Each year SIPA is proud to partner with several organizations to assist students with paying for school.  One of the organizations we partner with is the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation (WWNFF).  WWNFF offers two great programs that can benefit those interested in attending SIPA.

First is the Thomas R. Pickering Graduate Foreign Affairs Fellowship.  This fellowship focuses on individuals that are interested in working for the U.S. Department of State and are applying to graduate programs.

Second is a program available to undergraduate students called the Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship.  SIPA is proud to partner with both divisions of this fellowship program.  What follows is a recent email sent out by WWNFF.  If you qualify these are both very generous programs that can help to reduce the financial burden associated with attending graduate school.

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As one of the United States’ top fellowship providers, we offer programs that cultivate talent and drive change in the nation’s high-need fields. Following is an exciting opportunity we’d like to share with you and your students.

The WWNFF is now accepting applications for the 2012 Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs & Graduate Foreign Affairs Fellowships. We seek highly motivated and academically excellent college juniors and graduating seniors or recent graduates who have an interest in pursuing a Foreign Service career in the U.S. Department of State.

Funded by the U.S. Department of State, the programs honor Career Ambassador Thomas R. Pickering, one of the country’s most respected Foreign Service Officers. The goal of the programs is to attract outstanding students from all ethnic and social backgrounds who are dedicated to representing America’s interests abroad. Women, members of minority groups historically underrepresented in the Foreign Service, and students with financial need are encouraged to apply to one of the two Programs.

Thomas R. Pickering Graduate Foreign Affairs Fellowship (GFAF) applicants must:

1.        Be a graduating senior or a recent graduate beginning a two-year, full-time master’s degree program in fall 2011 in fields such as public policy, international affairs, public administration, business, economics, political science, sociology or foreign languages

2.        Have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.2 or higher (on a scale of 4.0)

3.        Be a United States citizen

The Graduate Fellowship award includes:

• $40,000 annually towards tuition costs (first) and related academic expenses during the first and second year of graduate study, pending availability of funding.
• Two paid summer internships in Washington, DC and overseas.

Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship (FAF) applicants must:

1.        Be in the junior year of undergraduate study enrolled in an academic program relevant to the work of the U.S. Department of State in fields such as international affairs, foreign languages, communications, history, political and economic analysis, administration, management, or science policy

2.        Have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.2 or higher (on a scale of 4.0)

3.        Be a United States citizen.

The Undergraduate Fellowship award includes:

• $40,000 annually towards tuition costs (first) and related academic expenses during the senior year of college and the first year of graduate study, pending availability of funding.
• Two paid summer internships in Washington, DC and overseas.

The deadline for the 2012 Pickering Graduate Fellowship Program applications is January 30, 2012.

The deadline for the 2012 Pickering Undergraduate Fellowship Program applications is February 3, 2012.

Each program will select twenty Pickering Fellows annually.

Additional information concerning the 2012 Pickering Fellowships is available online on the Foundation’s website (www.woodrow.org/pickering), including electronic versions of the 2012 Pickering brochures. Students should also visit our website to initiate their online application, which describes other documents that each applicant must forward to the WWNFF.

In addition, all applicants must send the WWNFF a copy of their most recent financial aid letter that lists grants or loans, and provide a copy of the Student Aid Report (SAR), which indicates the Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) number.

If you’d like more information about the Pickering Graduate Fellowship Program, please email pickeringgfaf@woodrow.org.

If you’d like more information about the Pickering Undergraduate Fellowship Program, please email pickeringfaf@woodrow.org.

This is the seventh entry in our “Top 10″ list to assist you with understanding the process of submitting your 2012 admission application to SIPA. This entry is focused on advice regarding the section of the application entitled “Fellowship Statement.”

Funding a graduate school education can be challenging and I will offer additional insight regarding financial aid in some future entries.  The point of this entry is to provide guidance on the information that we ask for on the admission application.

Question: What do I need to do to be considered for a scholarship from SIPA?

