National Merit Fellowships, Scholarships & Grants
Plan Ahead!
The following lists are to help you as you research fellowships, scholarships, and grants. As each organization has specific guidelines, please be sure to click on the link which will bring you to a short description of each opportunity and the basic qualifications. Remember that most of these fellowships, scholarships, and grants are awarded for the next academic year.
If you have questions or would like to learn more, please email Marla Melito.
Undergraduate Opportunities
Graduate Study Abroad
Arts and Humanities
International Affairs and Public Policy
- Boren Scholarship
- James C. Gaither Junior Fellows Program (formerly the Carnegie Junior Fellows Program)
- DAAD
- Fulbright
- Gates Cambridge Scholarship
- NCAA Scholarship
- Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans
- Rhodes Scholarship
- Truman Scholarship
- The British Marshall Scholarship
- The George Mitchell Scholarship
- Schwarzman Scholars
Natural and Social Sciences
Boren Scholarship
Boren Scholarships provide American undergraduate students with the resources and encouragement they need to acquire skills and experiences in areas of the world critical to the future security of our nation, in exchange for their commitment to seek work in the federal government. The scholarship is for study abroad to study less commonly taught languages, including but not limited to Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Swahili.
Contact Office By:
September/October
Skidmore Deadline:
Dec. 15
Application Years:
First-Year
Sophomore Year
Junior Year
(Senior year is possible, please contact our office for details)
DAAD Scholarship
Each year, an independent selection committee of academics and international education experts is assembled to select the Undergraduate Scholarship grantees for study in Germany. Scholarships may be granted for a minimum of four (one semester) and a maximum of 10 months (one academic year). Recipients will be awarded a monthly stipend of approximately € 650, plus additional funds to help defray travel and research expenses as well as health insurance.
Contact Office By:
September
Skidmore Deadline:
Dec. 5
Application Years:
Sophomore
Junior
(Senior year is possible with certain conditions. Contact our office for details)
Davies-Jackson Scholarship
The Davies-Jackson Scholarship provides a unique opportunity for graduating seniors with exceptional academic records and are the first in their family to graduate from a four year college or university. The Davies-Jackson Scholar will be admitted to Cambridge as an Affiliated Student. An Affiliated Student is a graduate holding an approved degree from another university who is admitted to work for the Cambridge BA degree. As this is essentially a second BA, Affiliated Students take the more advanced parts of a Cambridge degree course and qualify for the B.A. in two years instead of the usual three.
Contact Office By:
June 15
Skidmore Deadline:
September 20
Application Years:
Senior
Fulbright Scholarship
The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is the largest U.S. exchange program offering opportunities for students and young professionals to undertake international graduate study, advanced research, university teaching, and primary and secondary school teaching worldwide. The program currently awards approximately 1,900 grants annually in all fields of study, and operates in more than 140 countries worldwide.
Contact Office By:
June 30th (at the latest)
Skidmore Deadline:
Research: August 1
ETA: August 15
Final Copy: September 15
Application Years:
Senior
Graduates
Gates Cambridge Scholarship
Gates Cambridge Scholarships are prestigious, highly competitive full-cost scholarships. They are awarded to outstanding applicants from countries outside the UK to pursue a full-time postgraduate degree in any subject available at the University of Cambridge. The program aims to build a global network of future leaders committed to improving the lives of others.
Contact Office By:
June 15
Skidmore Deadline:
September 15
Application Years:
Senior
British Marshall Scholarship
Marshall Scholarships finance young Americans of high ability to study for a degree in the United Kingdom. As future leaders, with a lasting understanding of British society, Marshall Scholars strengthen the enduring relationship between the British and American peoples, their governments and their institutions. Marshall Scholars are talented, independent and wide-ranging, and their time as Scholars enhances their intellectual and personal growth. Their direct engagement with Britain through its best academic programs contributes to their ultimate personal success. Students may apply for a one-year or two-year program.
Contact Office By:
June 15
Skidmore Deadline:
September 15
Application Years:
Senior
Graduate
The George J. Mitchell Scholarship
The Mitchell Scholarship Program, named to honor former US Senator George Mitchell's pivotal contribution to the Northern Ireland peace process, is designed to introduce and connect generations of future American leaders to the island of Ireland, while recognizing and fostering intellectual achievement, leadership, and a commitment to community and public service. The Mitchell Scholarship Program provides tuition, accommodations, a living expenses stipend, and an international travel stipend. There are no restrictions as to academic field of study, but applicant's undergraduate program must provide sufficient basis for study in the proposed field.
