Undergraduates

Some undergraduate service fellowships are geared towards your career and plans post-graduation, but many are not! Explore below to find a wide range of opportunities.

Projects for Peace
Created in 2007 by Kathryn Wasserman Davis (Wellesley College ‘28), the Projects for Peace program offers undergraduates and graduating seniors funding to design a grassroots project for the summer of 2022—anywhere in the world—that promotes peace and addresses the root causes of conflict among parties. Projects may employ innovative techniques for engaging project participants in ways that focus on conflict resolution, reconciliation, building understanding and breaking down barriers that cause conflict, and finding ways to resolve conflict and maintain peace. Projects will be selected for funding at $10,000 each. Wellesley may nominate one project and one alternate for funding each year.
Application deadline: Apply for Wellesley’s nomination for the Projects for Peace by the early to mid-January campus deadline. To learn more, visit our Projects for Peace resource.
Eligibility: Undergraduates and graduating seniors in any field from any country.

Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) Fellowship Junior Summer Institute
The PPIA Junior Summer Institute (JSI) Fellowship Program is a rigorous academic graduate level preparation program for undergraduate juniors committed to public service careers. The program was started to address the lack of diversity across the spectrum of professional public service, including government, nonprofits, public policy institutions, and international organizations. The purpose of the JSI Fellowship is to prepare students to obtain a Master’s or joint degree, in public policy, public administration, international affairs, or a related field.
Application deadline: Early to mid-October.
Eligibility: Current juniors (or those who will complete their bachelor’s degree during the academic year following the year of application; U.S. citizenship/permanent residency is NOT a requirement for selected programs in the fellowship.

Truman Scholarship
The Truman Scholarship supports the graduate education and professional development of outstanding young people committed to public service leadership. This scholarship provides funding toward senior year and graduate school (up to $30,000) for juniors who are committed to careers in public service and have a desire to improve the ways that government agencies, nonprofit organizations, or educational institutions serve the public.

Did you know? Emily Moss '19 won the Truman in 2018!

Application deadline: Apply for Wellesley’s nomination for the Truman by the campus deadline early December. To learn more, visit our Truman Scholarship resource.
Eligibility: Current juniors who are U.S. citizens or nationals.

Boren Awards
The Boren Scholarships and Fellowships support the study abroad of less commonly taught languages in world regions critical to US interests and underrepresented in study abroad, including Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America and the Middle East. In exchange for funding, Boren Scholars and Fellows commit to working in the federal government for at least one year after graduation, which is excellent job placement and could be a great start to a career in government!
Application deadline: Apply for Wellesley’s nomination for the Boren by the campus deadline in early January. To learn more, visit our Boren resource.
Eligibility: Wellesley first-years, sophomores, or juniors in any field who are U.S. citizens planning study abroad during the following academic year.

Udall Scholarship
The Udall Foundation awards scholarships to college sophomores and juniors for leadership, public service, and commitment to issues related to Native American nations or to the environment. Awards are offered in three categories: 

• Environment: For US undergraduates (not required to be Native Americans or Alaska Natives) interested in conservation and environmental issues
• Tribal Policy: For Native Americans and Alaska Natives working on an array of issues in Indian country
• Native Health Care: For Native Americans and Alaska Natives pursuing health-related careers

Did you know? Idalmis Vaquero ‘16 won the Udall and Kelsey Dunn '21 did, too! Will you be Wellesley’s next Udall Scholar?

Application deadline: Apply for Wellesley’s nomination for the Udall Scholarship by the early to mid-January campus deadline. To learn more, visit our Udall resource.
Eligibility: Sophomores and juniors in any field who are U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents; applicants in the Tribal Policy or Native Health Care categories (only) must be Native Americans or Alaska Natives.
 

Seniors and Graduates

Most post-graduate service fellowships offer experiential opportunities through placements with city, state, or federal government; NGOs; non-profits; etc. Many of the fellowships below are open to international candidates; we have indicated these fellowships with an asterisks (*) next to the fellowship name, with details under eligibility. If you are interested in teaching, you can explore our Teaching Fellowships resource.

