Author: Heidi Greenwald

Gilman Program Now Accepting Applications – Deadline Oct 3, 11:59 pm PST

Heidi Greenwald / / Fellowships, STEM, Study Abroad

The U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship (Gilman) Program is pleased to launch the October 2025 application cycle today with a deadline of Friday, October 3, 2025, at 11:59pm PST. The Gilman Program supports American undergraduate students with high financial need to study or intern abroad, providing them with skills and experiences that advance their career development and expand their professional opportunities and networks that they bring back to their home communities, thereby contributing to a more prosperous United States.

The Gilman Program offers scholarships of up to $5,000 to Pell Grant recipients participating in credit-bearing abroad programs in locations with Level 1 or Level 2 Travel Advisories, according to the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel.html). Eligible study abroad programs or internships must start between December 1, 2025, and October 31, 2026. 

Students studying critical foreign languages may be eligible to receive an additional award of up to $3,000. For more information, please visit:  https://www.gilmanscholarship.org/program/critical-need-languages/  

The STEM Supplemental Award provides up to $1,000 in additional funds for students conducting STEM-related field coursework and internships abroad as part of their overseas program. Students may apply for these supplemental funding opportunities as part of the Gilman or Gilman-McCain application. For more information on the STEM Supplemental Award, please visit:  https://www.gilmanscholarship.org/program/stem-supplemental-award/

The Gilman Program is proud to continue its global partnerships to provide additional scholarships to students studying in Germany, Portugal, and Taiwan (https://www.gilmanscholarship.org/program/gilman-partners/). Students interested in applying should do so through the general application process. 

Award notification in December 2025. 

Please email Gilmanadvisors@iie.org with questions or reach out to Middlebury campus advisor Stacey Theobodo (sthebodo@middlebury.edu)

Considering a Fulbright ETA in Bulgaria, Poland or Romania? Join this Zoom meeting Aug 6!

Heidi Greenwald / / Fellowships, Postgraduate Opportunities, Teaching English Abroad

Please join the Fulbright commission team on Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025 at 12:00 pm ET for a Zoom info session on Fulbright grants in Poland, Bulgaria and Romania, to learn more about Fulbright opportunities in Central and Eastern Europe.

During this meeting, you will meet representatives of Fulbright Bulgaria, Fulbright Romania and Fulbright Poland to learn more about Fulbright grants for US Students, Scholars, and English Teaching Assistants (ETAs). Hear from Fulbright U.S. alumni who completed grants in these countries as they share experiences with the Program. This will be followed by a Q&A.

This meeting is designed for potential U.S. applicants, Fulbright Advisors and other university staff and administrators who would like to meet us and learn more about current Fulbright opportunities in Central and Eastern Europe. We hope to see you there!

Register for the meeting.

A Few Words from Dean Gates on Fellowships (plus FAQs), July 2025

Heidi Greenwald / / Fellowships, Postgraduate Opportunities, Research, Teaching English Abroad

 It’s summer and I usually receive lots of questions from students and alumni wanting to apply for a Fulbright or Watson fellowship. It’s also a time of year when I am not always in the office so try to answer some frequently asked questions below. Read on–and read carefully! It is long.

I need help with application questions or draft reviews. How do I reach the Fellowships Office?
Email fellowships@middlebury.edu. Either Heidi Greenwald or Lisa Gates will respond to you. During July, Lisa is available for meetings the week of July 15 only; please email me with some day/time options (9-5pm ET only!) and we will arrange a meeting. Check out go/appt for open appointments beginning the week of Aug 5. I will offer Zoom drop-in times for Watson and Fulbright applicants (and UK nominees) after August 15. Heidi will be in the office while Lisa is out, so she can also help you!

I missed the preliminary deadline for Watson or Fulbright. Can I still apply?
Yes, you can! The firm deadlines for Middlebury’s internal review are:

  • Thursday 9/4/25 at noon for Watson
  • Wednesday 9/10/25  at noon for Fulbright

We strongly encourage Fulbright applicants to complete the August 15 tasks in MiddApply with essay drafts–this ensures you receive feedback before the internal deadline.

I’m thinking about applying for a Watson or Fulbright now. How do I get started? Review the information and directions at go/fulbright or go/watson and start the application processes in MiddApply. You will be working in both MiddApply and the online application system for Watson or Fulbright. Make sure you understand the process. Some types of application are more feasible than others at this point, so it’s important for you to get feedback.

WATSON FAQs

I want to apply for the Watson Fellowships and need access to the Watson online application. How do I do this?
Complete the Watson preliminary application in MiddApply and we will register you for the Watson online application. You will receive an email confirming that this has been completed.

