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Becoming a Fellow

Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship (MMUF) Program applications and letters of recommendation for the Class of 2027 will both be due Thursday, February 27, 2025 at 5:00 P.M. CST.  Interested candidates must submit both the MMUF Application and Letter of Recommendation by the deadlines listed above for their application to MMUF to be considered complete.

COMPLETE YOUR MMUF APPLICATION BY February 27, 2025 

Questions about the fellowship and application process may be directed to mmuf@northwestern.edu.

 

Questions to Consider Before Applying

In order to determine whether your goals and the mission of the MMUF program are in alignment, please consider researching and discussing the following questions with faculty and graduate students:

  1. What are my research interests and what would make a strong MMUF project?
  2. Is there a faculty member that I would like to work with over the summer on a research project?
  3. Would the type of research I want to pursue lead to a PhD in one of the MMUF designated fields? (see MMUF eligibility requirements).
  4. What is graduate study like and what could I do with a PhD?
  5. What do faculty members do and would I want to be a faculty member?
  6. What is it like to be a graduate student?

Applicant Requirements

Please review MMUF eligibility requirements set forth by the Mellon Foundation.

  1. Sophomore student (or student with sophomore class standing) planning or considering graduate study toward a PhD in one of the Mellon designated fields.
  2. Availability for, and commitment to, full and enthusiastic participation in all aspects of the MMUF program, including attendance at conferences and regular meetings
  3. U.S. Citizen or permanent resident of the United States.

To Apply

Application for the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship is highly competitive. Applicants must submit a brief online application and the following supporting documents:

  1. Personal Statement Essays (4 essays, 250 words each, typed, double-spaced)
  2. Academic Record (unofficial transcript)
  3. Resume that includes extracurricular activities and applicable honors/awards (limit 2 pages)
  4. Academic Writing Sample (limit 10 pages)
  5. Faculty Recommendation Letter
COMPLETE YOUR MMUF APPLICATION BY February 27, 2025