Fellowships are funding opportunities for promising Penn students and alumni to engage in study, research, service, or education, either domestically or abroad. This can include activities such as:
- Graduate Study (these fellowships usually pay tuition, fees, and a living stipend)
- Undergraduate Tuition
- Independent Research
- Project Implementation
- Foreign Language Study
- Teaching English Abroad
- Unique Work/Service Opportunities
There is no cap on the number of fellowships that you may apply to.
Check out this advanced PDF Fellowships 201 presentation on How to Build an Effective Fellowship Application to learn how to make your strongest case for a fellowship! (Penn log-in required)
Rhodes Scholarship: Funds graduate study at the University of Oxford
Marshall Scholarships: Funds graduate study anywhere in the UK
Mitchell Scholarship: Funds graduate study in Ireland
Fulbright Scholarship: Funds study/research and English Teaching Assistantships worldwide
Gates Cambridge Scholarship: Funds graduate study at the University of Cambridge
Churchill Scholarship: Funds graduate study in STEM fields at the University of Cambridge
Schwarzman Scholars: Funds graduate study at Tsinghua University in China
Yenching Academy: Funds graduate study at Peking University in China
Thouron Award: Penn-specific opportunity that funds graduate study anywhere in the UK
Truman Scholarship: Funds graduate study for students committed to public service leadership
Goldwater Scholarship: Undergraduate scholarship for STEM students intending to pursue research careers
Beinecke Scholarship: Funds graduate study in humanities, arts, and social science fields
Udall Scholarship: Awards undergraduate scholarships for commitment to issues related to American Indian nations or the environment
Major Fellowships
Most but not all major fellowships require endorsement by the University of Pennsylvania. Review the individual fellowship pages on this website as well as the websites maintained by each fellowship foundation to determine deadlines and materials needed to apply. Major fellowships typically require that applicants:
- identify clear intellectual and professional goals
- articulate their goals through personal statements and short essays
- be able to provide strong recommendations from faculty and other mentors
- demonstrate evidence of service to others
- show promise of making a valuable contribution to society
Special Note to Rhodes, Marshall, and/or Mitchell Scholarship Applicants:
Applicants considering the Rhodes, Marshall, and/or Mitchell Scholarships must submit Penn's Spring Consultations form to CURF, listing the fellowships and degree programs to which they intend to apply. While this request is only a preliminary indication of your school and degree preferences, applicants are encouraged to submit this form to apply for university endorsement as soon as possible during the year they plan to apply for university endorsement (i.e., Candidates should start planning more than a year before they wish to begin their graduate program in the UK or Ireland). Rhodes, Marshall, and/or Mitchell Scholarship applicants may still submit this form if they are planning to begin graduate study in Fall 2023, but they should do so as soon as possible.