly to nlepage@bates.edu or ssengupt@bates.edu (not to the applicant).

__Sample of portfolio if applicable

Actual GFA appointment(s)  on:

___________

Next, the GFA reviews your application.  Make an appointment (directly or through Nancy LePage) to meet with the GFA for initial feedback and suggestions for revising your application.  Applicants at a considerable distance from campus may be advised by email or telephone.  You should take detailed notes and after the meeting, revise and refine your application according to the suggestions offered. 

Track down any missing information needed in your application. The GFA will arrange for official translations of recommendation letters not in English and address any other special situations. 

(Approx. 3 weeks before final fellowship deadlineJ

Actual revision due date:

__________________

Submit your Revised Application to Nancy LePage, 7 Lane Hall, for Graduate Fellowships and Scholarships Committee review, by 4 pm on the respective deadline on the Graduate Fellowships Calendar.

This draft includes:

--Revised application form and essays

--[On file—draft recommendations]

--[On file—Three official transcripts; study abroad transcripts]

--Complete file of supporting materials for your application (such as a portfoloio)

Copies of the entire revised application are made and distributed by Nancy LePage to the members of the Committee.  The Committee members closely review the application prior to the Session with the student.

(Approx. two weeks before final fellowship deadline)

Actual Session Date and Time:

_________________

Nancy LePage will confirm the date and time you will meet with the GFSC.  Take detailed notes at this session, in which several faculty members from various fields will make suggestions towards the improvement of your application.  One member of the GFSC committee will mentor you individually during the final revision phase after the session, and the GFA will continue to be available for consultations as well. 

(Usually 1 week before final fellowship deadline)

Actual Internal Bates Final Submission:

__________________

After the last revision, turn in your finished, final application to Nancy LePage by 4 pm on the day of the Internal Bates Final Submission. 

The applicant must be prepared to fill in any remaining gaps in the application at this point.  In most cases, Bates College will submit your final application to the respective granting body by the Final External deadline.  (For certain fellowships, the student submits the final version directly.  Some foundations have differing on-line and hard-copy deadlines and rules.)