Humane Studies Fellowships

FAQ for Humane Studies Fellowship

Please check all the frequently asked questions before contacting us. If you have a specific question, the quickest way to get a response is to contact us through our online contact form.

  1. Who is eligible for the Humane Studies Fellowships?
  24. How can I withdraw my Humane Studies Fellowship application?

1) Question: Who is eligible for the Humane Studies Fellowships?

Answer: The following individuals are eligible for the Humane Studies Fellowships:

  • Individuals who will be undergraduate juniors or seniors during the academic year of funding
  • Graduate students in any field
  • Law students, MBA students, and other professional students

Note: Students pursuing MFA degrees are not eligible for the Humane Studies Fellowship. MFA students should apply for the IHS Film & Fiction Scholarship.

Fellowship awards can be used to study in any country.

Country of origin and country of study have no bearing on eligibility.

In order to receive Fellowship awards, winners must be full-time, enrolled students at accredited degree-granting institutions for the entire period of the award. For the purposes of the Fellowship, ‘full-time’ is defined as an applicant’s home institution defines it.

Humane Studies Fellowships are awarded for one year. Winners are eligible to reapply in subsequent years. There is no limit on how many awards an individual may receive.

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2) Question: How can I apply for the Humane Studies Fellowship?

Answer: Applications are accepted online only. The online application can be found here. Paper copies of the application are not available.

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3) Question: What forms, documents, and essays are required to apply?

Answer:

Required information is listed below and can be submitted through the online application.

  1. Three essays between 750 and 1000 words. The essay topics are your personal intellectual history, the nature of your academic discipline, and your current research interests.
  2. The names and email addresses of two (and not more than three) individuals who will write letters of recommendation on your behalf
  3. A writing sample of not more than 30 pages
  4. Your most recent university transcript; unofficial transcripts are acceptable
  5. Score reports for your most recent standardized test only if you are currently applying to graduate school; unofficial reports are acceptable. If you are already in graduate school, you do not need to submit a score reports, only your transcript.

Note: if you have never been required to take the GRE, LSAT, GMAT, SAT, or ACT, you are not required to take it for the purposes of the Fellowship. Simply note you were never required to take these tests on your application.

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4) Question: What is required of previous Humane Studies Fellowship winners?

Answer:

  1. A completed online application
  2. In place of Essay A, please write an update on your career goals and describe the progress you’ve made in your course of study since your last application
  3. Essay B and C.
  4. The names and email addresses of two (and not more than three) individuals who will write letters of recommendation on your behalf
  5. A writing sample or updated dissertation proposal
  6. An up-to-date university transcript if you have completed coursework since your last application

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5) Question: What score reports are required for the Fellowship application?

Answer: If you are applying to graduate school, submit score reports for your most recent standardized admissions test (GRE, LSAT, GMAT, SAT or ACT).  If you are already in graduate school, then you need only submit your most recent transcript.  If you have never been required to take an admissions test, you are not required to take an admissions test to apply for the Humane Studies Fellowship. 

An official score report is not required. A scanned copy of the score report is sufficient, and can be uploaded as a PDF file in the online application. To convert your report into a PDF file, try the Adobe.com offer of five free PDF conversions per month.

If you are unable to locate a copy of your scores, official score reports can be obtained from the following agencies for a fee:

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6) Question: What if my score report is no longer available from the testing service?

Answer: An official score report is not required. Your department or university may have a copy of your score report on file. A copy of the score report from your personal files is also acceptable.

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7) Question: What transcripts are required for the Fellowship application?

Answer: We require your most recent university transcript. If you are in the first year of a graduate program and do not have a transcript for your current university, please send your undergraduate transcripts. Official transcripts are not required.

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8) Question: My college or university does not issue transcripts. What do I do?

Answer: Please send other appropriate documentation that rates the quality of your academic work.

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9) Question: I cannot obtain transcripts from my university. Am I still eligible?

Answer: If you cannot obtain transcripts, you remain eligible. However, failure to submit documents limits our ability to thoroughly evaluate your application, and may affect your chances of being named a Fellow.

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10) Question: What is required for the letters of recommendation?

Answer: We require the names and email addresses of two (2) and not more than three (3) individuals who will write letters of recommendation on your behalf. Your recommenders should be able to comment on your intellectual and scholarly ability, your chance of success in your chosen career path, and your ability to contribute to the understanding of the principles, practices and institutions necessary to a free society.

IHS will contact your recommenders shortly after you submit your application, and we will ask them to send the letters directly to us by January 21, 2011.

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11) Question: Can letters of recommendation be sent separately to IHS?

Answer: Yes. If your recommenders wish to send their letters before we contact them, they may do so either by email or by surface mail.

Emails should be sent to HSF@TheIHS.org

For surface mail, the envelope should be signed across the seal and sent to:

Institute for Humane Studies
Attn: Humane Studies Fellowships
3301 N. Fairfax Dr., Ste. 440
Arlington VA 22201

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12) Can your system send out letters of recommendation before the deadline?

No, the system will send out requests for letters of recommendation only after you have submitted your application. The deadline for recommenders to submit their letters is January 21, 2011.

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13) Can my recommender send in the letter via US Mail?

No, we greatly prefer that your recommender send the letter via email.

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14) Question: Do all Fellows receive $15,000?

Answer: No. IHS makes Fellowship awards from $2,000 to $15,000. To determine the size of an award, we consider the cost of tuition at a student’s institution and other funds the student may receive.

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15) Question: How many Fellowships are awarded each year?

Answer: The number of Fellowships awarded in a year varies according to the strength of the applicant pool. In recent years, we have awarded between 110 and 160 Fellowships. 

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16) Question: How will I know that my application is complete?

Answer: We will send you an email indicating your application is complete. If anything is missing, we will contact you directly to request the missing documents.

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17) Question: I do not have all required documents and information for the application. May I still apply?

Answer: Yes. However, failure to submit documents limits our ability to thoroughly evaluate your application, and may affect your chances of being named a Fellow.

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18) Question: If I win a Fellowship, will it automatically be renewed each year?

Answer: Fellowships are awarded through a competitive process each year. Previous winners must reapply in order to be considered.

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19) Question: May Humane Studies Fellowships be used to study abroad?

Answer: Yes. Fellowships may be used for study at degree-granting institutions anywhere in the world.

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20) Question: When is the deadline to apply for the Fellowship?

Answer: The deadline to apply for the 2011-12 Fellowships is December 31, 2010.

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21) Question: Will materials that are postmarked after December 31, such as test scores or transcripts, be considered?

Answer: We will not accept any supporting documents, such as transcripts, score verifications or writing samples postmarked or emailed after January 22. Please endeavor to make your application complete before this date.

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22) Question: When will decisions be announced?

Answer: Decisions will be announced in two stages. In March, you will receive an update announcing whether you are a finalist under consideration. In early May, we will announce final decisions.

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23) Question: Can my Fellowship award be deferred?

Answer: No. Fellowship awards cannot be deferred. Only individuals who are enrolled full-time for the entire period of the award can collect the award. Those who do not enroll in a university for the period of the Fellowship forfeit the award.

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24) Question: How can I withdraw my Humane Studies Fellowship application?

Answer: If you have made an error in submitting your Humane Studies Fellowship application, we will withdraw your application,  and refund your application fee within 30 days of your request. Refunds can only be requested prior to December 31, 2010.  To withdraw your application, please email HSF@theihs.org. Refunds are returned using the original method of payment.

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