Center for Undergraduate Research & Fellowships

Cultural Vistas Fellowship

The Cultural Vistas Fellowship affords underrepresented U.S. university students the unique opportunity to advance their career goals, develop global competencies, and experience life in another culture with an eight-week summer internship in Argentina, Germany, or Singapore. Upon their return home, Cultural Vistas Fellows are required to carry out an educational or service project that helps promote international understanding and exchange.

http://www.culturalvistas.org/cvfellowship  

Deadline: December 11, 2021, 11:59pm EST

Penn’s Application Process

• While the Cultural Vistas Fellowship does not require Penn’s nomination, CURF will be happy to provide advice, guidance, and application assistance to you.

The Science, Mathematics And Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship for Service Program

The SMART scholarship program was established by the Department of Defense (DoD) and provides tuition support to undergraduate and graduate students pursuing degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Awardees are assigned to a DoD laboratory where he/she will be expected to serve as a summer intern and complete a period of post-graduation employment service as a DoD civilian.

SMART Scholarship Information and Eligibility 

Deadline: December 1, 2021, 5:00pm Eastern US Time - Application opens in August 2021

Penn’s Application Process

• While the SMART Fellowship does not require Penn’s nomination, CURF will be happy to provide advice, guidance, and application assistance to you.

Harriman Foreign Service Fellowship

This fellowship offers three summer internships each year: at the US Embassy in London, at the US Embassy in Paris, and at the Office of the Secretary of State in Washington, DC.

http://www.wm.edu/offices/dccenter/harriman/index.php

Deadline: October 8, 2021 (TENTATIVE) (to complete State Department online internship application – double check this date with the State Department posting)

Penn’s Application Process

• While Harriman Fellowship does not require Penn’s nomination, CURF will be happy to provide advice, guidance, and application assistance to you.
• Note: students must first apply for a relevant summer internship with the State Department. The Fellowship reaches out to eligible candidates several months later, and invites them to apply for the Harriman (at which point application instructions and a deadline are provided).

Critical Language Scholarship

The Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program is a fully funded summer overseas language and cultural immersion program for American undergraduate and graduate students. With the goal of broadening the base of Americans studying and mastering critical languages and building relationships between the people of the United States and other countries, CLS provides opportunities to a diverse range of students from across the United States at every level of language learning.

http://clscholarship.org/

Deadline: November 16, 2021 (by 8:00pm EST)

Penn’s Application Process

• While the Critical Language Scholarship does not require Penn’s nomination, CURF will be happy to provide advice, guidance, and application assistance to interested graduate students.  Undergraduate students are encouraged to contact Kristyn Palmiotto in Penn Abroad (krpalm@upenn.edu). 

Humanity in Action

Fellows first participate in an intensive three-week summer educational program providing a country and context-specific curriculum (currently: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Germany, the Netherlands, or Poland) that examines historical and contemporary challenges to human rights, pluralism and equality. Then, they embark on developing Action Projects in their own communities.

https://www.humanityinaction.org/fellowship/

Programs projected to be VIRTUAL in 2021 (https://www.humanityinaction.org/fellowship/become-a-fellow/)

Deadline: February 14, 2022 (TENTATIVE)

Penn’s Application Process

• While Humanity in Action does not require Penn’s nomination, CURF will be happy to provide advice, guidance, and application assistance to you.

Boren Scholarship

Under the auspices of the National Security Education Program, the Boren Scholarship supports undergraduate study abroad focusing on geographical areas, languages, and fields of study deemed critical to US national security.  These US government grants entail a service obligation.

http://www.borenawards.org/boren_scholarship/basics.html

Penn Deadline: December 10, 2021

Penn’s Application Process

• To be competitive, applicants should meet with the Boren Scholarship advisor in Penn Abroad during the fall semester. Additional details about the application process are available through Penn Abroad.

The Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships program provides allocations of academic year and summer fellowships to institutions of higher education to assist meritorious undergraduate students and graduate students undergoing training in modern foreign languages and related area or international studies or with the international aspects of professional or other fields of study.  FLAS awards are available only for specific languages, and are contingent on federal funding.

The FLAS Fellowship in Middle Eastern Languages is for Arabic, Hebrew, Kurdish, Persian, Tajik, and Turkish.

Deadline: February 9, 2022 (TENTATIVE)

Penn’s Application Process

• Penn’s FLAS application process is not managed by CURF.  Please visit https://www.sas.upenn.edu/flas/instructions.html for application instructions and FAQs, and direct questions to Penn's appropriate FLAS Coordinator. 

Public Policy and International Affairs Junior Summer Institutes (PPIA-JSI)

PPIA Junior Summer Institutes are intensive seven-week programs that focus on preparing students for graduate programs in public and international affairs and careers as policy professionals, public administrators, and other leadership roles in public service.  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.

https://ppiaprogram.org/

Deadline: November 1, 2021

Penn’s Application Process

• While the PPIA-JSIs do not require Penn’s nomination, CURF will be happy to provide advice, guidance, and application assistance to you.

Rangel International Affairs Summer Enrichment Program

The Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Summer Enrichment Program is a six-week summer program designed to provide undergraduate students with a deeper appreciation of current issues and trends in international affairs, a greater understanding of career opportunities in international affairs, and the enhanced knowledge and skills to pursue such careers.  A cumulative GPA of 3.2 or above is required.  Students live at Howard University, attend classes, and participate in a variety of programs with foreign affairs professionals at Howard and at diverse locations around Washington, DC.

http://www.rangelprogram.org/summer-enrichment-program/

Deadline: February 8, 2022 (TENTATIVE)

Penn’s Application Process

• While the Rangel International Affairs Summer Enrichment Program does not require Penn’s nomination, CURF will be happy to provide advice, guidance, and application assistance to you.

Fulbright Summer Institutes

These summer programs provide the opportunity for US undergraduates with at least two years of undergraduate study left to complete to come to the UK on a fully-funded three-to-four week program.  Students will take part in cultural events, research, collaboration, and presentations at an esteemed British University.  Each Summer Institute will cover a different theme.  To be eligible, applicants must have at least a 3.70 GPA.

http://www.fulbright.org.uk/fulbright-awards/exchanges-to-the-uk/undergraduates

Deadline: February 11, 2022 (TENTATIVE)

* FULBRIGHT SUMMER INSTITUTES WILL NOT RUN IN 2021* 

Penn’s Application Process

• While the Fulbright Summer Institutes do not require Penn’s nomination, CURF will be happy to provide advice, guidance, and application assistance to you.