Answer: Every single person that applies to SIPA is considered for SIPA scholarship funding. Thus, all you need to do to be considered is to complete the admission application.

When an Admission Committee member reads the application and fills out a review sheet, he or she can note that they wish for the candidate to be considered for scholarship from SIPA. After all of our admission decisions are made the Committee then takes files that have been marked “consider for fellowship” and deliberates on who will be awarded funding.

Question: Are international students treated differently in the scholarship consideration process?

Answer: No.  All applicants are treated the same regardless of citizenship. Scholarships are based on merit and we are looking for the best possible candidates for admission. This may lead to the question . . .

Question: “What characteristics does a successful scholarship candidate possess?”

Candidates we typically award first year scholarships to “stand out” among the crowd so to speak. You could say that along with academic and professional excellence, scholarship recipients possess a unique story, motivation, and/or drive backed by action that sets them apart from the rest of the pool of applicants.

It might also be a candidate that overcame extreme obstacles to achieve success. There is no formula or checklist that we use to nominate candidates for first year fellowship, we typically tell the Committee to identify the top 10-15% of files they read as worthy of scholarship consideration.

The decision of who to award scholarships to is very difficult for a few reasons. First, our applicant pools are extremely qualified each year. Every admitted applicant possesses an impressive record of accomplishments matched by unique characteristics that the Committee believes will make a strong contribution to the admitted class.

Second, the Committee is only able to award funding to approximately 10-15% of the admitted class. SIPA reserves the majority of scholarship funding for second year students. Not receiving a scholarship offer from SIPA as a newly admitted candidate should not be taken as a slight, it has more to do with the very accomplished pool of applicants and the limited amount of funding for the first year of study.

Non-Columbia Fellowships

SIPA does partner with several organizations to provide funding for admitted candidates. In some cases we provide matching funding and in other cases we just wish to recognize the affiliation by granting our own scholarship to a candidate. The organizations we partner with are listed in a drop down menu on the Fellowship Statement Page of the application. See below for a picture:

You may choose up to two organizations you either have an affiliation with or organizations you have submitted applications to for funding. The process is competitive and we are often not able to award funding to everyone that has a relationship with an affiliated organization.

For example, we receive applications from many qualified alumni of the Peace Corps and we do set aside funding to recognize excellence during service in the Peace Corps, however with the large number of Peace Corps alumni applying we are unable to provide funding to every qualified candidate.

You can access the same list that is on the application by clicking here.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) – Timing

U.S. citizens and permanent residents interested in receiving funding from the Federal Government should submit the FAFSA, but please do not do so prior to January 1^st, 2012. The 2012-2013 FAFSA will be needed and the Department of Education does not post the form online until the new year starts.  Our FAFSA code is 002707.

Question: What is meant by “head of household?”

Answer: By head of household we mean that you are either entirely responsible for your own finances or that you are the main source of income in a family unit. The family unit should not include your mother or father. An example of head of household would be that live on your own or that you are married and have been earning 50.1% or more of the income for your household (which might or might not include children).

Assets and Liabilities Sections

The instructions are fairly clear on the site, please only enter your assets/liabilities and if married include those of your spouse. Do not include parental information.

Question: Do I need to provide proof of the ability to pay for my education costs when I apply?

Answer: No. Admission decisions take into account merit only, not the ability to pay. International students admitted to the program will have to provide proof of funding to have a visa issued, however this process does not take place until after an international candidate has been admitted and paid an enrollment deposit.

Question: Is the International Fellows Program (IFP) and/or Lemann Fellowship different from general SIPA scholarship funding?

Answer: Yes. Consideration for scholarship funding through the International Fellows program or Lemann Fellowship is different from general SIPA scholarships. To apply, applicants must submit a 300 word statement about why they wish to be considered (separate essay for each program).

It is not mandatory to apply for IFP  or Lemann funding.  Applying for these funds is optional and candidates who do not apply will not be viewed negatively. For more information on these programs please see the Special Fellowships Section on the bottom of this page.