Keep in mind that some scholarships for graduate and professional study are intended to support those who are preparing for careers of service to others - there are options for citizens of any country and almost any field of interest. Application deadlines are typically summer/fall of the year before you'd hope to use the funding. 

Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellowship*
The Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellowship Program invites recent college and graduate school alumni to apply for full-time, six-to-nine month fellowships in Washington, DC. Outstanding individuals will be selected to work with nonprofit, public-interest organizations addressing peace and security issues. Applications are especially encouraged from candidates with a strong interest in these issues who have prior experience with public-interest activism or advocacy.

Did you know? Lizamaria Arias '17 was a Scoville Fellow in Fall 2018!

Application deadline: There are two annual application deadlines for the Scoville—one in early October for placement in the spring, and one in early January for placement in the fall.
Eligibility: Graduating seniors and recent graduates with US citizenship/permanent residency or OPT/appropriate work permit.

Echoing Green*
Echoing Green is "the Fellowship for innovators, instigators, pioneers, and rebels." Echoing Green offers seed-funding (up to $90,000) and support for social entrepreneurs. The program is looking for visionary leaders who are advancing racial justice and upending structural oppression globally.
Application deadline: Early October.
Eligibility: Applicants must be fluent in English and able to commit to working full-time on their organization (so usually graduating seniors, graduating graduate/professional students, and alumnae - but US citizenship not required).

Princeton in Africa
Princeton in Asia
Princeton in Latin America

Princeton in Africa (PiAf), Princeton in Asia (PiA), and Princeton in Latin American (PiLA) are three separate programs operated by Princeton University, which offer year-long service placements:

• Princeton in Africa (PiAf) matches talented and passionate college graduates with our partners working across Africa for yearlong service projects. Our Fellows have helped improve education and public health, source fresh water and alternative energy, increase family incomes, and so much more. 
  • Application deadline: Mid to late October.
  • Eligibility: Rising seniors and recent graduates.

• Princeton in Asia (PiA) offers service-oriented fellowships in the fields of education, media/journalism, international development (NGOs) and business, with a majority of fellows working as English teachers at universities and high schools. 

  • Application deadline: Late October to early November.
  • Eligibility: Rising seniors and recent graduates.

• Princeton in Latin America (PiLA) matches partner NGO and multilateral organizations that are engaged in socially responsible development projects in Latin America and the Caribbean with highly qualified and motivated recent college graduates who are interested in year-long service fellowship opportunities throughout the region. 

  • Application deadline: Early November.
  • Eligibility: Seniors and recent graduates of North American and Canadian universities (although some placements will not be available to individuals who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents); working knowledge of the target language (Spanish, Portuguese, or French) is necessary, as well as an academic grounding in the region's culture, history, economics, society, and politics and a sustained record of volunteerism and community service.

Carnegie Junior Fellows Program*
The James C. Gaither Junior Fellows Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace is designed to provide a substantive work experience for students who have a serious career interest in the area of international affairs. Approximately 12 students will be hired to work at the Carnegie Endowment in Washington, DC, on a full-time basis for one year. 

Application deadline: Apply for Wellesley’s nomination for the Carnegie by the campus deadline in late November (Wellesley may nominate up to two candidates annually).
Eligibility: Graduating seniors and alumnae in any field from any country.

New York City Urban Fellows Program*
The Urban Fellows Program is a highly selective, nine-month fellowship which combines work in Mayoral offices and City agencies with volunteer service opportunities and a seminar series that explores current urban issues impacting public policy. 

Did you know? Looghermine Claude '20 was a New York City Urban Fellow in 2019-20! 

Application deadline: Early January.
Eligibility: Seniors and recent graduates who can demonstrate their eligibility to work in the U.S. 

