Grants and Fellowships
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External grants and awards are opportunities offered by private foundations, government agencies, and corporations. Also known as nationally competitive awards or fellowships, receiving external funding opportunities is a way to position yourself as a leader in your field, whether you are just beginning your graduate career, are conducting research and writing, or are close to the end of your degree and exploring career options.
We encourage you to take advantage of the resources below as you prepare to apply for competitive grants and fellowships. Be sure to check our events page and the CURF website for upcoming information sessions and workshops related to fellowships and grants.
Looking for fellowship opportunities? Try searching the Fellowships Listings and Databases below and review our lists of highlighted opportunities and our regular digest of upcoming deadlines and opportunities on our Penn Grad News page.
Looking for student group-funded individual grants? Visit the Graduate Grants page to learn more about student travel and research grants offered by graduate student organizations at Penn and funded through the General Fee.
For general information about graduate funding and need-based aid, please visit the Graduate Funding and Finances section of our resource guide.
Resources and Support
While researching and applying for grant and fellowship opportunities may seem daunting, you are not alone! Penn resource centers exist to assist you as you determine which grants to apply to, how to hone your grant writing skills, and how to better manage your time.
Resources at Penn
In addition to the University-wide resources below, never forget the value of your advisor, committee, and colleagues within your program for support and guidance! |
Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships (CURF)
Often misunderstood due to the "undergraduate research" portion of its name, CURF assists graduate students seeking funding for language study, graduate coursework, or research through any fellowships in CURF’s Fellowships Directory. CURF can help you at any stage of the application process — finding fellowships, crafting your application, draft review, and practice interviews where applicable.
CURF is Penn’s institutional hub for many prestigious fellowships (including the Fulbright Award, Boren Fellowship, Mitchell Scholarship, Rhodes Scholarship, and Gates Cambridge Scholarship) for which graduate students at any level may be eligible. For a full list of fellowships for which CURF supports graduate student applications, see this customized view of CURF's Fellowships Directory.
Career Services
Not just for finding your future job, Career Services has a subscription to the Grants Advisor online database of funding opportunities relevant to different academic research disciplines, as well as links to other information about funding sources. Activate your Handshake account (https://upenn.joinhandshake.com) and sign up for the “Current PhDs in STEM fields” or “Current PhDs in the Humanities/Social Sciences” CareerMail to receive information about relevant career and funding opportunities
GAPSA
GAPSA offers limited travel grants and, together with the Office of the Provost, promotes interdisciplinary research through individual research grants
Global Activities Registry
Before going abroad for academic work, register your trip details in Penn's Global Activities Registry. Your information will be provided automatically to International SOS (ISOS), the organization that provides assistance, including emergency evacuation, to Penn travelers free of charge. The information will enable the University and ISOS to assist you more quickly during emergencies.
Penn Abroad
Planning to conduct research or study abroad? Penn Abroad maintains a list of selected fellowships and scholarships that support international work.
Penn Libraries Subject Guides
Many of the Penn Libraries' subject-specific research guides contain information about research funding - including sources, guidelines, and more.
Science Outreach Initiative
The Science Outreach Initiative serves faculty and other researchers in the School of Arts and Sciences by helping them develop outreach program ideas and proposals, locating potential partners, and promoting information and resource exchange among all of Penn's STEM outreach programs. To help you become aware of the range of STEM Outreach Programs at Penn, the STEM Outreach Initiative has gathered basic information about them into a searchable list located on the STEM Outreach Matrix page.
Weingarten Learning Resources Center
Grants are all about time management and Weingarten Learning Resources Center can help you manage your time effectively. In addition, they can help you work through the strategy of grant writing – not simply the writing itself. Students can make appointments for one-on-one consultations with a Learning Instructor to address concerns and develop strategies for completing the grant researching/writing process.
Getting Started
Getting Started
- Fellowships 101: How to Find Fellowships That Are Right for You – by Karen Ruhleder
- Scholarly Pursuits: A Guide to Professional Development during the Graduate Years (Chapter 5) – by Cynthia Verba
- Grant Writing Tips for Graduate Students - Chronicle of Higher Education
- Art of Grantsmanship - Human Frontier Science Program
- "Demystifying the World of Funding" (PDF) by Dr. Jennifer Wofford
Timelines
If you are applying for a program that requires university endorsement, nomination, or review, DO NOT wait until the last minute! Successful applicants typically start working at least 6-8 weeks in advance of application deadlines. Awards requiring campus processes may require even longer.