We were recently made aware of some great scholarship opportunities for promising young Armenians.  Brief details and two of the fellowships are below.  Other fellowships are noted on the web page link so please visit for more information.

_______________________

For more than 80 years, the AGBU SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM has championed the higher education of thousands of promising young Armenians enrolled in leading colleges and universities around the world.

Financed through Endowment Funds established by generous AGBU donors since the 1920s, the AGBU SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM has proudly contributed to the academic achievements of gifted young Armenians, offering financial assistance to full-time students of Armenian descent from close to 40 countries and five continents, enrolled in competitive academic institutions.

AGBU Fellowships

Grants awarded annually to graduate and post-graduate students of Armenian descent who are residents/citizens of the United States or Armenia, enrolled in highly competitive colleges/universities in the United States.

Application Deadline: April 15

AGBU International Scholarships

Grants awarded annually to full-time undergraduate students and some graduate students of Armenian descent (excluding citizens of Armenia studying in Armenia), enrolled in recognized colleges and universities in their countries of residence.

Application Deadline: May 31

For full details please visit the AGBU web site.

We were recently notified of this scholarship opportunity and thought we would pass it along.  A $100,000 scholarship is definitely worth pursuing if you qualify.  The deadline is June 4th so there is still plenty of time to apply.

_________________________

OFID (The OPEC Fund for International Development) is pleased to announce that qualified applicants who have obtained or are on the verge of completing their undergraduate degree and who wish to study for a Master’s degree are welcome to apply for the OFID Scholarship 2011/2012.

The OFID scholarship will be awarded to support one student or candidate for Master’s degree studies. The applicant may be from any developing country,  and he/she must first obtain admission to pursue a Master’s degree studies in a relevant field of development, in any recognized university/college in the world. Through its scholarship scheme, OFID aims to help highly motivated, highly-driven individuals overcome one of the biggest challenges to their careers – the cost of graduate studies.

The winner of the OFID Scholarship Award will receive a scholarship of up to US$100,000. The funds will be spread over a maximum of two years, toward the completion of a Master’s degree, or its equivalent, at an accredited educational institution, starting in the autumn of the academic year 2011/2012.

Application Guidelines

STEP 1: Ensure that you fulfill the OFID Scholarship Award Eligibility Criteria.

STEP 2: Register within the OFID Scholarship Portal by using your email address. Please note you can log into the portal as many times as required.

STEP 3: Fill out the application form. Make sure to save data each time you update your application. Once you are logged in, if the page remains inactive for more than two hours, your session will time-out and you may lose unsaved data. Do not submit your application until you have completed the entire application process!

STEP 4: Upload necessary documents; CV, two recommendation letters, Bachelor’s certificate/transcript, acceptance letter into postgraduate program and essay.

STEP 5: When your application is complete, and all additional documents are uploaded, your application is ready to be submitted. As mentioned previously, once your application is submitted, you can no longer make any changes or upload any more documents.

To register and apply please click here.

The application deadline is June 4, 2011. Please do not call or email OFID to see if your application has been received (you will, in any case, receive an automated confirmation) or to inquire about your status. Only the winner will be notified by June 14 via our website at www.ofid.org.

The earliest memory I can seem to muster of the idiom, “That is like comparing apples to oranges” is from high school. I can not remember if it was my personal finance teacher or my cross country coach, but it was one of the two (and comparing those two certainly is like comparing apples to oranges).

I remember being stumped by the idiom at first. I did not understand the context and asked around until some other examples finally brought the point home to me.

While Wikipedia delves into the validity of the usefulness of the idiom, to me the admission decision season provides a scenario where the idiom makes perfect sense.  Most applicants apply to several different schools and it is only natural not only to compare the characteristics of those schools, but the admission decisions of those schools.

When decisions go out each year applicants will often contact our office to discuss their SIPA admission decision. Statements and questions like the following are not uncommon:

• I don’t understand why I was put on the waitlist at SIPA when I was admitted to all of the other schools I applied to. Can you explain why?
  

