These terms are often used interchangeably. A fellowship is often the preferred term for post-undergraduate opportunities, but this is not always the case.
GPA requirements vary by fellowship. Some highly competitive awards, such as Marshall, Mitchell, and Rhodes, require a minimum GPA (often 3.7). Others, like Truman and Udall, emphasize leadership and public service experience more than GPA. And some awards, such as Fulbright and Gilman, do not have a GPA requirement at all.
In all cases, fellowships look at much more than your GPA.
Most fellowships are intended for activities that are not connected with undergraduate study, and therefore cannot be used to pay JMU tuition. A few, however, do apply to undergraduate tuition, including Goldwater, Udall, and La Unidad Latina.
If you are looking for undergraduate tuition-based scholarships, please visit the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships.
There are several fellowships that DO cover the cost (including tuition) of undergraduate study abroad programs. (See next question.)
Yes! Several fellowships, such as Gilman, Fund for Education Abroad, and Phi Kappa Phi Study Abroad Grants, provide funding for both external (non-JMU) and internal (JMU) study abroad programs.
Visit JMU Study Abroad to find information about upcoming programs and opportunities.
Some national fellowships require campus nomination before you can apply. JMU must review your application and determine if you are a strong candidate for consideration. Some awards have limits on how many students can be nominated each year. If you are chosen, JMU will formally nominate (or "endorse") you for the fellowship before you can submit your application. For these awards, OFA creates internal application deadlines, typically well before the official submission deadlines. A JMU faculty panel will review and finalize nominations; some awards require an interview.
Many other fellowships do not require campus nomination. You can apply for these awards directly, but we strongly encourage you to work with our office for advice and support.
Absolutely not! OFA serves the entire JMU community and we support all students regardless of college, major, minor, GPA, or academic affiliation.
Yes! Many of the fellowships we work with are open to current graduate students and recent alumni of JMU.
The majority of awards OFA works with require U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status. However, there are several awards that are open to international students or students with undocumented status. Please contact a fellowships advisor for information about these opportunities.
Visit Letters of Recommendation for information and advice about who to ask and how to ask.
Several awards may require interviews with the Fellowships Nomination Committee at JMU, including Marshall, Mitchell, Rhodes, and Truman. These along with a few others (Gaither, Pickering) also have an interview phase at the national level. Fulbright and Boren applicants will interview with JMU faculty and staff prior to application submission.
Interview committees generally ask questions based on material you submitted as part of your fellowship application. For some awards, you may be asked questions related to broader national or international issues, usually related to your academic discipline.
To prepare for an interview, try and anticipate questions you might get asked that relate to your experience and preparation for the fellowship. Make a list of possible questions and craft strong answers to them, if possible including specific references to your accomplishments, intellectual interests, and future goals. Make sure you are knowledgeable of current events that relate to your discipline.
Meet with a fellowships advisor to receive guidance on how to prepare for your specific interview. OFA can also set up practice interviews to give you feedback on verbal and non-verbal aspects of your interview. The JMU Communication Center is also a valuable resource for any interview preparation.