"Time Management for the Grant" (PDF) by Dr. Pat Thatcher
Weingarten also has many useful tools to help with managing your workload
Fellowships Databases and Listings
There are many, many external funding sources that Penn graduate & professional students may pursue to support educational, research, travel, or other activities.
In addition to the resources below, several Penn schools and programs maintain discipline-specific lists of funding opportunities that may be of interest to students. Professional associations and societies also often offer funding to graduate students for dissertation research or conference travel.
- CURF’s Fellowships Directory lists nationally-competitive fellowships supporting language study, graduate coursework, or research. Check out this customized Fellowships Directory list of fellowships for which CURF supports graduate student applications.
-
The Grad Center maintains a list of Highlighted Opportunities, with both internal and external awards of potential interest to Penn graduate and professional students.
- PennERA Sponsored Programs Information Network (SPIN) is an up-to-date listing of funding opportunities from national and international governmental and private funding sources. SMARTS (SPIN Matching and Research Transmittal Service) is an email alert system that allows investigators to receive email notifications about funding opportunities matching their specific requirements. Access both by logging on to PennERA.
Graduate Fellowships Databases
- Federal Opportunities for Grad Students in STEM | Database of federally-sponsored internship, funding, and training opportunities for graduate students.
- UI Urbana-Champaign Graduate Fellowships Database | Searchable database of over 1,100 graduate fellowships.
- UCLA Graduate Fellowships Database | Searchable database of over 600 grants, fellowships, and postdoctoral awards.
General Grants & Fellowships Listings
- Foundation Center is a national nonprofit service organization and maintains the most comprehensive database on U.S. grantmakers and their grants.
- Grants.Gov is the single access point for over 900 grant programs offered by the 26 Federal grant-making agencies.
- GrantsNet is a searchable database of grants to fund training in the sciences.
- H-Net: Humanities and Social Sciences Online provides announcements of funding for research in the arts, humanities, and social sciences.
- IIEPassport Search Engine | Scholarships and funded programs for studying and interning abroad.
- Michigan State University Libraries Grants Guide
- SRA International is a professional society dedicated to educating and supporting research administrators.
- Penn Office of the Vice Provost for Research has databases and other information geared to researchers.
STEM-Specific Databases
- ORISE Opportunities Database | Search for academic fellowships and scholarships, research experiences and internships.
- National Academies of Science and Engineering Fellowship Opportunities | NASEM offers several fellowships in science, engineering, and medicine. Additionally, the NASEM Fellowship Office administers predoctoral, postdoctoral, and senior fellowship awards on behalf of government and private/foundation sponsors.
- Pathways to Science Database | Includes research opportunities, undergraduate and graduate fellowships, and postdoctoral positions in STEM fields.
- NIH Fogarty International Center Funding Opportunities | Opportunities to support the field of global health research.
- Science Careers GrantsNet | A searchable database of funding opportunities in biomedical research and science education.
Opportunities for Non-US Students
- U of Iowa, "External grants open to non-U.S. citizens" | Listed in alphabetical order with short descriptions.
- Scholarships for Development | Scholarships for people from developing countries and/or interested in development-related fields.
- International Education Financial Aid | Database with scholarships for international students. Choose United States as the country and your field.
- ISO Scholarships and Grants for International Students | Listed in alphabetical order.
Additional Funding and Financial Resources
For information about university funding and personal finances, visit our Graduate Funding & Finances page.