• I received a fellowship offer from another school but not from SIPA. Why didn’t I get SIPA fellowship funding?

• SIPA’s letter said that I should get more experience and apply again at a later time but other schools admitted me? Why?

• My decision letter from SIPA said I could benefit from more quantitative preparation but I was admitted to other similar schools. Why is this the case?

• My decision letter from SIPA said I could benefit from additional English language study but I was admitted to other U.S. programs. Why?

• Why have I heard from other schools but not SIPA?

From an administrators point of view statements and questions like these are, well, like comparing apples to oranges.

If it were an apples to apples comparison, every single applicant would have had to apply to the same exact schools, have been read by the exact same committee, and the committees would need to share the exact same budget. Obviously this is not what happens.

Sure policy schools are similar in many ways. We have similar core classes, faculty that study, teach, and practice common subjects, and we seek to prepare students for similar careers. However, each school is quite different in many ways when it comes to shaping an incoming class.

Each school has its own unique Admissions Committee structure. Each school has its own unique applicant pool. Each school has a different fellowship endowment and can choose to use it in different ways. Each school has different donors who set different criteria for awards. Each school has its own time lines.

I am not going to pretend that by reading this entry all of your questions or concerns about admission decisions will be put at ease, but I hope it does provide insight into “the big picture.” Each policy school is different in its own way and will make decisions based on its history, goals, preferences and yes, limitations.

Thus, comparing a decision from one school to another is often like comparing apples to oranges.  I will attempt to address many of the questions posted in future entries, but for now I just wanted to provide a bit brief insight into the process from the prospective of someone on the other side of the process.

I will have another update on the release of decisions soon, but I thought I would take a minor break on “decision only” entries and offer something for admitted candidates to consider.  I will note that just as the decisions that have already been released belong to the three categories (admitted, waitlist, not admitted) the decisions yet to be released will also include these three categories.

I am excited to share the following scholarship information partly because an admitted student to SIPA in the past was selected as a recipient.  Details of the fellowship along with the link to the application page are below.

The Empedocle Maffia Fellowship (EM Fellowship) for Masters students will be awarded to two graduate students from the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) at Columbia University who have demonstrated excellence in the fields of conflict prevention, conflict resolution, post-conflict reconstruction, sustainable development, natural resource management, security and the global environment.

The EM Fellowship is designed to foster new scholarly experts in the following countries or regions: Italy, the Balkans, Iraq, Afghanistan, Peru, Colombia, China, the Middle East and North Africa; therefore, preference will be given to applicants from these countries and regions.

The EM Fellowship is open to incoming and current (first-year) SIPA students; it is awarded for two, consecutive semesters. Selected EM Fellows will be expected to undertake 10-15 hours of work per week at CICR. The work will involve supporting CICR generally – especially in terms of events and communications – and supporting aspects of The Fund for Global Environment and Conflict Resolution, specifically as it relates to research and events concerning:

• Fragile states and the field of conflict prevention – specifically in China, the Middle East and North Africa with respect to conflicts or potential conflicts fuelled by natural resources, deforestation, and the role of renewable energy within these frameworks;
• Conflict resolution and post-conflict reconstruction – specifically the Balkans, Iraq, Afghanistan, Peru and Colombia, looking specifically at environmental solutions and sustainable development policies;
• International security and climate change, in general, taking into consideration the impact of the current financial crisis and potential consequences on the field, with particular attention on water scarcity.

The Fellows will be awarded $9,000 toward their university fees each semester and a stipend of $500 per month over the course of the academic year (nine months).

All applicants should submit their candidature by April 15, 2011. The decision will be undertaken by a selection committee at CICR, and will be announced in July. All decisions are final, and applications received after the April 15, 2011 deadline will not be accepted.

For more information and details on how to apply please click here.

This is the second of three posts targeting the topic admissions decisions.  Decisions have not started to be released yet – this series is meant to provide an understanding of what you will see when decisions are released.  The first post covered the waitlist category and this post covers the admitted category.  The admitted category does have some different groupings.

