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GRANTS AND FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

SC INBRE Career Development Workshop 2025

Matt Klopfenstein, Director of Professional Development (USC Graduate School)

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THE BIG PICTURE

  • There are many programs that can help you fund research and studies
  • Applying for and receiving fellowships can help you now and prepare you for graduate school and beyond

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SESSION OUTLINE

  • Fellowships
    • What they are
    • Why you should apply
  • Preparing to apply
  • Finding fellowships
    • Select undergraduate opportunities
    • Select graduate opportunities

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WHAT IS A FELLOWSHIP?

  • Merit-based award
  • Award presented to YOU from outside your university
  • Financial award given to students to invest in their potential and training
  • For undergraduate or graduate students across disciplines

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WHY SHOULD YOU APPLY?

  • Clearly articulate academic strengths, graduate school choices, and career goals
  • Develop professional relationships with faculty
  • Enhance ability to prepare competitive applications
  • Seek funding for tuition, travel, research, etc.
  • Be a more competitive applicant for graduate school / research and faculty positions

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HOW DO I APPLY?

  • Common application materials:
    • Research essay or statement
      • Research you have done and want to do and why it is important
    • Personal statement
      • Your intellectual journey and career goals
    • Letters of recommendation
      • From faculty who know your academic and research achievements and potential
    • transcripts

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HOW DO I FIND FELLOWSHIPS?

  • Search USC INFO database

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HOW DO I FIND UNDERGRADUATE FELLOWSHIPS?

  • Search databases from other organizations and institutions*:
    • Zintellect
      • research internships, fellowships, and scholarships funded by government and private sector organizations
    • Florida State University
    • University of Chicago
    • University of North Carolina

​

*these are just a few examples – there are more!

​

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SELECT UNDERGRADUATE OPPORTUNITIES

  • Programs for current undergraduates that provide…
    • Scholarship money for current studies
    • Research experiences
    • Funding for graduate school

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NSF RESEARCH EXPERIENCES FOR UNDERGRADUATES (REU)

  • Summer research opportunities across the US
  • Fully funded – travel, room and board, stipend
  • Apply to a specific site
    • Search by field of study, location
    • Read preferences of specific programs
  • Good for: any STEM field, any year
    • Must be current undergraduate during the REU
  • Deadlines vary by site, typically December - February

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SUMMER HEALTH SCIENCE RESEARCH PROGRAMS

  • AMGEN Scholars Program
    • Mentored research in biomedical and biotechnology fields
    • Programs hosted at 14 institutions
  • Mayo Clinic Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship
    • Mentored research with Mayo Clinic scientists
    • $6,000 for 10 weeks
  • NIH Summer Internship Program in Biomedical Research*
  • 8-week program working with leading scientists at the National Institutes of Health
    • Open to high school, undergraduate (all years), and graduate students
    • Monthly stipend ($3,010 - $3,310 for undergrads)

*2025 program was cancelled. Future status of program uncertain.

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DAAD RISE

  • Research Internships in Science and Engineering (RISE)
    • Program of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
  • 8-12 week summer research internships in Germany
    • Provides monthly stipend, travel funds, and insurance
  • German not required
    • Working language is English
  • Must major in biology, chemistry, computer science, physics, earth sciences or engineering (or a closely related field)
  • Open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors
    • Grad students may apply to RISE Professional program
  • Deadline: November 30

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GOLDWATER SCHOLARSHIP

  • Provides up to $7,500 for education-related expenses
  • For STEM majors committed to a research-focused career
    • Most scholars intend to earn a PhD
  • Must apply as a sophomore or junior
    • Minimum 3.0 GPA (USC recommends 3.7 or higher)
  • Requires campus nomination
    • Talk to your campus representative about process/deadline (likely mid-to-late fall)

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NSF GRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

  • Provides up to 3 years of funding for MS or PhD in STEM or Social Sciences
  • Early grad career support
    • Can apply as a senior and once in first three semesters of grad school
    • Must be U.S. citizen or permanent resident
  • $37,000 stipend and $16,000 tuition per year
  • Portable award
  • Deadlines: third week of October (expected)

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SELECT GRADUATE OPPORTUNITIES

  • Programs for current graduate students that provide…
    • Funding for graduate study
    • Training opportunities
    • Professional development

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WHERE TO FIND GRADUATE FUNDING

  • Pivot*
    • https://pivot.proquest.com/

* Requires institutional subscription

  • University of Illinois Fellowship Finder
  • UCLA GRAPES
  • Zintellect
  • Professional associations and listservs

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NIH NATIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE AWARDS

  • F series grants (F30, F31)
    • Training awards for researchers in health-related fields
    • Up to 5 years of support
      • Annual stipend of $28,788 plus 60% of tuition and allowance for training expenses (includes insurance)
    • Apply to specific institute or center
      • NIH RePORTER
    • Must be U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident
    • Multipart application
      • Requires input from advisor, department, and grants office
    • Deadlines: April 8, August 8, December 8

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GLOBAL HEALTH OPPORTUNITIES

Multiple international opportunities for U.S. citizen doctoral students through NIH, Fulbright, and Boren:

  • Global Health Program for Fellows and Scholars
    • NIH Fogarty International Center
    • Programs through participating consortium institutions conducting research in low- and middle-income countries
  • Fulbright-Fogarty Fellowships in Public Health
    • Participate in NIH-funded research work in select countries
  • Fulbright U.S. Student Program
    • Conduct independent research in more than 140 countries
  • Boren Fellowship
    • Study a less-commonly taught language in a priority country
    • Can combine with graduate research
    • Pathway to federal employment

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FELLOWSHIPS AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT

Applying for fellowships now has long-term benefits:

  • Preparation for graduate school and/or faculty and postdoc applications
  • Receiving a fellowship now can make you more competitive for other fellowships later
    • Doing an NSF REU or Mayo SURF program can make you more competitive for graduate-level funding like the NSF GRFP or NIH F31
    • Receiving an NIH F31 can help prepare to apply for postdoctoral F32, F99/K00, or K awards

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THE TAKEAWAY:

  • There are fellowships you can apply for!
  • Applying can help you prepare for graduate school/postgrad opportunities and make you a more competitive applicant
  • Talk to a faculty mentor or your institution’s fellowships office

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Questions?

Matt Klopfenstein, PhD

Director of Professional Development

The Graduate School

klopfenm@mailbox.sc.edu