Center for Undergraduate Research & Fellowships

Trudeau Scholarship

The Trudeau Scholarship provides three years full funding for a doctoral degree on one of four program themes: Human Rights and Dignity, Responsible Citizenship, Canada and the World, and People and their Natural Environment for either:

• Canadians to earn a doctorate at a foreign (i.e., non-Canadian) university
• Non-Canadians to earn a doctorate at a Canadian university

http://www.trudeaufoundation.ca/en/programs/scholarships

The Trudeau Foundation is currently reviewing the Scholarship with a focus on Inclusive Excellence and Engaged Leadership. Information on this year's competition is now posted.

Application Deadline: December 20, 2022, 5:00pm Eastern Standard Time (Tentative Deadline)

Penn’s Application Process

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

Josephine de Karman Fellowship

The Josephine de Karman Fellowship Trust awards $25,000 for PhD students’ final year in school.  All disciplines are eligible. Special consideration is given to applicants in the humanities. Only PhD candidates who will defend their dissertation in or about June 2024 are eligible for consideration for a 2023-2024 fellowship.

NOTE: Only PhD students enrolled at a university in California listed at http://www.dekarman.org/qualifications/ are eligible to apply for the 2022-2023 fellowship.

Additional details and application materials at http://www.dekarman.org/qualifications/

Recent recipients are listed at http://www.dekarman.org/fellowship-recipients/

Deadline: January 31, 2023 (TENTATIVE)

Penn’s Application Process

• While the Josephine de Karman Fellowship Trust does not require Penn’s nomination, CURF will be happy to provide advice, guidance, and application assistance to PhD students enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania.
• Applicants will mail the application and supporting materials directly to the Trust by January 31, 2023 (TENTATIVE)  

Queen Elizabeth Scholarship

The Queen Elizabeth Scholarship, made possible by the generosity of Sir Walter Annenberg, is awarded to outstanding students of the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Oxford. Penn PhD candidates are invited to apply during the 2023-2024 academic year. Penn will send a PhD student to Oxford as a non-degree visiting student every other year and Oxford will send a DPhil student to Penn. The next Penn student will be sent to Oxford for the 2024-2025 academic year.  The Scholarship covers all fees and provides a stipend of £14,000 (see current US/UK exchange rate for amount in US dollars).

Applicants must be at the dissertation stage or in the final stages of course work in pursuit of a PhD in any subject taught at Oxford University. Preference will be given to American citizens.

Penn Deadline: January 30, 2024, 4:00pm Eastern US Time

Penn Application Process

The Penn liaison for the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship accepts applications from individual students, and the Queen Elizabeth Scholar is selected by a committee of Penn faculty. To apply to be one of Penn’s nominees, you must complete the following steps by Penn’s Internal Deadline of January 30, 2024.

• In order to apply, applicants must obtain approval from their Penn graduate department to be a visiting student at Oxford during the 2024-2025 academic year.
• Two recommendation letters are required. As soon as you have arranged for two letters of recommendation, begin a CURF Fellowships Nomination Request for the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship.  One letter should be from your current or proposed Penn dissertation supervisor, who should identify her/himself as such in their letter, and the other should come from another Penn faculty member with whom you have studied.
• Additionally you will upload a single PDF which combines
  • your CV
  • a document listing the department(s) in which you plan to study or conduct research at Oxford
  • a description of work you’re planning at Oxford (including resources you’ll utilize) [500-words maximum]
  • the name(s), department(s), and email address(es) of faculty member(s) at Oxford you have been in contact with who have indicated a willingness to work with you while you are at Oxford
  • copies of email confirmation from each faculty member who has indicated a willingness to work with you at Oxford
  • official undergraduate and graduate transcript (please scan these from official transcripts)
  • a document noting your intended future occupation
  • if you have ever visited the United Kingdom, a document that briefly states the purpose of your visit(s) (e.g., holiday, study abroad, research, etc.). 

