Distinguished Fellowships

What is a Fellowship?

A fellowship is a funded award that supports an opportunity, such as conducting research abroad, teaching abroad or engaging in graduate studies. Fellowships can range in length and amount funded.

Distinguished fellowships are nationally competitive fellowships that fund a variety of opportunities – domestic and international independent research and travel, teaching and work. Many of these opportunities involve an internal campus process where student applications are reviewed in advance of the national competition.

Who Should Apply?

Open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents, fellowships are available for all kinds of talented students and support a wide range of interests and goals. The majority of fellowships support post-baccalaureate opportunities, although a limited number support undergraduate experiences.

Juniors, seniors, graduate students and alumni can work with advisors on applications for post-baccalaureate experiences, while first-year students and sophomores can research opportunities and take steps to strengthen their future application by getting involved in co-curricular experiences such as undergraduate research, study abroad, tutoring, mentoring or student leadership positions.

Highlighted Opportunities

Eligibility: Rhode Island residents or anyone who is a student at a Rhode Island college or university who wishes to pursue foreign language study.

Scholarship range: $1,000-$20,000

Deadline: January

More information: rifoundation.org

Focus: Supports graduate study of a critical language abroad, such as Arabic, Chinese, Portuguese or Swahili.

Eligibility: Graduate student; language preparation varies by language.

Campus deadline: December

National deadline: January

Destination: Africa, Asia, central and eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America, Middle East.

Focus: Supports study of a critical language abroad, such as Arabic, Chinese, Portuguese or Swahili.

Eligibility: Undergraduate student; language preparation varies by language.

Campus deadline: December

National deadline: February

Destination: Africa, Asia, central and eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America, Middle East

Focus: Provides undergraduate scholarships and internships at NOAA sites 

Eligibility: Sophomores with a minimum 3.0 GPA in biology, environmental studies or mathematics, including the 3+2 engineering programs

National deadline: January

Destination: NOAA internship sites

More information: www.noaa.gov

Focus: Places Fulbrighters in classrooms abroad to provide assistance to local English teachers. ETAs help teach English language while serving as cultural ambassadors. 

Eligibility: Seniors, graduate students or alumni

Campus deadline: August

National deadline: October

Destination: 140 countries worldwide

More information: us.fulbrightonline.org

Focus: Funds research projects or graduate studies abroad

Eligibility: Seniors, graduate students or alumni

Campus deadline: August

National deadline: October

Destination: 140 countries worldwide

More information: us.fulbrightonline.org

Focus: Supports graduate study in any field at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom

Eligibility: Seniors, graduate students or alumni

Campus deadline: August

National deadline: October

Destination: United Kingdom

More information: gatescambridge.org

Focus: Supports juniors and seniors who intend to pursue a research career in the natural sciences, math or engineering

Eligibility: Sophomores or juniors

Campus deadline: November

National deadline: January

Destination: N/A

More information: goldwater.scholarsapply.org/

Focus: Supports graduate study in any field at any institution in the United Kingdom

Eligibility: Seniors, graduate students or alumni

Campus deadline: May

National deadline: September

Destination: United Kingdom

More information: marshallscholarship.org

Focus: Supports graduate study in any field at any institution in Ireland

Eligibility: Seniors, graduate students or alumni

Campus deadline: May

National deadline: September

Destination: Ireland

More information: us-irelandalliance.org

Eligibility: Seniors, graduate students

Campus deadline: August

National deadline: October

Destination: U.S.-based graduate programs

More information: www.nsf.gov

Focus: Supports graduate study in any field at Oxford University in the United Kingdom

Eligibility: Seniors, graduate students or alumni

Campus deadline: August

National deadline: September

Destination: United Kingdom

More information: https://www.rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk/

Focus: Tuition scholarships, travel stipend and mentor network for students seeking careers in public service

Eligibility: Open to current college sophomores

Campus Deadline: April

National Deadline: May

More information: https://www.obama.org/voyager-scholarship/ 

Past Recipients

Jacqueline Allee '18 (M)

M.A. in international relations

2018 Boren Fellowship for Arabic language studies in Oman

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Hannah Cazzetta '16

B.A. in global studies and Spanish

2016 Fulbright Award to assist local English teachers in Colombia

Andrew Loftenses '20 (M)

M.A. in international relations

2019 Boren Fellowship for Arabic language studies in Israel

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Riley Rancourt '20

B.A. in administration of justice and political science

2020 Boren Fellowship for Turkish and Azerbaijani language studies in the United States and Azerbaijan

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Daniel Regan '17

B.A. in global studies and political science

2015 Boren Scholarship for Arabic language studies in Jordan

Alexis Smith '18, '19 (M)

B.A. in administration of justice and global studies, M.S. in administration of justice and homeland security

2019 Boren Fellowship for Arabic language studies in Jordan

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Nikki Vanelli '22

B.A. in environmental studies

2020 National Oceanic & Atmospheric Association Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship

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Angela Wheeler '12

B.A. in cultural and historic preservation and global studies

2012 Fulbright Award for study/research in the Republic of Georgia