Contact Office By:
June 15
Skidmore Deadline:
September 15
Application Years:
Senior
Graduate
Rhodes Scholarship
The Rhodes Trust, a British charity established to honor the will and bequest of Cecil J. Rhodes, provides full financial support for Rhodes Scholars to pursue a degree or degrees at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom in partnership with the Second Century Founder, John McCall MacBain and other generous benefactors. The first American Rhodes Scholars entered Oxford in 1904.
Contact Office By:
June 15
Skidmore Deadline:
September 15
Application Years:
Senior
Graduate
James Madison Fellowship
The James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation offers $24,000 James Madison Graduate Fellowships to individuals desiring to become outstanding teachers of the American Constitution at the secondary school level. Fellowship applicants compete only against other applicants from the states of their legal residence. Generally, one Fellowship per state is awarded each year.
Contact Office By:
September/October
Skidmore Deadline:
February 5
Application Years:
Senior
Graduate
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
- Up to 174 (87 for men and 87 for women) postgraduate scholarships are awarded annually
- Awarded to student-athletes who excel academically and athletically
- One-time grants of $7,500 each are awarded for fall, winter, and spring sports
- Each sports season there are 29 scholarships available for men and 29 for women
- Scholarships are one-time, non-renewable grants
- Nominations happen at 3 points each year
Contact Office
Application Years:
Senior
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)
The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) helps ensure the vitality of the human resource base of science and engineering in the United States and reinforces its diversity. The program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines who are pursuing research-based master's and doctoral degrees at accredited United States institutions. As the oldest graduate fellowship of its kind, the GRFP has a long history of selecting recipients who achieve high levels of success in their future academic and professional careers. The reputation of the GRFP follows recipients and often helps them become life-long leaders that contribute significantly to both scientific innovation and teaching.
Contact Office By:
June 15
Skidmore Deadline:
September / October (depends on discipline)
Application Years:
Senior
Graduate
The Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans
Paul and Daisy Soros, Hungarian immigrants and American philanthropists, established their fellowship program for New Americans in December 1997 with a charitable trust of fifty million dollars. Their reasons for doing so were several. They wished to "give back" to the country that had afforded them and their children such great opportunities and felt a fellowship program was an appropriate vehicle. They also felt that assisting young New Americans at critical points in their educations was an unmet need. Finally, they wished to call attention of all Americans to the extensive and diverse contributions of New Americans to the quality of life in this country.
Contact Office By:
June 15
Skidmore Deadline:
September 20
Application Years:
Senior
Graduate
James C. Gaither Junior Fellows Program
The James C. Gaither Junior Fellows Program with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace is a unique global network of policy research centers in Russia, China, Europe, the Middle East, and the United States. Their mission, dating back more than a century, is to advance the cause of peace through analysis and development of fresh policy ideas and direct engagement and collaboration with decision makers in government, business, and civil society. Each year the endowment offers approximately 10-12 one-year James C. Gaither fellowships to uniquely qualified graduating seniors and individuals who have graduated during the past academic year. Junior fellows work as research assistants to the endowment's senior associates and are hired for approximately one year.
Contact Office By:
September / October
Skidmore Deadline:
December 15
Application Years:
Senior
Recent graduates (one year after graduation)
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) GRO Undergraduate Fellowship
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as part of its Greater Research Opportunities (GRO) Fellowships program, offers undergraduate fellowships for bachelor level students in environmental fields of study. Subject to availability of funding and other applicable considerations, the Agency plans to award approximately 40 new fellowships. Eligible students will receive support for their junior and senior years of undergraduate study and for an internship at an EPA facility during the summer of their junior year. The fellowship provides up to $20,700 per academic year of support and $8,600 of support for a three-month summer internship. Cost sharing is not required.
Contact Office By:
June 15
Skidmore Deadline:
November 10
Application Years:
Sophomore Year
The Goldwater Scholarship
The Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program was authorized by the United States Congress in 1986 to honor Senator Barry Goldwater, who served his country for 56 years as a soldier and statesman, including 30 years of service in the U.S. Senate. The creation of this program pays tribute to the leadership, courage, and vision of Senator Goldwater and establishes in his name an endowed recognition program to foster and encourage excellence in science and mathematics. The purpose of the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation, as stated in the enabling legislation, is to alleviate a critical current and future shortage of highly qualified scientists, mathematicians, and engineers. A more realistic statement of the purpose, in today's terms, is to provide a continuing source of highly qualified individuals to those fields of academic study and research.
Contact Office By:
June 15
Skidmore Deadline:
Dec. 20
Application Years:
Sophomore
Junior