The first and largest category in the admitted group is standard admission.  Due to our limited fellowship budget for first-year students, most admission offers to SIPA do not include first-year funding.  Most of our funding is reserved for second-year students.  It is very difficult to select recipients for first-year awards and those that receive an admission offer without funding should not take this as an indication that the Committee was not extremely impressed with your background, experience, and potential.

Approximately 15% of admitted candidates will receive funding to help pay for costs during their first-year of study.  Awards vary in amount and specifics will be included in the admission letter.  All first-year students, whether receiving funding or not, can apply for a second-year award.  Applications for second year funding are submitted in the spring semester.  A first-semester GPA of 3.4 or higher is required to apply for second-year funding.

One common question we get from admitted candidates that do not receive funding is, “If someone is offered an award but decides not to attend SIPA, can I be considered for the money that is ‘freed up’ when they decline their funding offer?”

While I can understand what might lead one to a conclusion like this, the Admissions Committee knows that not everyone we offer funding to will choose to accept our offer.  We thus spend about twice the amount of money we have in our budget, meaning it is not as simple as offering funding to another candidate if one candidate chooses not to attend.  It is thus incredibly rare for us to be able to make a funding offer to a candidate that is not initially chosen to receive an award in the first year of study.

Admitted candidates will have until May 2^nd to pay a $1,000 deposit to secure a space in the fall 2011 class.  A variety of resources will be made available to admitted candidates including a Welcome Page, Admitted Student Day (April 12^th), an Internet based message board, and a summer math tutorial.

One final note is that we do have one category of “conditional” admission.  Some admitted applicants that do not speak English as a native language will be required to attend an intensive English language class in the summer on the Columbia campus prior to enrolling in the fall.  If this program is required, information will be included in the admission letter.

One more entry on admissions decisions to go . . . and no, admissions decisions have not started to go out yet.

Our Development Office at SIPA is constantly working to help increase the resources we can make available to our students.  The text below comes from a recent letter written to our students by Dean John Coatsworth.

______________________

Knowing how critical fellowship support is to our students, I’m happy to share some great news on this front.  Thanks to the tireless work of our Development Office, in recent months, we have raised nearly $3 million in major gifts for the School, the vast majority of which will go toward fellowships.  Many of these fellowships are endowed, meaning they will exist in perpetuity and grow over time.

This $3 million increases an already growing fellowship “pot” made possible by the generosity of other donors, including Jorge Paulo Lemann and the late John Kluge (CC 37), from whose estate SIPA will receive $30 million for endowed student financial aid.

In short, SIPA will be able to strengthen our partnership with our student body by which we offer as much financial assistance as possible within our limited means, and our students pragmatically manage both their finances and their expectations for their standard of living while studying here.

Columbia University has been selected by the Pat Tillman Foundation as a Tillman Military Scholar University Partner for the 2011-2012 academic year.

University Partners are chosen to solicit and submit candidates for receipt of the Tillman Military Scholarship through the Pat Tillman Foundation.  This prestigious and selective partnership will enable Columbia University’s student veterans and their eligible dependents to apply for this scholarship.

The Pat Tillman Foundation was created in honor of professional football player and military hero Pat Tillman. Tillman played professional football for the Arizona Cardinals from 1998 to 2001 and enlisted in the United States Army in 2002 in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks.  Tillman died in Afghanistan as a result of friendly fire in 2004.  The mission of the Pat Tillman Foundation is “to invest in veterans and their families through education and community”.

As such, this scholarship not only helps student veterans cover the direct costs of tuition and fees but it also acts as a critical resource for other expenses including housing and child care.  In addition to this scholarship, recipients become members of the “Tillman Community” where they have access to a national network of members and are provided other essential resources including leadership, service and advocacy opportunities.

The Foundation chooses University Partners who are proven military-friendly institutions that offer specific support services for service members and their families and have a significant percentage of military enrollments, in addition to other criteria.  Hunter I Riley, Pat Tillman Foundation Director of Programs, recently stated, “By working with partner institutions like Columbia University, who have shown ingenuity in delivering veteran-specific support services, we are able to funnel a ready source of assistance onto a campus which already demonstrates a culture of support for student veterans and military families.”

