Nationally Competitive Awards at UIndy

What’s the difference between nationally competitive awards and graduate or professional schools’ awards?

Nationally competitive awards are sponsored by independent organizations, agencies, persons, countries, or governments and are typically not a part of a specific college or university (although some require you to be enrolled at a college or university at the time of your application or when the award commences).

Depending on the award type, the monies you receive may be used to fund current studies or an internship, or to fund an internship, work, or other experience for you after you receive your Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Ph.D.  Some awards (like post-Baccalaureate or graduate-level research awards or internships) require you to be simultaneously enrolled—or are tied to your pending enrollment—in a degree-seeking program at a college or university.

While graduate and professional schools also award scholarships and fellowships, those awards are contingent upon your being enrolled in (or currently applying to) a specific program at a university or school.  Those awards are funded by the university or school, or by individuals or organizations that have partnered with that university, school, and/or program.  Thus, they are not technically “nationally competitive awards” offered by independent organizations, agencies, or governments.  For example, the Max Kade Institute for German-American studies, a private foundation, partners with a number of U.S. colleges and universities to award undergraduate and graduate scholarships and fellowships to students who are studying German and are currently enrolled (or are accepted to enroll) in a specific college or university program.

However, many awards are not contingent upon your enrollment in a college or university.  For example, the U.S. Fulbright English Teaching Assistant program, funded by the U.S. Department of State in conjunction with partnering countries, requires you to have recently received your Bachelor’s degree (in any field) before you commence teaching abroad in your assigned placement in local schools, colleges, universities, or other programs.

It’s important for you to do your homework and investigate each award type, familiarizing yourself with the application criteria and process as well as stated competition deadlines, and begin the application process as early as possible.

Are awards the same as Financial Aid?

No, nationally competitive awards are not the same as traditional financial aid (e.g., Pell Grants, merit scholarships, scholarships offered by UIndy, etc.).  While all awards offer some kind of monetary compensation (which may or may not be used to fund your studies), nationally competitive awards are different from financial aid (and often have a lengthier application and vetting process that puts you in competition with students across the U.S.).  Consult with UIndy’s Financial Aid Office if you’re in need of scholarships to help fund your tuition during your studies at UIndy.

How can the Director OF Fellowships (DF) help me?

The DF can assist you with all aspects of the application process to coach you for nationally competitive awards, scholarships, and fellowships; however, the DF does not assist with general applications for graduate or professional school.  If you’d like assistance with your graduate or professional school applications, consult with your faculty advisor(s) as well as UIndy’s Professional Edge Center.

The DF also serves as the official UIndy faculty representative for some nationally competitive awards (e.g., Gilman, Fulbright, Boren, Udall, DAAD, Rhodes, Marshall, etc.) that require university endorsement; it will not be possible to apply for these awards without official endorsement.  Other awards do not require endorsement, but we strongly recommend that you work with the DF to help prepare your application. 

It’s vital to be in touch with the DF as early as possible in the application process—and at least one month prior to the stated national deadline for the award(s) in question.  It will not be possible to receive award coaching and/or endorsement for nationally competitive scholarships at the last minute. 

What if multiple UIndy students want to apply for the same nationally competitive award?

In some cases, awarding agencies may require UIndy to make an initial decision about which candidate(s) to endorse for the national competition.

This means that a team comprised of the Director of Fellowships, the Honors College Director, and/or additional faculty members with expertise in the award’s field will a) require an interview with each candidate; b) review the candidate’s academic credentials; and c) make a decision about which candidate(s) to endorse, that is, which candidate(s) has offered the most competitive application. 

If you’re not selected by UIndy for one award, don’t despair—you should definitely plan to apply for a different award!

Navigating the application process for awards can be challenging for any student.  Check back for additional information as we continue to update our site with additional student resources.

For more information, contact UIndy’s Director of Fellowships, Dr. Dhabih Chulhai (chulhaid@uindy.edu)