Grant and Proposal Writing Guidance
Grant and Proposal Writing Guidance
General Guidance
- Grant Writing Tips for Graduate Students - Chronicle of Higher Education
- Art of Grantsmanship - Human Frontier Science Program
Social Sciences and Humanities
- The Making of a Successful Proposal - University of California, Berkeley
- The Art of Writing Proposals - Social Science Research Council
- Dr. Karen's Foolproof Grant Template – by Karen Kelsky
- Writing Proposals for ACLS Fellowship Competitions - American Council of Learned Societies
- A Guide for Proposal Writing: Directorate for Education and Human Resources from the National Science Foundation
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)
- A Guide to Preparing Fellowship Applications in STEM - by Karen Ruhleder
- Writing Successful Science Proposals, 2nd Edition – by Andrew Friedland and Carol Folt
- Research Proposals: A Guide to Success, 3rd Edition – by Thomas Ogden and Israel Goldberg
- Writing Science: How to Write Papers that Get Cited and Proposals that Get Funded - by Joshua Schimel
Personal Statements
- Writing Personal Statements Online - Joe Schall
- Applying for Fellowships: Telling the “Story of You” – by Karen Ruhleder
- Helping Students to Tell Their Stories - by James M. Lang
- Leave Dr. Seuss Out of It – Chronicle of Higher Education
Letters of Recommendation
- How to Ask for a Recommendation - Chronicle of Higher Education
Award-Specific Resources and Guidance
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF-GRFP)
- NSF-GRFP Insights: Application Resources for the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (Dr. Robin Walker and the University of Missouri). Applicants should read this entire website thoroughly.
- Video: Applying to the NSF GRF Program (August 2016) - NSF Program Directors give an overview of GRF program.
- NSF Fellowship Advice, by Alex Lang (features many samples proposals).
- Video: Tips for a Winning NSF-GRF Proposal, by UIUC alum Ritu Raman.
- Where Storytelling Meets Science, by Lesley McCollum and Michelle Lavery.
- Advice for NSF-GRF Applicants, by Mallory P. Ladd (features sample proposals).
- Helping Students to Tell Their Stories (advice on the personal essay) - by James M. Lang.
- Leave Dr. Seuss Out of It (general advice on personal statements).
National Defense Science & Engineering Graduate Fellowship (NDSEG)
- Advice from NDSEG Fellow – Phillip Guo
- Advice from NDSEG Fellow – Olga Botvinnik
- Advice from NDSEG Fellow – Edward Yang
National Institutes of Health - Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NIH-NRSA F30, F31, F32)
- NIH/NRSA/Kirschstein Fellowship – Graduate College Information Session 2018 - University of Illinois
- NIH/NRSA/Kirschstein Grants Policy Statement (summary of eligibility, purpose, evaluation criteria, application guidelines, and award benefits).
- NIH/NRSA/Kirschstein Fellowship - Application Checklist - University of Illinois
- Tips on Writing NRSA Proposals - by Siegle, Johnson, Everhard, & Newton
- Video of NIH Proposal Review Process - National Institutes of Health
- Guide to Effective Grant Writing: How to Write a Successful NIH Proposal - by Otto Yang
- A Practical Guide to Writing a Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA Grant – by Andrew Hollenbach
Fulbright: Academic Study/Research Grants and English Teaching Assistantships
- Fulbright Tutorials (includes all of the items below and more):
Ford Foundation
- Demystifying the Ford Foundation Fellowship - University of California Santa Barbara
Workshop materials
Resources at Penn
In addition to the University-wide resources below, never forget the value of your advisor, committee, and colleagues within your program for support and guidance! |
Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships (CURF)
Often misunderstood due to the "undergraduate research" portion of its name, CURF assists graduate students seeking funding for language study, graduate coursework, or research through any fellowships in CURF’s Fellowships Directory. CURF can help you at any stage of the application process — finding fellowships, crafting your application, draft review, and practice interviews where applicable.
CURF is Penn’s institutional hub for many prestigious fellowships (including the Fulbright Award, Boren Fellowship, Mitchell Scholarship, Rhodes Scholarship, and Gates Cambridge Scholarship) for which graduate students at any level may be eligible. For a full list of fellowships for which CURF supports graduate student applications, see this customized view of CURF's Fellowships Directory.
Career Services
Not just for finding your future job, Career Services has a subscription to the Grants Advisor online database of funding opportunities relevant to different academic research disciplines, as well as links to other information about funding sources. Activate your Handshake account (https://upenn.joinhandshake.com) and sign up for the “Current PhDs in STEM fields” or “Current PhDs in the Humanities/Social Sciences” CareerMail to receive information about relevant career and funding opportunities
GAPSA
GAPSA offers limited travel grants and, together with the Office of the Provost, promotes interdisciplinary research through individual research grants
Global Activities Registry
Before going abroad for academic work, register your trip details in Penn's Global Activities Registry. Your information will be provided automatically to International SOS (ISOS), the organization that provides assistance, including emergency evacuation, to Penn travelers free of charge. The information will enable the University and ISOS to assist you more quickly during emergencies.
