Thomas J. Watson Fellowship
You are eligible to apply for the Watson if your college or university is a participating institution, if you are a graduating senior, and if your school has nominated you.
Please contact your Watson liaison for details.
You can apply for a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship if you are a graduating senior at one of our participating institutions. You should contact your college liaison to find out about your school’s application procedures and deadlines.
If nominated by a participating college, you must offer:
a proposal for a project that is creative, feasible and personally
significant
a personal statement
a fellowship application form
a personal photo
a copy of your transcript
letters of recommendation
You will submit these materials electronically by the application deadline. An interview with a representative of the Fellowship Program will follow.
APLICATION DETAIL:
participating institution
Creative A creative idea will take you into territory that is new for you. It can extend and build upon experiences that you have already had, but it is not a retracing or revisiting. What intrigues you? Where is it being studied, performed, made, etc.?
Feasible Consider budget, safety, visa regulations, availability of resources, and time constraints. Travel to any country under or under will not be approved.
Personally Significant A Watson project is something that you have wanted to do and dreamed about doing for a considerable period of time. You must want to do this so badly that when it is cold and rainy, and you have lost your passport, and your camera has been stolen, and you’re sick, and your best friend is getting married back home, you will still want to stay abroad and pursue your project.
Proposal The proposal should describe your plan for the 12-month fellowship year, including a description of your proposed project and details as to how you intend to carry it out. In addition, you should include information about what it is that prepares you to undertake your project. The specific content of the proposal is up to you, but we require that it not exceed five double-spaced typewritten pages in no less than 11-point font.
Personal Statement In your personal statement, you should discuss how your project is your project–and how it reflects your talents, concerns and commitments. It may include a description of your background, your college years, your professional goals and aspirations, and your reasons for seeking a Watson Fellowship to undertake your project. The personal statement is an opportunity to provide the Watson Fellowship Program with a sense of who you are, including how you would benefit from the unique experiences the Watson Fellowship permits and how you would embrace the challenges of immersing yourself in cultures other than your own for a year. The specific content of the personal statement is up to you, but we require that it not exceed five double-spaced typewritten pages in no less than 11-point font.
Nomination Your college, which has to be one of our , must nominate you; individuals cannot apply directly. Your will explain the procedures for applying to be nominated.
Interview All nominees will be interviewed by a member of the Fellowship Program’s selection committee for about one hour. The interview will occur between the first week in November and the last week in February and will be held on your campus. If you are off-campus on the interview day, then an off-campus interview will be scheduled.
