I want to give a plug for the Student Funding Database, if only because it deserves more attention than it probably gets. Perhaps it would help if it had a different name, like “Look Here for Money!” and an online equivalent of a flashing neon sign. But don’t let the generic title fool you; the database an excellent resource for current undergraduates and recent alums looking for funding sources for graduate education, projects, and in a few cases, undergraduate funding.
The database contains all fellowship opportunities we learn about, both those internal to Middlebury and from outside foundations, companies and organizations. And the best part? You can search the database based on your class year, citizenship, or field of interest. You can find it through our SFAS website and look for the link on the left-hand side. And if you find fellowships that aren’t included, but should be, you can add them.
Why do we need this? There are simply more opportunities out there than those we can advertise through our office. We focus on competitive academic fellowships (and a few internships) that require institutional nomination, but there are many other opportunities for which students apply to directly. Search around and you’ll find things like the Collegiate Inventors’ Competition, where individuals or teams from different scientific disciplines display their innovative ideas, processes, and technologies. There’s modest travel and research funding for undergraduates conducting research about the Lake Champlain ecosystem. Or the Elie Wiesel Prize in Ethics Essay Contest, with awards ranging from $500 to $5000. Like many fellowship opportunities, these focus on particular areas of study or kinds of students, so you do have to spend some time looking. But with the search functions, we’ve tried to make this process as easy for you as possible.
And as with any opportunity, feel free to come talk with me about the scholarship or contest you’re considering.
