National Fellowships

The Thomas J. Watson Fellowship Program
Official site: www.watsonfellowship.org

The Thomas J. Watson Foundation inaugurated the Watson Fellowship in 1968 to give college graduates of unusual promise the freedom to engage in a year of independent study and travel abroad following their graduation.

To be considered, a student must be nominated by his or her college or university using the official nomination materials provided to each institution. Each scholar receives up to $5,000, or the cost of tuition, fees, books, and room and board, whichever is less.

The program provides Fellows an opportunity for a focused and disciplined wanderjahr of their own devising--a period in which to have some surcease from the lockstep of prescribed educational and career patterns, in order to explore thoroughly a particular interest. During their year abroad, Fellows have an unusual, sustained, and demanding opportunity to take stock of themselves, to test their aspirations and abilities, to view their lives and American society in greater perspective, and, concomitantly, to develop a more informed sense of international concern.

In selecting Watson Fellows, the Foundation is most concerned with holistically identifying individuals who demonstrate integrity, imagination, strong ethical character, intelligence, the capacity for vision and leadership, the promise of creative achievement and excellence within a chosen field, and the potential for humane and effective participation in the world community. A candidate's academic record, while not of primary importance, is also considered, together with those extracurricular activities that reflect both initiative and serious dedication.

The proposed project should reflect a candidate's genuine interest in, and long-standing commitment to, a specific concern, whether or not this interest is evident in a formal course of study. The project must be one that can be pursued with great independence and adaptability, and it cannot involve formal study at a foreign institution. It must involve travel to areas where the student has not previously lived or studied for a significant length of time. Fellows are not intended to return home at any time during their Fellowship year. In short, the project should be personally significant, imaginative, and feasible.

The Watson Fellowship provides a grant of $25,000 to each recipient. (Fellows whose spouse or dependent child will accompany them may be eligible for a grant of $35,000.) All graduating seniors at participating institutions are eligible for nomination by their institution.

Note: Your campus application (see below) MUST be accompanied by: ⁽¹⁾ a personal essay (five pages, typed and double-spaced); ⁽²⁾ a project proposal (five pages, typed and double-spaced); ⁽³⁾ an unofficial transcipt; and ⁽⁴⁾ the names and phone numbers of two Willamette references.

Watson FAQs: [Watson Fellowship FAQ]
Willamette Application: [Word:DOC] [Acrobat:PDF]
How to Write a Bad Application
Websites Useful for Understanding the Watson
Writing a Watson Personal Statement