FAO Schwarz Fellowship*
The FAO Schwarz Fellowship is an intensive, transformative two-year experience in the world of social change designed to develop your knowledge and leadership abilities.  The Fellows work at leading nonprofit organizations in Boston, New York City and Philadelphia. These organizations are all deeply valued in their communities and have a strong record of delivering consistent results and high-quality services. Host organizations vary from year to year — and all have a proven commitment to addressing critical issues of social inequity.

Application deadline: Early February.
Eligibility: Seniors eligible to work in the U.S. for the duration of the fellowship.

Immigrant Justice Corps Community Fellowship
Each year Immigrant Justice Corps awards two-year Community Fellowships to exceptional seniors and recent college graduates with the linguistic skills, passion, and cultural competency to work with diverse immigrant communities. IJC trains Fellows to be experts in immigration law and advocacy. Community Fellows conduct outreach, screen, and aid immigrants with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (“DACA”), Temporary Protected Status (“TPS”), Green Card, citizenship applications, and more. Community Fellows become Board of Immigration Appeals Partially Accredited Representatives and are placed in community-based organizations in and around New York City and in other states. IJC Fellows serve for two years and are provided a full salary and benefits.

Application deadline: Mid March.
Eligibility: Seniors and recent graduates who are eligible for work authorization in the U.S. for the full two years of the fellowship (DACA recipients are welcome to apply to Immigrant Justice Corps, and comprise a significant percentage of the Fellows named each year). They must speak another language in addition to English (Spanish is in the highest demand, but Fellows who speak Mandarin, Haitian Creole, French, Arabic, Korean, and Urdu have been named).

Note: For graduates who are about to finish or have recently finished their JD, you can apply for the Immigrant Justice Corps Justice Fellowship!

Teach for America
As a Teach for America corps member, you’ll be part of a broad and diverse coalition working in community to expand opportunity for America’s students, while gaining invaluable leadership experience that will fuel your career. Our organization is open to all majors, and we seek to recruit mission-aligned leaders who prioritize community partnership and long-term investment in the intersectional work toward educational equity.

Application deadline: Late March.
Eligibility: Rising seniors and graduates who have U.S. work authorization and at least a 2.75 GPA.

That’s a pretty long list… where do I start?

• Explore!
  We know it can be overwhelming to even start the search to see what’s out there, but try approaching your exploration as a way to uncover amazing possibilities. What sparks your interest? Are there any countries where you’ve always wanted to live? Give yourself the benefit of the doubt to see what’s out there!
   
• Finding a good fit
  What opportunities might be a good fit for you? Start lining up your interests, strengths, and skills with program requirements and preferences.
   
• Make an appointment—or drop in to pop-ups!
  You don’t have to go through this process on your own! The Fellowships team is here for you no matter where you are in the process—even and especially if you have no idea where to start or what questions to ask (that’s actually a great place to start!). Make a virtual appointment or drop by our Virtual Pop-ups (event listings in Handshake). We can help with program questions, application strategy, draft review, building your timelines, etc.

Things to Keep in Mind

Service fellowships can be an amazing way to build your resume!
Spending part of a year, or even a whole year, pursuing a service fellowship isn’t “a year off.” You can gain transferable skills, build valuable networks, and potentially find a field in which the work is incredibly meaningful to you through a fellowship in service.

You don’t have to have a ten-year track record of volunteering to qualify—nor do you have to have a ten-year plan for the future!
People come to service in different ways at many different points in their lives. We can talk you through what fellowships might be a good fit and how best to make your case in a compelling application, whether or not you’ve done service work before. And in many cases, working through a fellowship application can help you articulate your priorities and interests!

You don’t have to have a plan to save the world.
It’s not realistic to expect someone to save the world during the term of a fellowship. It is realistic, though, to believe that someone could make a real difference for good in the world. Your goals and plans don’t have to be incredibly ambitious or lofty in a service application. Focus instead on what’s feasible, what matters to you, and why.