Application Planning

This roadmap for funding for graduate/professional study provides step-by-step advice and detailed timelines.

Timeline overview for application process:

• Spring and summer: Explore our fellowships roadmap, which includes timelines, links, and resources, for fellowships to support graduate and professional study.

• July 24: Optional Draft Deadline for postgraduate fellowships—submit drafts to guarantee draft review appointment before relevant fall deadline.

• October to mid-November: Read about the scholarship, explore graduate study options, talk with academic and professional mentors, and make a Fellowships appointment via Handshake to discuss application plans.

• 12:00 pm (noon) EST on November 4, 2024: Application materials should be submitted via the online form found here.

• Early December: Nominated applications are submitted by the Yenching Academy deadline for nominees from partner universities. Finalists will be interviewed via video.

• March: Final admissions decisions should be announced.

Eligibility

Who is eligible to apply for Wellesley's nomination?

• Graduating seniors and graduates of Wellesley (although generally candidates under the age of 28 will be at an advantage), from any country other than mainland China.

What makes a strong applicant for this fellowship?

• An outstanding academic record (including as demonstrated by the letters of reference) and broad curiosity;
• Strong interest in interdisciplinary study of China;
• A record of extracurricular achievement, community engagement, and social responsibility;
• Strong motivation and potential to become a leader in the applicant’s chosen field; and
• A good argument for how the Yenching Academy program is relevant and valuable for the applicant’s career plans.

Where can I learn more?

• Read the full eligibility and admissions requirements for the Yenching Academy.
• Find details of the program, lists of previously-named Yenching Academy Scholars, and the official online application on the Yenching Academy website.
• Watch an official webinar, here, and/or other videos, including Scholars talking about their experiences.

How do I apply?

Wellesley College is a Partner Institution for the Yenching Academy, so Wellesley seniors and graduates must first apply for Wellesley’s nomination by submitting copies of their official application as outlined below. **Note that citizens of Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan must apply for the Yenching Academy and also to PKU (typically by a deadline in January: see the Graduate School of Peking University for more information).

Application checklist:

• Two (2) letters of reference

  • Note that according to Yenching Academy rules, your references must come from full professors or associate professors or those with an equivalent title).

  • Please send this form to your recommenders and give your recommenders this link to allow them to submit their letters - should they have any difficulty with the online form, please ask them to email their letters to fellowships@wellesley.edu; please do not request letters via the official online application system!

Please submit the following by the campus deadline, via the online form found here:

• Completed official application form (for the campus committee you may complete the application form, which we will update as it becomes available for the current cycle).

  • Note that should your application be nominated you'll also need to complete the official online form in advance of the December deadline for nominees, and this form may be found at http://yenchingacademy.org/application - please do not hit the submit button in the official online application until you've been nominated and are submitting the final version of your application)

• Electronic versions/scanned pdfs of your official Wellesley College and any other applicable transcripts (e.g. for study abroad); to order an official Wellesley transcript see the website of the Registrar’s office.

• A copy of your diploma if you have graduated, or an enrollment verification if you are a current student (the Wellesley Registrar's office has instructions here)

• Personal statement (750 words max; it should include a personal introduction and reasons why you wish to be a Yenching Scholar)

• Statement of research interests (1,500 words max, excluding citations - this should be a formal academic essay, including key research question(s), background to study and/or summary of literature, and study design that could reflect the applicant’s academic training. Please note that applicants are not committed to making this proposed project their Master’s thesis topic. The Admissions Committee wants to judge how they formulate and write about academic topics.)

• Curriculum vitae/résumé

• Wellesley Fellowships office signature document (please print, sign & date this form, then submit a scanned pdf or other image of the signed document along with your application materials)

Questions?
Email  fellowships@wellesley.edu, or call Caitlin Roberts-Donovan at 781.283.2347.