Penn Abroad
Planning to conduct research or study abroad? Penn Abroad maintains a list of selected fellowships and scholarships that support international work.
Penn Libraries Subject Guides
Many of the Penn Libraries' subject-specific research guides contain information about research funding - including sources, guidelines, and more.
Science Outreach Initiative
The Science Outreach Initiative serves faculty and other researchers in the School of Arts and Sciences by helping them develop outreach program ideas and proposals, locating potential partners, and promoting information and resource exchange among all of Penn's STEM outreach programs. To help you become aware of the range of STEM Outreach Programs at Penn, the STEM Outreach Initiative has gathered basic information about them into a searchable list located on the STEM Outreach Matrix page.
Weingarten Learning Resources Center
Grants are all about time management and Weingarten Learning Resources Center can help you manage your time effectively. In addition, they can help you work through the strategy of grant writing – not simply the writing itself. Students can make appointments for one-on-one consultations with a Learning Instructor to address concerns and develop strategies for completing the grant researching/writing process.
Getting Started
Getting Started
- Fellowships 101: How to Find Fellowships That Are Right for You – by Karen Ruhleder
- Scholarly Pursuits: A Guide to Professional Development during the Graduate Years (Chapter 5) – by Cynthia Verba
- Grant Writing Tips for Graduate Students - Chronicle of Higher Education
- Art of Grantsmanship - Human Frontier Science Program
- "Demystifying the World of Funding" (PDF) by Dr. Jennifer Wofford
Timelines
If you are applying for a program that requires university endorsement, nomination, or review, DO NOT wait until the last minute! Successful applicants typically start working at least 6-8 weeks in advance of application deadlines. Awards requiring campus processes may require even longer.
"Time Management for the Grant" (PDF) by Dr. Pat Thatcher
Weingarten also has many useful tools to help with managing your workload
Fellowships Databases and Listings
There are many, many external funding sources that Penn graduate & professional students may pursue to support educational, research, travel, or other activities.
In addition to the resources below, several Penn schools and programs maintain discipline-specific lists of funding opportunities that may be of interest to students. Professional associations and societies also often offer funding to graduate students for dissertation research or conference travel.
- CURF’s Fellowships Directory lists nationally-competitive fellowships supporting language study, graduate coursework, or research. Check out this customized Fellowships Directory list of fellowships for which CURF supports graduate student applications.
-
The Grad Center maintains a list of Highlighted Opportunities, with both internal and external awards of potential interest to Penn graduate and professional students.
- PennERA Sponsored Programs Information Network (SPIN) is an up-to-date listing of funding opportunities from national and international governmental and private funding sources. SMARTS (SPIN Matching and Research Transmittal Service) is an email alert system that allows investigators to receive email notifications about funding opportunities matching their specific requirements. Access both by logging on to PennERA.
Graduate Fellowships Databases
- Federal Opportunities for Grad Students in STEM | Database of federally-sponsored internship, funding, and training opportunities for graduate students.
- UI Urbana-Champaign Graduate Fellowships Database | Searchable database of over 1,100 graduate fellowships.
- UCLA Graduate Fellowships Database | Searchable database of over 600 grants, fellowships, and postdoctoral awards.
General Grants & Fellowships Listings
- Foundation Center is a national nonprofit service organization and maintains the most comprehensive database on U.S. grantmakers and their grants.
- Grants.Gov is the single access point for over 900 grant programs offered by the 26 Federal grant-making agencies.
- GrantsNet is a searchable database of grants to fund training in the sciences.
- H-Net: Humanities and Social Sciences Online provides announcements of funding for research in the arts, humanities, and social sciences.
- IIEPassport Search Engine | Scholarships and funded programs for studying and interning abroad.
- Michigan State University Libraries Grants Guide
- SRA International is a professional society dedicated to educating and supporting research administrators.
- Penn Office of the Vice Provost for Research has databases and other information geared to researchers.
STEM-Specific Databases
- ORISE Opportunities Database | Search for academic fellowships and scholarships, research experiences and internships.
- National Academies of Science and Engineering Fellowship Opportunities | NASEM offers several fellowships in science, engineering, and medicine. Additionally, the NASEM Fellowship Office administers predoctoral, postdoctoral, and senior fellowship awards on behalf of government and private/foundation sponsors.