Where do I find info about the Watson internal application process?
Instructions for nomination materials and submission are online at go/watson . Please review the linked Google documents carefully–there’s useful information  and answers to commonly-asked questions. You will need to complete the tasks in MiddApply (go/middapply) and selected sections of the Watson online application.

Is the Watson internal deadline (Thursday September 4, 2025 at noon) a hard deadline?
Yes. If you anticipate difficulties, talk with us.

FULBRIGHT FAQs

I’m an alum and interested in the Fulbright. Can I still apply through Middlebury? Yes! You will need to adhere to our internal deadline and interview with our campus committee via Zoom in September.

What is the August 15 “Intent to Apply” deadline? What do I do? What happens if I miss it?
This deadline tells us who is planning to apply in this annual cycle. This deadline gives us a sense of the number of Fulbright applicants we will interview and most importantly, TIME to send you feedback on your drafts before the internal deadline.  

You can still apply for the Fulbright if you miss this deadline – and you can decide in September that you don’t want to proceed – just let us know. 

For the August 15 deadline, complete the tasks in your MiddApply (go/middapply) portal. This gives us the materials we need to review. Note: Drafts are fine at this point! Make sure you: 1)  review the guidance at go/fulbright (see Fulbright Guidance Google doc) before sending to us. 2) Include the information required for the Statement of Grant Purpose in your draft. 3) Know that recommendations, transcripts, affiliation letters, etc. are not needed now, but if you have an affiliation lined up, please include a copy). We will review your materials, send comments as needed, while you continue working on your application. The Fellowships Office will provide official transcripts for those who complete the August 15 tasks in MiddApply.

If you do not complete your Aug 15 tasks in MiddApply, we may be unable to provide substantive comments on your essays. You will also be responsible for ordering your own official transcript. If you choose not to apply after this point, please just let us know.

Is September 10 at noon (Wednesday) a hard deadline for my Fulbright application? Yes, this is a hard deadline. Important: Mark your Fulbright application “ready for campus review” by this deadline. 

What if I’m missing some recommendations or a letter of affiliation?
If you have a letter (recommendation, affiliation) that is late in arriving, let us know. 

Are you expecting a complete and polished Fulbright application on Sept 10?
Yes. Everything in your control should be done and finalized at this point. Essays must be polished with no grammatical or spelling errors. We understand that some recommendation letters may still be outstanding. 

You may continue working on your materials after this date and we encourage that! . Campus committee interviews often provide additional suggestions for your application which you may wish to incorporate. 

What if I miss Middlebury’s internal Fulbright deadline? Can I still apply through Middlebury?
Yes, but you will not be able to participate in the campus review process. We cannot guarantee feedback at this point in the process.  

How do I learn more about Fulbright?
Webinars and tutorials are ongoing this summer. Check out http://us.fulbrightonline.org/about/videos-tutorials and http://us.fulbrightonline.org/applicants/information-sessions  (click on webinars to see schedule).

McCall MacBain Scholars Program Now Accepting Applications 

Heidi Greenwald / / Education, Fellowships, Graduate School Funding

Candidates who demonstrate exceptional character, community engagement, leadership potential, entrepreneurial spirit, academic strength, and intellectual curiosity are encouraged to apply for McGill’s McCall MacBain Scholars Program. The scholarship includes: 

  • Tuition and fees for one of 150+ eligible master’s or professional programs at McGill University 
  • A living stipend of $2,300 per month during academic terms 
  • Summer funding options and a relocation grant 
  • Mentors, coaching, and advisors 
  • A leadership development program 

Take advantage of upcoming information sessions and learn more on their website. Application deadlines: For students and graduates of universities in the US and Canada, apply by Sept. 24, 2025 (4 pm ET). Contact fellowships@middlebury.edu no later than September 8, 2025 regarding an institutional endorsement; this is required for you to apply.

Hiếu Nguyễn, ‘23,  Named Knight-Hennessy Scholar

Heidi Greenwald / / Fellowships, Graduate School Funding, Research

Hiếu Nguyễn, a ‘23 Middlebury neuroscience major, joins the eighth cohort of Knight-Hennessy scholars at Stanford University. They will pursue an MD at the Stanford School of Medicine. They  aspire to combine science, the arts, and entrepreneurship to improve healthcare quality and access for global populations burdened by chronic disease. 

Hiếu is one of 84 scholars selected to receive up to three years of funding to pursue graduate studies (across all advanced programs and degrees) at Stanford University. Awardees are selected for their ability to develop a deep expertise in their domains and strengthen their transformational leadership skills. 

Since graduation, Hiếu earned their master of philosophy in clinical neurosciences from the University of Cambridge. They have contributed to advancing our understanding of cancer and neurodegenerative diseases through research at Middlebury College, Rockefeller University, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, University of Cambridge, and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Read about the newest cohort of Knight-Hennessey Scholars on this website, and learn more about the program.