# Fellowships Advising ## expand\_more A fellowship is a means to pursue a new plan or an old dream for purposeful travel or study. Your Kirkland Fellowships Advising Team consists of Fellowships Tutors who are here to guide you through the process of turning your plan into action. Please see our FAQ below. **Frequently Asked Questions:** **1. What is a fellowship?** Great question! In simple terms, a fellowship is a grant that provides financial support for study, research, travel, or professional development. **2. How do I know what fellowships are out there?** Say it with us: THE URAF WEBSITE!!!! **3. I don't think I'm a competitive applicant. Is it even worth thinking about/applying?** YES! First, don’t count yourself out—the only opportunity you’re guaranteed not to get is the one you don’t apply for. Second, the application process itself is intrinsically valuable. It pushes you to reflect deeply on your undergraduate experiences, your identity, and your future goals. That kind of reflection—and the practice of writing personal statements for fellowship applications—will benefit you even if you don’t win the specific award. It can sharpen your job applications, clarify your ambitions, and give you a meaningful chance to learn more about yourself. **4. When should I start thinking about fellowships?** Most fellowship applications are due in the summer or fall of senior year. We encourage students to start thinking seriously about and planning their applications as early as January of junior year. Initial steps include deciding what fellowships you're interested in, learning about the application process, and thinking about who you want to ask to write recommendation letters. Harvard has an entire office dedicated to helping students apply to fellowships: the Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships (URAF). Their website is a gold mine of information: and they also offer personalized support and advising sessions. **5. I'm a sophomore/junior...is there anything I should do to make myself more competitive for fellowships?** As cliché as it may sound, our best advice is to stay true to yourself and keep pursuing the passions and interests that genuinely excite you. The one thing we do suggest thinking about early on is building intentional relationships with faculty who might one day serve as recommenders. Many fellowship applications require multiple letters of recommendation—up to four for most, and as many as eight for the Rhodes. If you take a class or work on a project with a professor you admire, nurture that connection: go to office hours regularly, consider taking additional courses with them, or even invite them to a meal at Kirkland. Small, genuine efforts like these can lead to strong, supportive relationships that will serve you well down the road. URAF has great tips on this too: - - - **6. How can the fellowships tutor team help me?** We’re happy to answer questions at any stage, but we’re most effective once you’ve decided to apply for a specific opportunity and are seeking feedback on your application. We can offer broad guidance on your essays and help you brainstorm ways to make your application more compelling. Please note that we don’t provide line edits, and we are not permitted to review written materials for Rhodes applications. If you’re invited to interview for an opportunity, we can help you prepare by offering mock interviews and personalized feedback. Please reach out to us as soon as you receive your interview invitation. The best way to contact our team is by email: . **Kirkland's 2025-26 Fellowships Tutors:** [Ben Teasdale](/people/benjamin-teasdale), [Mik S](/people/mikaila-smith)., [Kevin Holden](/people/kevin-holden), and [Clayton Covington](https://www.kirkland.harvard.edu/people/clayton-covington) **What's the first step?** We highly recommend reaching out and making an appointment to speak with one of the Fellowships Tutors. You will have chance to explore your goals and ideas for a particular plan – e.g., summer research, postgraduate studies or a traveling fellowship. In preparation for an initial discussion, you can read up on introductory information about fellowships on the Harvard College Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships (URAF) website (available at ). The URAF website also maintains an excellent calendar of deadlines, informational meetings, and a funding sources database.