All applications will be submitted through the Pat Tillman Foundation website and then forwarded to the Columbia University selection committee for review.  The committee will then recommend the highest scoring applicants to the Pat Tillman Foundation as potential recipients of the scholarship.  The final selection will then be made by the Pat Tillman Foundation.

For more information about the application process and to view the application questions now, please visit the Pat Tillman Foundation website www.pattillmanfoundation.org.  The information is listed under the Tillman Military Scholars tab.  The full application for the 2011/2012 academic year will be available on March 7, 2011.

The application deadline for filing is April 8, 2011.

Recently we posted information on a $33,000 scholarship opportunity for U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents.  For this entry we have a scholarship opportunity that has provided an average award of $35,000 a year to nationals of World Bank Member countries.

The Joint Japan World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program (JJ/WBGSP) is a wonderful opportunity for those that qualify and wish to submit an application.  It does require a completely separate application from the application submitted to SIPA and it is available via the JJ/WBGSP web site.  The deadline to apply is March 31, 2011.

Here is a brief description of the basic qualifications needed to apply, see the site referenced above for full details.

To apply for a JJ/WBGSP scholarship under the Regular Program, an applicant must:

* Be a national of a World Bank member country eligible to borrow.
* Be born after March 31, 1971.
* Have, by March 31, 2011, at least 2, preferably 4 to 5, years of recent full time professional experience acquired after a university degree, in the applicant’s home country or in another developing country.
* Hold a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent.
* Be in good health.
* Be of good character.
* Not be a permanent resident or a national of any industrialized country.
* Not be residing in an industrialized country for more than one year.
* Not be an Executive Director, his/her alternate, staff of the World Bank Group (the World Bank, International Finance Corporation, International Development Association, Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency, and International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes), consultant, or relative of the aforementioned.

U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents who are proficient in certain languages may be interested in submitting an application for a Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship (FLAS).  SIPA will consider newly admitted applicants for funding through this program.  Graduate school student recipients receive $18,000 toward tuition and a $15,000 stipend.

The timing of our admission decisions and the FLAS deadline makes it a little tricky.  Basically those interested in the FLAS must submit an application  for FLAS before the SIPA Admissions Committee has made admissions decisions.  The FLAS application deadline is March 4th and full details regarding the application process and eligible languages can be found on the FLAS application web site.

Unfortunately, it is not likely that we will start publishing admissions decisions prior to March 4th.  We will do our best to start publishing decisions early in March, but we do not set a specific date.  When decisions get sent is dependent upon a variety of factors and this is a topic I will address in a future blog entry.

What this means is that if you are interested in being considered for a FLAS award, you should submit your FLAS application prior to knowing your SIPA admission decision.   Due to the extremely generous nature of the fellowship, I think it would well be worth the time if you qualify and are interested.

Here is a brief description of the FLAS Award taken directly from the FLAS web site:

The Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowship Program is predicated on the belief that “the security, stability, and economic vitality of the United States in a complex global era depend upon American experts and citizens knowledgeable about world regions, foreign languages, and international affairs, as well as upon a strong research base in these areas.”

FLAS fellowships strengthen the nation’s ability to respond to security threats and to compete effectively in the modern world by promoting foreign language competence and area and international knowledge and by ensuring the continuance of area expertise in a variety of fields, including academe.

If you have questions or require further information regarding FLAS, please email Sandra Peters at scp3@columbia.edu

I know what you are thinking . . . the January 5th admission deadline has passed, now I can kick my feet up and wait for my admission decision in March.  While this might be one possible option, it is not the option I recommend.

It is no secret, attending graduate school can be expensive.  The time to look into financing your education is not after you get an offer of admission, it is now.  It is a terrible feeling to get an offer of admission and only then realize you might not be able to attend due to financing.