If you do not receive an email confirming your submission within 4 hours, please IMMEDIATELY email aolson@upenn.edu to make sure CURF has received your submission.

• Nominated students will receive further instructions. 

Princeton in Latin America Fellowship

Princeton in Latin America (PiLA) partners with NGOs and multilateral organizations and places highly qualified recent college graduates in one-year service fellowships with nonprofit, public service, humanitarian, and government organizations with a social mission in Latin American and Caribbean.  PiLA enhances the mission of its partners by building their capacity to impact constructively the communities they serve, addressing the social, economic, and political barriers to egalitarian community development.

https://pila-princeton.org/

Deadline: November 10, 2022 (TENTATIVE) [Unfortunately, Princeton in Latin America will not hold an application cycle for Fall 2021.]

Penn’s Application Process

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

Princeton in Asia Fellowship

Princeton in Asia (PiA) has long been driven by a mission to foster cross-cultural understanding between East and West by giving young people opportunities to live and work in Asia.  PiA matches talented and passionate college graduates with organizations working across Asia for one-year service placements. As employees of a variety of Asian institutions, PiA fellows gain work and life experience while providing valuable services to their Asian hosts. PiA offers service-oriented posts in the fields of education, international development (NGOs), journalism, and business, with a majority of fellows working as English teachers at universities and high schools.

http://piaweb.princeton.edu/

Deadline: October 31, 2022, 3:00 pm EST (Tentative deadline)

Penn’s Application Process

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

Princeton in Africa Fellowship

Princeton in Africa matches talented and passionate college graduates with organizations working across Africa for one-year service placements. Fellows have helped improve education and public health, source fresh water and alternative energy, increase family incomes, and more.

https://www.princetoninafrica.org/applicants/how-to-apply/

Deadline: October 26, 2022 (Tentative deadline)

Penn’s Application Process

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

Soros Fellowship

The Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship supports New Americans (immigrants or the children of immigrants), who are pursuing a graduate degree in any field in the United States.  The Fellowship provides up to $25,000 in stipend support, as well as 50 percent of required tuition and fees, up to $20,000 per year, for two years, for a total of up to $90,000 in student support.

https://www.pdsoros.org/

Deadline: October 27, 2021, *2:00pm Eastern US Time* (Tentative Deadline)

Penn’s Application Process

• While the Soros Fellowship does not require Penn’s nomination, CURF will be happy to provide advice, guidance, and application assistance to you.
• Applicants will submit the application and supporting materials electronically here.

View and follow this step-by-step guide for potential applicants!

Davis Projects for Peace

The Kathryn Wasserman Davis 100 Projects for Peace program invites undergraduates (including graduating seniors) to design grassroots projects that they will implement during the summer, anywhere in the world. The projects judged to be the most promising and valuable will be funded at $10,000 each. The program aims to encourage student initiative, innovation, and entrepreneurship, focusing on conflict prevention, resolution, or reconciliation.

http://www.davisprojectsforpeace.org

Penn Deadline: January 17, 2023 (Tentative Deadline)

Penn’s Application Process

The Davis Projects for Peace program accepts nominations from institutions – students may not apply independently. To apply to be one of Penn’s nominees, you must complete the following steps by Penn’s Internal Deadline of January 17, 2023.

