What is a Fellowship?

What is a Fellowship?: Are you a passionate researcher looking to pursue higher education abroad but facing financial constraints? Fellowships can be the answer to your prayers. These funding opportunities provide financial support and open doors to invaluable research experiences, networking opportunities, and career growth. Check out more about what is a fellowship. 

In this comprehensive guide about what is a fellowship, we'll explore the world of fellowships, fellowship meaning, types, and the top programs available for students going to study abroad. Whether you're an aspiring PhD candidate, a master's student, or an undergraduate researcher, this article will equip you with the knowledge to unlock the right fellowship and embark on your academic journey with ease.

What is a Fellowship?

A fellowship meaning is funding or financial aid provided to researchers from varied backgrounds - professional and academic. Fellowships are funds offered to exceptional students willing to research a unique topic. Researching on a large scale requires funding, thus for this exercise, fellowships are offered. Fellowships are ideally offered to PhD and MPhil students in universities abroad. In some cases, undergrads working on research can also be eligible for a fellowship. Also in Australia, there are master's courses by research, and those applicants can also avail of fellowships.  

Check: Difference Between Scholarship and Fellowship

What is a Fellowship Program?

A fellowship program is a funding program that gives students opportunities to take up MPhil or PhD programs with funding. Some undergraduate courses are also eligible for a fellowship. A fellowship program helps students complete their studies. It gives them financial support in terms of study costs, living costs and even travel costs to attend workshops or seminars in different locations. A fellowship is basically multifaceted funding to research students. 

Importance of a Fellowship to Study Abroad

Once you have understood what is a fellowship let's dig deeper about it. There are a few key pointers which describe the importance of funding programs offered to students abroad:

• Offer funding to conduct research (on and off field), and to attend workshops related to their project and research. Plus, funding includes tuition, and living, and may also involve travelling costs in some cases.
• Funding programs also include mentorship to students. This means they get mentors or guides (in simpler terms) who help them research their project. The applicants do not have to pay their mentors directly, rather the funding takes care of it. 
• Funding programs also include allowing researchers to work as teaching assistants (TA) or research assistants (RA). Both of these roles are a part of learning and the applicants get a stipend also. This is a type of learning before actually becoming a professor. 
• Fellowship programs often bring together researchers which in turn help them to network with one another. This opens opportunities for exchanging ideas, knowledge and even references for research the applicants are working on. 
• Finally, students can find good employment opportunities if they get fellowships to complete their education. 

Universities are usually not the only ones to offer fellowship programs. The fellowships can also be offered by the government, private institutions and other institutions.

Check: Difference Between Scholarship and Freeship

Types of Fellowships Abroad

As per Oregon State University, there are four types of fellowships offered to students across the globe. Check out the details about them all in the following section:

Predoctoral Fellowships

A predoctoral fellowship is another name for a graduate fellowship is government-funded fellowship for students. In this case, applicants have the right to choose the program and university they wish to pursue their studies in once their research proposal is accepted. These fellowships are offered to some of the most meritorious students and the competition is usually very high. The funding is provided through fellowships is for a long duration, spanning multiple years. The funding includes studying costs and living costs of the awardee, in some cases a research allowance may also be included.

Dissertation Fellowships

Dissertation fellowships are offered only for one year to students which is just to complete their dissertation writing. The funding may not include educational expenses, however, living costs are included for those qualifying for the dissertation fellowships. 

Traineeships

The traineeships are also a type of fellowship offered to research level students. These fellowships offer a competitive stipend, costs to cover education funding. Traineeships are basically are offered under training grants secured by institutional faculty to develop the next generation of disciplinary and/or multidisciplinary experts who will become leaders and innovators in their professional careers. The only difference between predoctoral and traineeship fellowships is that the principal investigator selects the applicants for the advanced program. 

Institutional Graduate Fellowships

Academic programs or the Graduate School may offer institutional graduate fellowships to attract or retain high-quality graduate students and promote a diverse student body with a wide range of perspectives. These fellowships are typically funded through donations to the OSU Foundation or other authorized funds designated by the Provost for strategic purposes. Such internally funded fellowships generally provide a stipend to cover the recipient's living expenses but do not include funds for education or research costs.

Securing a fellowship abroad can be a life-changing opportunity for students and researchers alike. Not only these programs provide financial support, but also offer invaluable experiences, mentorship, and networking opportunities that can shape your academic and professional trajectory. Thus, choose the best possible option to fund your education abroad. 

Check:

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Top Fellowships Abroad for Students

Some of the most popular fellowships abroad for students studying across different countries are as follows:

Fellowships in USA

In order to study in USA, here are a few commonly offered fellowships to students planning for US university admissions:

• American Association for University Women – International Fellowships
• American Scandinavian Foundation
• Association for Women in Science Educational Foundation
• National Academies Fellowships
• Christine Mirzayan Science & Technology Policy Graduate Fellowship Program

Check out the complete list of scholarships and fellowships in USA for international students. 

Fellowships in UK

If you want to pursue a research level program in the UK, you can check out some common fellowships offered across UK universities:

• APS/British Academy Fellowship for Research in London
• APS/Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities Fellowship for Research in Edinburgh
• Atlantic Fellows Programme: Visiting Atlantic Fellow
• Atlantic Non-Residential Fellows
• Anne McLaren Fellowships

Check out the complete list of scholarships and fellowships in UK offered to international students. 

Fellowships in Canada

To study in Canada some of the renowned research programs, applicants can check out fellowships offered at Canadian universities below:

• Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship
• Canadian Commonwealth Scholarship & Fellowship Plan
• Trudeau Scholarships & Fellowships
• Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Doctoral Fellowships For Innovative Researchers
• Government Of Canada Postdoctoral Fellowships For International Scientists

You can also check out other scholarships and fellowships in Canada for research students. 

You can also check out about the popular Fulbright Fellowship as well if you are planning to study abroad as a research student. 

How to Apply for Fellowships Abroad?

If you are applying for a fellowship abroad, then you will have to check the channel for applications. If it is a government funded fellowship, then the applications will be accepted through the government website. However, if the applications are accepted through the university website along with the admission application then there is a different course of action. The application process may differ with who the fellowship provider is. Applicants can follow the steps to submit fellowship requests based on the instructions they get. 

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By exploring the various fellowship options available and presenting a strong application, you can increase your chances of achieving your academic dreams and contributing to the global research community. Remember, fellowships are highly competitive, so start your research early, seek guidance from advisors, and craft a compelling application that showcases your passion, potential, and commitment to excellence. With determination and the right fellowship, you can unlock a world of possibilities and make a lasting impact in your field of study.