Getting Started

First, the basics

When we talk about “external scholarships/fellowships,” we’re talking about additional awards that go above and beyond defraying the cost of tuition (although they sometimes do that too!). They typically come from outside, non-Wake Forest sources, are designed to provide specialized opportunities to students or recognize particular outstanding skills, and require a separate application process. We’ll also spotlight a few Wake Forest-only opportunities that you might be interested in, too. And we have a whole team here to support you in pursuing them.

Sounds good. What’s next?

The key is finding a scholarship or fellowship that’s a good fit—which means first determining what you’re looking for. Think about what you might want to explore or develop over the course of your undergraduate career. Some students are looking for an international experience, or a chance to improve their language skills. Others might want to pursue research. Some awards are designed to help you continue your education after graduation. And some allow you to develop professional skills, usually in a service capacity.

How does the Scholars Office Help?

The Scholars Office and the Faculty Directors for Fulbright, Truman, and STEM get the word out to students about different award opportunities and support students through all stages of the application process, from drafting their first personal statements, to helping prepare letters of recommendation writers, to practicing mock interviews.

We appreciate it when students come in with some idea of what they’d like to explore (we’re more than a Google search bar, after all!), so we ask that you take a glance at our Awards page next. Throughout the year, we offer Info Sessions on the various external awards. Miss an info session? Checkout the previously record sessions on our Info Sessions page.