{"id":6,"date":"2021-07-14T09:15:28","date_gmt":"2021-07-14T13:15:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/prestigious-fellowships-and-scholarships\/?page_id=6"},"modified":"2026-04-15T17:04:23","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T21:04:23","slug":"home","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/prestigious-fellowships-and-scholarships\/","title":{"rendered":"Prestigious Fellowships and Scholarships"},"content":{"rendered":"
For on-campus undergraduate scholarship opportunities, visit Scholarships ><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n Get Funding. Stand Out Nationally. Connect with Mentors.<\/strong><\/p>\n The Office of Prestigious Fellowships & Scholarships advises students on competitive external prestigious scholarships and fellowships (national and international). These include the Truman Scholarship<\/a>, Rhodes Scholarship<\/a>, NSF, NIH Fellowships, Fulbright U.S. Student Scholarship<\/a>, and more.<\/p>\n We also collaborate with the Roukema Center for International Education<\/a> in providing support, hosting workshops for prestigious international and study abroad fellowships\/scholarships. In addition to the Fulbright and Rhodes scholarships, students can learn about and apply for other awards such as Marshall Scholarships<\/a>, Boren Awards,<\/a> Gilman Scholarship<\/a>, Critical Language Scholarship<\/a>, along with several others.<\/p>\n Franco Miyashiro<\/p><\/div>\n Goldwater Scholarship<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Stefanie Viera<\/p><\/div>\n New York City Urban Fellow, Abigail Rojas<\/p><\/div>\n Gilman Scholar<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Alejandra Herrera-Ramirez<\/p><\/div>\n Gilman Scholar<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Edy Martinez<\/p><\/div>\n CLS Spark, New Jersey Governor’s Anna Kozan<\/p><\/div>\n Fulbright-Nehru We offer individual counseling as the centerpiece of scholarship and fellowship assistance, most especially for those headed to graduate school or other postgraduate careers. Scholarship, fellowship, and graduate school guidance includes:<\/p>\n Complete Our Questionnaire<\/a> Below you’ll find information on key components and steps to consider in the application process.<\/p>\n The first thing you should do is verse yourself thoroughly in the requirements of the personal essay. Every fellowship will be looking for different aspects and criteria. You may want to make a list so that you can check-off each criteria.<\/p>\n Remember, this essay should be self-reflective. A good essay will be showing the work of many drafts, revisions, and edits. Because personal statements are personal, there is no universal or formal approach. Depending on the fellowship, the personal essay will be about 1000 words and should have a clear theme with 3 or 4 points connected to that theme.<\/p>\n The personal statement is an opportunity to present information about you that cannot be gleaned from the application itself. That is, use your personal statement to explain what is unique and important about you – show something that they cannot see by simply reading the application.<\/p>\n Every prestigious scholarship or fellowship application requires an essay in which the candidate describes his or her academic and other interests. The personal essay, personal statement, autobiographical essay, or personal narrative, allows you to introduce yourself to the selection committee. An outstanding personal essay will not win you a scholarship, but a poorly prepared one can deny you the chance to be considered a finalist.<\/p>\n The essay, often the most important part of the application, allows you to demonstrate how your goals, interests, and experience match with the program for which you are applying. A poorly written essay can show your lack of effort and ability. Conversely, a well-written essay can make you noticeable or help compensate for some other weakness in your application.<\/p>\n Typically, readers of personal statements will want you to answer the following questions:<\/strong><\/p>\n General Advice<\/strong><\/p>\n Hints to Improve Your Essay<\/strong><\/p>\n Your personal essay for different fellowships or different schools will vary because an effective personal statement addresses the definitive criteria of each specific organization. The personal essay is not a narrative r\u00e9sum\u00e9. Rather, it should tell a quick and meaningful story about you that the reader cannot glean from your transcripts and any relevant admission examination.<\/p>\n A good personal essay conveys your individuality through concrete examples, details, and personal anecdotes. Be sure that the opening sentence and paragraph grab the reader and intrigue them to read further. Be honest about your achievements and strengths while staying modest and realistic about your weaknesses. Avoid being gimmicky, cute, arrogant, or self-deprecating. Try to be clear and graceful and focus more on your positive attributes.<\/p>\n A Few Style Tips<\/strong><\/p>\n Useful Links on Sample Statements\/Essays<\/strong><\/p>\n https:\/\/owl.purdue.edu\/owl\/job_search_writing\/preparing_an_application\/writing_the_personal_statement\/examples.html<\/a><\/p>\n https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/college\/studentfellowships\/opportunities\/fulbright-sample-essays.html<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n Fellowships may require interviews for candidates who are short-listed. If you are called for an interview, it signals that they were impressed with your application. Be sure to prepare for the interview!<\/p>\n Preparing for the interview:<\/p>\n During the interview:<\/p>\n Strong letters of recommendation will have a significant influence on whether you will get the scholarship or admittance into the graduate school. The strong letter shows that the recommender knows you well, with detail. When you choose a recommender, choose those who know you well and with whom you have established a relationship. Ask professors whom you have taken multiple classes with, worked on a project with, or participated in a small seminar. Letters from people who know you well are far more valuable than letter from well-known people who know you less and may write a form letter.<\/p>\n Approach letter writers as soon as possible. If you know you will need a letter in October, you may ask them months in advance and give them deadlines as the date approaches. Depending on the letter writer, a good letter may take weeks to write. When you approach the recommender, discuss your plans of study and why you want to apply. Provide them with a written description of the program or scholarship, your essay, transcript (if they ask for it), and honors list.