Types of Fellowships
Submit a Fellowship |
Find a Fellowship |
Budget Considerations |
Fellowship Narratives
There are many types of fellowships, however most fellowships are relatively small, between $5,000 and $80,000, with an average amount of about $30,000. Fellowships generally provide specific types of support or experiences to the PI, may be paid directly to the him or her.
Sabbatical
Fellowships are most often pursued as part of sabbatical planning. A fellowship award can allow a faculty member to stretch sabbatical from one semester to two by contributing funds to make up the 50% salary deficit of a full year sabbatical.
Fellowship funding does not always make up the full 50%, however, so care should be taken in making plans, including early, clear and consistent communication with the Dean's office and with the ORSP.
Time for Research
Some fellowships can be applied toward faculty effort at 12.5%, enough to "buy out" a course. It is important to work with the ORSP to coordinate the cost of the remission and the approval of the Dean's office on submission of any sort of fellowship.
Travel
Some fellowships, like
Fulbright, specialize in faculty travel either during sabbatical or during the summer. Such fellowships often require the faculty member to lecture or teach during their stay, usually at a foreign university. Some travel fellowships are large enough to replace salary in addition to travel costs, and others even provide funds for children to attend private schools in-country. Other travel fellowships may allow the PI to live in a specific area or university for a set term.
Summer Support
Some fellowships provide funds to cover part of a faculty member's salary costs over the summer as s/he works on a project. This is income in addition to the academic year salary, and can range up to three months of support.
Prestige
The fellowship prestige factor is very high. Many fellowships are quite famous, for example, the
John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, the
National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Fellowships, and the
American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS). All fellowships confer the status of having won an award, in competition with peers, for work performed in one's field, and therefore carry prestige.