I am currently a Ph.D. candidate expecting to receive my degree in the fellowship year for which I am applying. Am I eligible to apply before I have the degree in hand?
Ph.D. candidates are discouraged from applying for long-term, NEH, or Mellon fellowships as they are unlikely to compete successfully against the senior or advanced scholars who make up the majority of the long-term applicant pool. However, you are eligible to apply for a short-term fellowship, again bearing in mind that there are many advanced scholars in that applicant pool as well. If awarded a fellowship, you must have the Ph.D. in hand by the time you take up residency.
I received my degree only two years ago. May I submit my graduate school portfolio for letters of reference?
Applicants are advised not to submit their graduate school portfolio as those letters don't often speak directly to the proposed research project. Applications are more likely to succeed when the referees are able to persuade the members of the selection committee of the significance of the project and the ability of the applicant to complete the project and bring it to fruition.
How should I confirm that my application has arrived and is complete?
The applicant should consider using a mail service that allows for confirmation of receipt. No later than one week in advance of the application deadline (for either short- or long-term fellowships), the applicant should email or call the Fellowships Administrator, Carol Brobeck, to determine the status of the application. Frequently the letters of support are the last component of the application to arrive. Applicants should feel free to supply their referees with the Library’s fax number.
Those points of contact are:
(e) cbrobeck@folger.edu
(ph) (202) 675–0348
(fax) (202) 544–4623
May I email my application? May my referees send letters by email?
No. The Folger will not accept applications or letters of support by email. In some cases, a foreign scholar may submit an application by fax, but this application is merely a placeholder for the multiple copies that we would expect to receive later.
What are the odds of being awarded a fellowship?
Roughly one out of six applications for long-term fellowship support is funded. The odds for short-term fellowships are less constant but are roughly one in five.
Who will make award selections?
The long-term fellowships are awarded by an external committee of five senior scholars. The committee members are from different disciplines and parts of the country. Membership of the committee changes from year to year. The Director of the Library and the Director of Research serve ex officio , and are not permitted to vote in the selection process. Short-term fellowships are awarded by an internal committee. This committee varies each year as well, though it almost always includes the Director of the Library and the Director of Research.
I have not conducted research at the Folger before. Will this disadvantage me?
No. However, your application proposal should indicate items in the collections that are essential to your research. We encourage you to search the catalog via Hamnet to determine if our collection supports your research. If you have an opportunity, you should visit the Library as well to browse the card catalogs.
I applied for a long-term fellowship but was unsuccessful. Will my application be rolled over into the short-term fellowship competition?
Your application will not roll over automatically. You may write to or call the Program Administrator to request a roll-over to the short-term competition. While you do not need to submit three new letters of support or to rewrite your proposal, you are encouraged to consider retailoring your application to fit a shorter residency.
May I defer a fellowship?
No. Whether you have received a long- or a short-term fellowship, if you are unable to take it in the year for which it was awarded you must decline it. We define the academic year as beginning on July 1 of a given year and ending on June 30 of the following year. We do not adhere to this calendar too rigidly, in that we allow for the start of a three-month, summer fellowship to start in June. We have budgetary considerations, however, that make it necessary for the awardee to take the fellowship for the academic year specified. The Folger selects alternates as well, and will go to the alternate list if an awardee must decline.
Contact:
Carol Brobeck
Fellowships Administrator
cbrobeck@folger.edu