My advice is that if you have not started already, that you set aside time each week to research issues related to the cost of graduate school and the payment options available.

There are many kinds of aid available including:

• Institutional funding provided by SIPA
• External Scholarships (i.e. Fulbright, Pickering)
• Federal Loans (for U.S. citizens and permanent residents)
• Private Loans
• Work Study
• Grants
• Sponsorship funds from agencies/organizations

Most SIPA students utilize a combination of resources to make attending possible.  Each year students bring in several million dollars of funding that does not need to be repaid by researching and applying for funding.  My feeling has always been that applicants should spend twice the amount of time researching financial aid as is spent on the process of applying for admission.  I covered this topic in a past post entitled The Rule of Two.

I highly encourage you to review the entry but the analogy used is one that you might have heard before from a teacher.  It is not uncommon to hear a teacher say that for every hour spent in the classroom, at a minimum a successful student will spend two hours outside of the classroom.

My feeling about admission and financial aid is the same. At a minimum, one should spend twice as much time researching financial aid options as researching admission to a program.  While SIPA does allocate around $6 million each year on fellowships for students, a limited number of first year students receive funding (around 10-15%).

With this in mind, it will benefit you to research costs and other sources of funding so that if admitted you have a plan.  Not having a plan and not having done research is a strategy that most often leads to frustration.  Here are some tips to get you started:

• Check out SIPA’s own fellowship database. We search for scholarships for you and post them to the database.  The database is not SIPA specific.  As we search for and hear about funding, we make the information available to you.

• Use RSS technology to deliver news to your email account or RSS Reader.  RSS allows for news to be delivered to you without having to go look for it every day.  As an example, Gmail accounts have something called the “Alert” tool and I am sure other providers have the same capability.  All you have to do is put in text for searches and a search engine will perform the searches daily and deliver news to your email account.  You can type in search terms like “Graduate School Scholarships” or “International Affairs Scholarships.”  You can also utilize an RSS reader.  RSS readers are free and if you do not know what an RSS reader is, click here for a YouTube tutorial.

• Talk to people you know who have gone to graduate school and find out if they were able to find scholarship opportunities.

• Contact people that have written you a letter of recommendation and have them make multiple copies of the recommendation letter and give them to you in sealed envelops so you are ready if a scholarship opportunity arises and there is a tight deadline.

• Start to familiarize yourself with the cost of living in New York City.  SIPA is only able to provide housing for approximately 30% of our students and most students must find housing the city.  A great resource to get started is Craigslist.  I recommend signing up for an email feed for NYC apartments.  Following rental trends will help familiarize you with costs around the city.

• Familiarize yourself with the payment and billing options available to SIPA students.  You can get started by visiting the Columbia University Student Financial Services home page.

I will not say the process of searching for funding and familiarizing yourself with costs is easy and it can take a considerable amount of effort.  However, the sooner you start to look the more doors you will possibly open – figuratively and literally.

This is the seventh entry in our “Top 10″ list to assist you with understanding the process of submitting your admission application to SIPA.  This entry is focused on advice regarding the section of the application entitled “Fellowship Statement.”

Funding a graduate school education can be challenging and I will offer additional insight regarding financial aid in some future entries, the point of this entry is to provide guidance on the information that we ask for on the admission application.

Question:  What do I need to do to be considered for a scholarship from SIPA?

Answer: Every single person that applies to SIPA is considered for scholarship funding.  Thus, all you need to do to be considered is to complete the admission application.

When an Admission Committee member reads the application and makes a decision, he or she can note that they wish for the candidate to be considered for scholarship from SIPA.  After all of our admission decisions are made the Committee then takes files that have been marked “consider for fellowship” and deliberates on who will be awarded funding.

Question:  Are international students treated differently in the scholarship consideration process?

Answer: No, all applicants are treated the same regardless of citizenship.  Scholarships are based on merit and we are looking for the best possible candidates for admission.  This may lead to the question . . .

Question:  “What characteristics does a successful scholarship candidate possess?”