- Pathways to Science Database | Includes research opportunities, undergraduate and graduate fellowships, and postdoctoral positions in STEM fields.
- NIH Fogarty International Center Funding Opportunities | Opportunities to support the field of global health research.
- Science Careers GrantsNet | A searchable database of funding opportunities in biomedical research and science education.
Opportunities for Non-US Students
- U of Iowa, "External grants open to non-U.S. citizens" | Listed in alphabetical order with short descriptions.
- Scholarships for Development | Scholarships for people from developing countries and/or interested in development-related fields.
- International Education Financial Aid | Database with scholarships for international students. Choose United States as the country and your field.
- ISO Scholarships and Grants for International Students | Listed in alphabetical order.
Additional Funding and Financial Resources
For information about university funding and personal finances, visit our Graduate Funding & Finances page.
Grant and Proposal Writing Guidance
Grant and Proposal Writing Guidance
General Guidance
- Grant Writing Tips for Graduate Students - Chronicle of Higher Education
- Art of Grantsmanship - Human Frontier Science Program
Social Sciences and Humanities
- The Making of a Successful Proposal - University of California, Berkeley
- The Art of Writing Proposals - Social Science Research Council
- Dr. Karen's Foolproof Grant Template – by Karen Kelsky
- Writing Proposals for ACLS Fellowship Competitions - American Council of Learned Societies
- A Guide for Proposal Writing: Directorate for Education and Human Resources from the National Science Foundation
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)
- A Guide to Preparing Fellowship Applications in STEM - by Karen Ruhleder
- Writing Successful Science Proposals, 2nd Edition – by Andrew Friedland and Carol Folt
- Research Proposals: A Guide to Success, 3rd Edition – by Thomas Ogden and Israel Goldberg
- Writing Science: How to Write Papers that Get Cited and Proposals that Get Funded - by Joshua Schimel
Personal Statements
- Writing Personal Statements Online - Joe Schall
- Applying for Fellowships: Telling the “Story of You” – by Karen Ruhleder
- Helping Students to Tell Their Stories - by James M. Lang
- Leave Dr. Seuss Out of It – Chronicle of Higher Education
Letters of Recommendation
- How to Ask for a Recommendation - Chronicle of Higher Education
Award-Specific Resources and Guidance
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF-GRFP)
- NSF-GRFP Insights: Application Resources for the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (Dr. Robin Walker and the University of Missouri). Applicants should read this entire website thoroughly.
- Video: Applying to the NSF GRF Program (August 2016) - NSF Program Directors give an overview of GRF program.
- NSF Fellowship Advice, by Alex Lang (features many samples proposals).
- Video: Tips for a Winning NSF-GRF Proposal, by UIUC alum Ritu Raman.
- Where Storytelling Meets Science, by Lesley McCollum and Michelle Lavery.
- Advice for NSF-GRF Applicants, by Mallory P. Ladd (features sample proposals).
- Helping Students to Tell Their Stories (advice on the personal essay) - by James M. Lang.
- Leave Dr. Seuss Out of It (general advice on personal statements).
National Defense Science & Engineering Graduate Fellowship (NDSEG)
- Advice from NDSEG Fellow – Phillip Guo
- Advice from NDSEG Fellow – Olga Botvinnik
- Advice from NDSEG Fellow – Edward Yang
National Institutes of Health - Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NIH-NRSA F30, F31, F32)
- NIH/NRSA/Kirschstein Fellowship – Graduate College Information Session 2018 - University of Illinois
- NIH/NRSA/Kirschstein Grants Policy Statement (summary of eligibility, purpose, evaluation criteria, application guidelines, and award benefits).
- NIH/NRSA/Kirschstein Fellowship - Application Checklist - University of Illinois
- Tips on Writing NRSA Proposals - by Siegle, Johnson, Everhard, & Newton
- Video of NIH Proposal Review Process - National Institutes of Health
- Guide to Effective Grant Writing: How to Write a Successful NIH Proposal - by Otto Yang
- A Practical Guide to Writing a Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA Grant – by Andrew Hollenbach
Fulbright: Academic Study/Research Grants and English Teaching Assistantships
- Fulbright Tutorials (includes all of the items below and more):
Ford Foundation
- Demystifying the Ford Foundation Fellowship - University of California Santa Barbara
Workshop materials
We hope you find these resources useful and if you have any comments or suggestions, please let us know!