Newsletter

Interested in applying for fellowships and awards but don’t quite know where to begin? Check out the Office of Graduate Fellowships and Awards Let’s Meet webpage for more information on how to jumpstart your fellowships and awards journey.

FSU Graduate Students have been highly successful in securing external funding, with about $4.6 million in fellowships and grants during the 2023-2024 academic year! During the month of April, The Graduate School and the Office of Graduate Fellowships and Awards will host the Annual Celebration of Graduate Student Excellence event to celebrate the recipients of awards managed by The Graduate School and external fellowships and awards! If you were awarded an external fellowship to support your graduate education for the current academic year, 2024-2025, we want to celebrate you! Submit your award information here.

Many fellowship applications are due during the Fall semester, making Spring the perfect time to focus on identifying funding opportunities for the upcoming application cycle. But searching for funding can be difficult. Beyond the nuts and bolts of learning to use funding databases to find awards, (and we’ve got you covered there—check out our Pivot database tutorial), it can be a challenge to determine whether any particular award is a good fit for you. Many factors play into determining “fit.” At the most basic level, you should ask whether the award fits your needs. You may need a specific amount of money for a research project, so some awards may be too big or too small to fit that need. Or maybe you need funding available during a particular timeframe, so an award with a more limited disbursement period may not work for your needs. On another level, though, fit should also be a matter of determining whether you and your goals, commitments, and motivations fit with the vision and mission of the funding organization.

In this edition of our Pro-Tip series, History Ph.D. Candidate Emily Lu, Fulbright U.S. Student Program semi-finalist and recipient of the Fulbright-Hays DDRA award, discusses her approach to finding a good fit funding opportunity that fit the needs of her dissertation research.

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ALUMNI Testimony

During the third year of my PhD, I was writing applications for external fellowships that could support research travel abroad in my fourth year. I started by researching online. I heard about OGFA fairly early on in my time at FSU, so I made sure to contact the office and express my interests in gaining their support in this process. I learned about the Pivot system, where I can create filters that help identify which fellowships are most applicable to me. I also talked with Dr. Keith McCall at OGFA about my goals, and he recommend several fellowship opportunities. Your own academic department is also a great place to for consultation. I talked with my advisor Dr. Annika Culver, who was familiar with my academic goals and interests, and she helped me determine additional opportunities that are applicable to those in my field.

In order to decide the most fitting funding opportunities, you need to know your own objective. What is your academic goal? How can a particular fellowship help you in achieving that goal? Why makes it possible that you can win the fellowship? There may be very prestigious, competitive, and handsomely funded fellowships and grants, but each program also has its own mission, so it is advisable to evaluate whether you personally are a good fit based on your own research or academic identity with their mission statement.

For instance, I knew that my dissertation on Japanese military music will send me to research primary sources available in Japan, so the program will need to provide sufficient funding for that. I also knew that I preferred to not use any of my own savings because of how little I had, so I aimed to apply to programs that were able to fund the entire research trip. In addition, I wanted to have an official affiliation with a local institution, given that I will be in the host country alone long-term, and I wanted a sense of security. I learned about the Fulbright-Hays DDRA Fellowship through an acquaintance. It lets applicants devise their own budget and has a generous funding amount, and I did not need to pay anything out of pocket. Fulbright programs also require candidates to have an academic affiliation, so it worked with what I had desired.

Student Spotlight: Nath-Eddy Moody

Nath-Eddy Moody is a third-year doctoral student pursuing a degree in organic and materials chemistry through Florida State University’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. His research involves synthesizing novel polymers from renewable resources, which has important applications for the plastics industry. Read more.

Dan He: From China to Ph.D. Success at Florida State University

For Dan He, who recently earned her Ph.D. in Instructional Technologies from FSU in May 2024, the doctoral journey has been marked by resilience, growth, and appreciation for FSU’s academic and cultural environment. Originally from China, her decision to study at FSU was driven by its academic excellence, affordability, and a welcoming atmosphere. Read more.

FSU graduate students compete in first-ever op-ed essay competition

The Graduate School recently held the inaugural Graduate Student Op-Ed Competition, with 36 students submitting essays based on their research. The competition is an academic research writing competition that challenges graduate students to present their research and its significance to a general audience through a concise opinion piece, known as an op-ed. Read more.

Student Spotlight: Brandi Burns

Brandi Burns is a fifth-year doctoral candidate in Florida State University’s Literature, Media, and Culture program through the Department of English, and she is also an alumna of FSU’s Department of History. In 2024, Burns received the American Association of University Women American Dissertation Fellowship, which funds one year of living expenses for students finishing their dissertations. Read more.

If you are a current FSU student, please register with your FSU email.

Funding Your Graduate Education: Database Search
OGFA staff will facilitate small group meetings to assist graduate students with navigating award databases to identify fellowships and awards that are a good "fit" to support their graduate education.