• To apply, a student (or group of students) must prepare a written statement (not to exceed two pages) that describes the project (who, what, where, how), as well as a budget (one separate page - a Budget Template and Instructions are available here).  You will find numerous examples of funded proposals on the Davis Projects for Peace website here. Proposals require a heading which includes the following information: name of the participating institution (University of Pennsylvania), name of all student participants, title of project, dates of the project, country where the project will be performed.
• Each application must be supported by two letters - one letter of support from a Penn mentor (faculty or staff), and one letter of support from a proposed project affiliate in the host community. Once you have arranged for these letters, begin a CURF Fellowships Nomination Request for the Davis Projects for Peace and request letters through that process. These letters must also be received by Penn's Deadline of January 18:
  • The letter of support from a Penn mentor (faculty or staff) should discuss the proposed project's feasibility and the adequacy of the applicant's/applicants' preparation to complete it. It should also outline ways in which the applicant (or team of applicants) would be mentored over the course of the project and beyond.
  • The letter of support from a proposed project affiliate in the host community should acknowledge that you have been in contact with local partners, that your project is welcome, and that you will have access to necessary support while on location. 
• Using the Request for Nomination application form, upload a single PDF which combines your written statement and budget (save each document as a pdf, then create a single pdf by navigating to Acrobat's "File -> Create -> Combine Files into a Single PDF” feature).  
• If you do not receive an email confirming receipt of your PDF or your recommendations submissions within 4 hours, please IMMEDIATELY email aolson@upenn.edu to make sure CURF has received your submission.
• Nominated students will receive further instructions. 

Luce Scholars

Application is open for the 2023-2024 cycle

In spite of its name, the Luce Scholars Program is experiential rather than academic in nature. At the heart of the enterprise are the internships that are arranged for each Scholar on the basis of their specific professional interests, background, qualifications, and experience. Luce is open to US citizens and permanent residents, and placements can be made in the following countries: Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Aimed at a very select group of young professionals from a wide range of academic and professional backgrounds, the Luce Scholars Program is unique in placing emphasis on leaders who have had limited (or no) prior exposure to the region.  Luce welcomes applications from college seniors, graduate students, and young professionals in a variety of fields. A monthly stipend and certain other allowances are provided by the Luce Foundation.

The Luce Scholars program no longer requires university nomination. Luce now accepts applications directly from students and alumni.

https://www.hluce.org/

Deadline: October 1, 2022

Penn’s Application Process

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

Beinecke Scholarship

The Beinecke Scholarship provides scholarships for juniors planning to pursue a research-focused master’s or doctoral program or MFA in the arts, humanities, or social sciences, with a strong preference for Pell Grant recipients.  Each scholar receives $4,000 upon completion of their undergraduate studies, and a total additional $30,000 for support of graduate study.  Applicants should have a strong academic record at Penn and must have a history of being eligible for need-based financial aid.

Beinecke Scholars have gone on to receive major fellowships such as the Rhodes, Marshall, and Fulbright Scholarships.

http://fdnweb.org/beinecke/

Penn Deadline: December 1, 2022, 4:00pm

Penn’s Application Process

The Beinecke Scholarship accepts nominations from institutions – students may not apply independently. To apply to Penn’s nominee, you must complete the following steps by Penn’s Internal Deadline of December 1, 2022, 4:00pm.

• Start a CURF Fellowships Nomination Request for the Beinecke Scholarship.
• As soon as you have arranged for letters of recommendation from at least three Penn faculty members, request letters via the Fellowships Nomination Request process. Recommendation letters for the Beinecke Scholarship must be written by faculty in the applicant's field (or a closely allied field) who have taught you and/or supervised your research. Letters should focus primarily on the nominee’s academic strength, intellectual curiosity, and potential for advanced graduate study in their field. In particular, Beinecke recommendation letters should address:
  • How does the candidate’s academic ability in their field compare to their peers?
  • Why is the candidate’s specific focus of research unique or important?
  • How is the candidate particularly well-suited to pursue their specific research (academic strength, research experience, other factors)?
  • Why are the graduate schools identified by the candidate a good fit for the candidate and their research interests?
• Upload a single PDF which combines your Beinecke application form, resume, unofficial transcript from Penn InTouch (and other institutions, if relevant), and personal statement.  You will use the same process as above.
• If you do not receive an email confirming your submission within 4 hours, please IMMEDIATELY. email aolson@upenn.edu to make sure CURF has received your submission.
• Nominated students will receive further instructions.