The Watson Fellowship is a one-year grant for independent exploration and travel outside of the United States in the year following graduation from college.
More information on the Watson Fellowship.
See CTLR Events Calendar for Info Sessions- If you were unable to attend, watch the video below.
Watson Fellowship Info Session (recorded March 2021)
Watch a Watson foundation webinar for more about the Watson experience.
Provides $40,000 to cover one year of travel and related project expenses. It also covers one year of federal and institutional student loans payments. Approximately 40 Watson fellows are selected from 160 candidates nominated by participating institutions.
Seniors, no citizenship restrictions, no GPA restrictions.
Preliminary Application: Submit beginning April 15. This is a flexible deadline.
Nomination Application Deadline: September 5 (noon ET), 2024
Watson Final Deadline: November 5, 2024 (noon ET)
Look at the visual overview of the application process. Review the Watson Application Process and Guidance
1. Submit a preliminary application in Middlebury Apply to begin the application process. Do this by April 15 if possible, but we accept later applications too. We need this information to register you for the Watson online application. Preview the Watson preliminary application questions.
2. Complete an abbreviated version of the Watson online application and other required items in Middlebury Apply by the September internal nomination deadline. No late applications will be accepted.
3. Selected applicants will be invited to interview with the committee in late September/early October. Four nominees and one alternate will be selected.
4. Nominees will work with the Fellowships advisor in preparing their final application. A representative from the Watson Foundation interviews the nominees on campus late fall or winter. Awardees are notified in mid-March.
Lisa Gates, Associate Dean for Fellowships and Research
Davis Family Library 212
lgates@middlebury.edu
(802) 443-3183
| by Lisa Gates
It’s almost August (gasp!) and this is usually that time when I get a lot of questions from students and alumni wanting to apply for a Fulbright or Watson fellowship. It’s also a time of year when I am not always in the office so try to answer some frequently asked questions below. Read on–and […]
| by Lisa Gates
Listen to an interview on NPR with Watson Fellow Samara Gordon Wexler ’24 about her upcoming Watson project “How We Die: Uncovering a ‘Good Death'”: https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2024/07/05/end-of-life-practices Congratulations to Sam and the newest cohort of Watson Fellows as they embark on their year-long journeys. Interested in applying to the Watson fellowship this fall? See go/watson for […]
| by Lisa Gates
If you’re thinking about applying for a Fulbright grant or Watson nomination in the fall, let’s get moving! Summer goes fast. Many of you have already talked with me about your ideas or completed a preliminary application this spring–which is a great way to get started! And yes, you can absolutely still apply for these […]