January 29 | 2 PM | Register here
February 18 | 2 PM | Register here
March 20 | 10 AM | Register here
April 9 | 10 AM | Register here

ONF/OGFA Fulbright U.S. Student Program Workshop Series
The Fulbright U.S. Student Award provides opportunities for graduate students to conduct independent research, enroll in graduate coursework, or teach English in more than 140 countries around the world. Fulbright is an extremely flexible program that is open to students in any discipline and any degree program. Join us at one of these sessions to learn how Fulbright can fit your goals!

General Info Session | February 12 | 1 PM | Register here
General Info Session | March 6 | 10 AM | Register here
Selecting an Award and Country | March 25 | 11 AM | Register here
Study/Research Award Panel Discussion | April 1 | TBD |
ETA Program Panel Discussion | April 3 | TBD |

Fellowship and Grant Writing in STEM
February 6 | 12 PM | Register here
Facilitated by Dr. Cynthia Norris, research development coordinator with the Office of Research Development, this workshop will focus on breaking down STEM fellowship and grant application guidelines to identify what is required in a competitive application. We’ll focus on how to strategize and plan an application, provide tips for writing high-impact proposals, and make time for Q&A.

Fellowship and Grant Writing in the Humanities and Social Sciences
February 19 | 2 PM | Register here
Join OGFA and faculty from the departments of History and Sociology as we discuss fellowship and grant writing in the humanities and social sciences. We’ll focus on how to explain your methods, contributions, and the significance of the work you do, and we’ll make plenty of time for Q&A!

Education-Related Fellowships and Awards Info Session
March 4 | 11 AM | Register here
Join us for an information session covering the NAEd/Spencer Dissertation Fellowship, the AERA NSF Dissertation Grant, the AERA Minority Dissertation Grant, and other Education-related fellowships and grants. We’ll discuss the application processes, review criteria, and provide tips on how to prepare competitive applications for these awards.

Communicating Significance and Impact in Fellowship Applications (with the CIES)
March 26 | 12 PM | Register here
Fellowship applications require clear, concise, and compelling statements about the impact and significance of the work you do, but crafting such statements can be a challenge. Join OGFA and the Center for Intensive English Studies as we consider tone, style, and how to use language appropriate for the expected review audience. Though aimed at English Language Learners, everyone is welcome at this workshop!

Getting Started with the Fellowship Application Process
April 8 | 2 PM | Register here
Applying for a fellowship or grant can seem overwhelming. Where do you even start? How do you organize all the moving pieces? Who should you ask for assistance? In this workshop, we’ll demystify the application process and help you organize your approach to submitting strong funding proposals.

National Science Foundation Graduate Student Fellowship Info Session
April 10 | 11 AM | Register here
The National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP) provides three years of funding over a five-year period for master’s or doctoral students pursuing degrees in STEM fields, social/behavioral sciences, and STEM education. Graduate students must apply before completing two years of graduate study. Join us to learn about this great opportunity!

Kick off the Spring 2025 semester by making connections with graduate students across campus! On February 20, 2025, the Office of Graduate Fellowships and Awards will host a Networking Event aimed at fostering peer to peer support networks between students interested in applying for EXTERNAL fellowships and awards. Get out of your disciplinary silos, grab a bite to eat, learn about fellowships and awards, and meet other FSU graduate students! The Spring Networking Event will take place in the HSF House Great Hall from 5:30 to 7:30 PM. Space is limited. Register here.

All award titles below are hyperlinked to the award webpage.

Health Policy Research Scholarship

For doctoral students from marginalized backgrounds with at least three years of studying remaining who are pursuing a research-focused discipline that can advance health and equity. Applicants can be from wide range of disciplines, including economics, sociology, social work, psychology, architecture/design, and other research-based areas. Applications open in January.

Deadline: March 2025

Davis-Putter Scholarship

The Davis-Putter Scholarship Fund provides financial support for students who are active and emerging organizers in progressive movements for liberation, self-determination and social and economic justice in their communities. These need-based scholarships are awarded to students who are enrolled at a college or university or in a trade or technical program.

Deadline: April 1, 2025

Florida Legislative Fellowship

The Legislative Fellowship provides students with an opportunity to work for the Florida House of Representatives during a legislative session. Fellows are involved in activities such as bill research and analysis and bill drafting, and are placed within leadership offices, committees, or subcommittees.

Deadline: March 2025

Florida Nurses Foundation Scholarships and Grants

The Florida Nurses Foundation provides more than 30 fellowships and grants annually. Applicants do not apply for a specific funding opportunity, but instead submit an application and are matched with available fellowships/grants. The application portal opens in January.

Deadline: June 1, 2025

Visit Archive

The work and research in action of graduate students at Florida State University broadly impacts the campus community and the world around us. OGFA initiated the Grad Impact: Digital Narratives Project to capture and amplify the lived graduate student experience at FSU. Check out some of our grad student highlights below.

If you are interested in sharing your experience and research, please submit your profile info here.