Fellowships

Graduate School Fellowships in Support of Diversity

Recruitment fellowships designed to advance the Graduate School’s commitment to access, equity, and inclusion and to enhance the diversity of Indiana University’s graduate student population are available on a competitive basis to U.S. citizens and U.S. permanent residents applying for Fall admission. Students who wish to be considered for these fellowships must be nominated by their department.

Students awarded a fellowship in support of diversity will be recognized as UGS Scholars and will be invited to participate in community and professional activities sponsored by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and its partners. Students awarded a fellowship may receive a standard offer of admission and subsequently be offered this competitive fellowship in lieu of a standard funding offer. 

Recruitment Fellowships

• Adam W. Herbert Ph.D. and M.S. Graduate Fellowship - for recruitment of graduates of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) planning to pursue graduate studies in STEM disciplines at Indiana University. Read More

• President’s Diversity Recruitment Fellowship- for recruitment of new research degree students interested in a PhD or MFA at Indiana University Bloomington. The fellowship offers a five year funding package, professional development and mentoring support to outstanding scholars in all fields. Read More 

• Graduate Scholars Fellowship - for recruitment of new research degree students interested in a PhD or MFA at Indiana University Bloomington. The fellowship offers a four year funding package, professional development and mentoring support to outstanding scholars in all fields.  Read more

• Ronald E. McNair Graduate Fellowship - for the recruitment of new research degree students who were McNair Scholars at their undergraduate institutions.Read More

 Retention Fellowships

• Educational Opportunity Fellowship (EOF) - designed to enable promising students who are first generation college graduates or graduates with acute financial need.Read More

• President’s Diversity Dissertation Fellowship -provides one year of support to advanced doctoral students who are completing Ph.D. dissertations. In order to apply for this award, applicants must have been admitted to candidacy and receive Ph.D. recorder approval at least one month prior to the application deadline.Read more

Success in graduate education requires significant persistence and resilience. Therefore, applicants are asked to use their supplemental application to address how their personal, academic, and/or professional experiences demonstrate their ability to be both persistent and resilient especially when navigating challenging circumstances. The nomination should detail how one or more of the following criteria applies to the applicant:

1. First-generation college student (a student whose legal custodian(s) did not complete a four-year college degree). 
2. Member of an ethnic or racial group historically underrepresented in graduate education (Black/African American, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian or other Native Pacific Islander, Hispanic/Latinx)
3. McNair Undergraduate Scholar (the Graduate School will verify an applicant’s status as a McNair Scholar while pursuing a baccalaureate degree at a U.S. institution)
4. Experiences overcoming significant challenges in their path toward graduate school. Examples include but are not limited to
   • Managing a disability. For more information about documentation criteria visit: here
   • Being of a gender minority (<30% of the current graduate population in the department).

Recruitment Nomination Guidelines

1. Secure approval from their dean of graduate studies (i.e. School of Education, School of Optometry—dean’s approval is not required for programs in the College of Arts and Sciences).
2. Rank your department’s nominations with #1 being the strongest candidate for the award(s) for which each student is eligible. Please list candidate names in alphabetic order. These nominations should be listed on the Nomination and Ranking Form above.
3. A complete copy of the student’s application for admission to Indiana University.
4. A brief supporting statement (no more than 2 paragraphs) explaining: a) why this candidate is outstanding; b) how well matched the candidate’s interests are to the strengths of the department; c) how the department recruited the student (how much contact and by which faculty); d) the likelihood the candidate will choose IU over competing offers
5. A brief funding statement (1-2 paragraphs) describing how the department plans to fund students in the years in which they are not receiving fellowship funds. This should include anticipated stipend amounts for SAAs, any available funding for further fellowship years, possible funding from the school/college, potential travel funds, and/or available funding through training or research grants. 
6. A brief department diversity statement, describing the department’s current diversity and any initiatives to increase recruitment and retention of a more diverse graduate student population. Each statement should be tailored to the particular fellowship the nomination is for. For example, what efforts has the department made to identify and to recruit members of underrepresented groups? What mentoring activities, professional-skills training, and career-development opportunities will be available to the student in your department?
7. For nominees for the Adam W. Herbert Fellowship, find the nomination form here.

Applications must include:

• Application form
• Statement of purpose
• Recommendation letters
• Transcripts and official GRE test scores (if required)
• McNair Scholars certification (if applicable)

Nomination Deadline

Departmental nominations for Recruitment Awards and President's Dissertation Fellowship must be submitted online through the UGS Fellowships & Awards Canvas Course no later than 4 p.m. on the first Friday in Februay (https://iu.instructure.com/courses/1630134). EOF is due in April.

To be added to Canvas, please send your IU username and department name to ugsawrd@indiana.edu.