<\/p>\n This article<\/a>\u00a0in the Chronicle of Higher Education provides a very useful overview of the rationale for the process.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n Letters of recommendation are a valuable component for graduate admissions and\/or fellowships and scholarships. Since you agreed to write the letter, the student has demonstrated trust in your ability to seriously assess their capability for future graduate work. Your letter should be honest and support the applicant. If you do not feel that you can write a supportive letter, it is a professional courtesy to inform the student that you cannot write a letter on their behalf. If you choose to write a letter, be sure to write a focused letter that reflects the qualities that make the student stand out. Remember, the student is competing against many other qualified and competent applicants so you want to write what makes your student unique. Letters that are rich in detail often carry more weight.<\/p>\n Give details<\/strong><\/p>\n Avoid unlimited praise<\/strong><\/p>\n Read criteria and address specifically<\/strong><\/p>\n Some scholarships have a designated space for you to list your activities, honors, and awards. Others require you attach a list. Be sure that you follow the instructions with regards to length, activities, and accomplishments. The r\u00e9sum\u00e9 provides the selectors with a quick overview of your academic background, leadership, and service roles. Be selective and list all significant honors. Be sure to elaborate on your awards in your essay if applicable.<\/p>\n For useful tips on building a good resume, visit Ramapo’s Cahill Center:<\/p>\n https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/careercenter\/first-year-resume\/ <\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n Many awards such as the Fulbright, Truman, and NSF require a separate proposed program of study or project proposal, whereas in other scholarship applications the proposed program of study is part of the personal essay.<\/p>\n The project description should be written without jargon, in plain language, and should be no longer in length than the application stipulates. Try to capture the attention of the reader immediately, much like writing a newspaper article. The proposal should include:<\/p>\n Sample Project Proposals:<\/p>\n https:\/\/iis.berkeley.edu\/examples<\/a><\/p>\n https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/pubs\/2004\/nsf04016\/nsf04016_1.htm<\/a><\/p>\n https:\/\/cies.org\/project-statement-samples<\/a><\/p>\n https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/college\/studentfellowships\/opportunities\/fulbright-sample-essays.html<\/a><\/p>\n https:\/\/www.smith.edu\/fulbright\/prep\/abstracts.php<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n An official transcript of all colleges attended, certified by the registrar’s office, is almost always required. In some cases for scholarships, high school transcripts may be required as well. Be sure to order transcripts well in advance of the deadline. Be sure to verify whether a form is required to be sent with the transcript or whether a form is needed to request the transcript.<\/p>\n Visit our Registrar’s Office: https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/registrar\/forms-transcripts\/<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n For questions about prestigious scholarships and fellowships or to make an appointment, please contact Professor Rebecca Root, rroot@ramapo.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Get Funding. Stand Out Nationally. Connect with Mentors. About the Office The Office of Prestigious Fellowships & Scholarships advises students on competitive external prestigious scholarships and fellowships (national and international). These include the Truman Scholarship, Rhodes Scholarship, NSF, NIH Fellowships, Fulbright U.S. Student Scholarship, and more. International and Study Abroad Scholarships We also collaborate with […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1011,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-6","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nAbout the Office<\/h2>\n
International and Study Abroad Scholarships<\/h3>\n
<\/div>\nRecent Prestigious Scholarship & Fellowship Winners<\/h2>\n
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\nELLA Fellow<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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\nHispanic Fellow<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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\nStudent Research Award,
\nCritical Language Scholar<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\nHow We Help Students<\/h2>\n
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\nHelp us match you with upcoming scholarship and fellowship opportunities<\/em><\/p>\n
<\/div>\nFAQs on Prestigious Scholarships and Fellowships<\/h2>\n
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\nClearly describe the specific program of study or research planned. Include the period of proposal and outline the general ideas and questions to be explored. Explain how the project was conceived and how it will advance your intellectual development and career plans. Describe the history of the project, noting whether it was initiated by you and\/or part of a larger project.<\/li>\n
\n<\/strong>Outline the work plan, methodology, and schedule for the grant period. Note your preliminary work (reading, study, research) that you have done or will do on the project prior to the beginning of the project; the planned stages, weekly or monthly, if possible, for completion of the project; the critical approaches to be employed; the location of the project, and what travel might be conducted for the project. If a foreign language is involved, cite specific experience with the language and have a reference letter that attests to your adequacy in that language for the project.<\/li>\n
\n<\/strong>Detail your educational background; specific project-related courses and experience; and your major intellectual interests. Provide your current academic status and graduation year. This statement should be no longer than one or two paragraphs. Additionally, the fellowship may request an official transcript.<\/li>\n
\nConstruct a one-page bibliography of the resources that will be used and a listing of organizations sponsoring or advising the project. For organizations, provide names of specific authorizing individuals and telephone numbers. Although not every application will require you to submit a bibliography, you will have, at least informally, compiled most of the information while writing sections 1 and 2. It is an invaluable resource if you are selected for an interview.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
<\/div>\nContact Our Office<\/h2>\n