Candidates we typically award first year scholarships to “stand out” among the crowd so to speak.  You could say that along with academic and professional excellence, successful candidates possess a unique story, motivation, and/or drive backed by action that sets them apart from the rest of the pool of applicants.

It might also be a candidate that overcame extreme obstacles to achieve success.  There is no formula or checklist that we use to nominate candidates for first year fellowship, we typically tell the Committee to identify the top 10-15% of files they read as worthy of scholarship consideration.

The decision of who to award scholarships to is very difficult for a few reasons.  First, our applicant pools are extremely qualified each year.  Every admitted applicant possesses an impressive record of accomplishments matched by unique characteristics that the Committee believes will make a strong contribution to the admitted class.

Second, the Committee is only able to award funding to approximately 10-15% of the admitted class.  SIPA reserves the majority of scholarship funding for second year students.  Not receiving a scholarship offer from SIPA as a newly admitted candidate should not be taken as a slight, it has more to do with the very accomplished pool of applicants and the limited amount of funding for the first year of study.

Non-Columbia Fellowships

SIPA does partner with several organizations to provide funding for admitted candidates.  In some cases we provide matching funding and in other cases we just wish to recognize the affiliation by granting our own scholarship to a candidate.  The organizations we partner with are listed in a drop down menu on the Fellowship Statement Page of the application.  See below for a picture:

You may choose up to two organizations you either have an affiliation with or organizations you have submitted applications to for funding.  The process is competitive and we are often not able to award funding to everyone that has a relationship with an affiliated organization.

For example we receive applications from many qualified alumni of the Peace Corps and we do set aside funding to recognize excellence during service in the Peace Corps, however with the large number of Peace Corps alumni applying we are unable to provide funding to every qualified candidate.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) – Timing

U.S. citizens and permanent residents interested in receiving funding from the Federal Government should submit the FAFSA, but please do not do so prior to January 1^st, 2011.  The 2011-2012 FAFSA will be needed and the Department of Education does not post the form online until the new year starts.

Question:  What is meant by “head of household?”

Answer: By head of household we mean that you are either entirely responsible for your own finances or that you are the main source of income in a family unit.  The family unit should not include your mother or father.  An example of head of household would be that live on your own or that you are married and have been earning 50.1% or more of the income for your household (which might or might not include children).

Assets and Liabilities Sections

The instructions are fairly clear on the site, please only enter your assets/liabilities and if married include those of your spouse.  Do not include parental information.

Question:  Do I need to provide proof of the ability to pay for my education costs when I apply?

Answer: No.  Admission decisions take into account merit only, not the ability to pay.  International students admitted to the program will have to provide proof of funding to have a visa issued, however this process does not take place until after an international candidate has been admitted and paid an enrollment deposit.

Question:  Is the International Fellows Program (IFP) different from general SIPA scholarship funding?

Answer: Yes.  Consideration for scholarship funding through the International Fellows program is different from general SIPA scholarships.  To apply, applicants must submit a 300 word statement about why they wish to be considered.

It is not mandatory to apply for IFP funding, applying for IFP funding is optional and candidates who do not apply will not be viewed negatively.  For more information on the IFP program, please click here.

Please share this announcement with individuals who may be interested in the Rangel Graduate Fellowship.  More information is available at www.rangelprogram.org.

The Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Program is now accepting applications for its 2011 graduate fellowships.  The Rangel Program seeks applicants who are interested in promoting positive change in the world as Foreign Service Officers for the U.S. Department of State.  The fellowship is open to undergraduate seniors and recent graduates who want to begin two-year master’s programs in the fall of 2011.

In March 2011, the program will select twenty Rangel Fellows who will receive up to $90,000 in benefits over two years to fund tuition, mandatory fees, and living expenses for completion of two-year master’s degrees, as well as summer internships to promote professional development.  Fellows may use the fellowship to fund graduate studies of international affairs or a related subject such as public administration, business administration or public policy at U.S. universities.  Those who successfully complete the program will receive appointments as Foreign Service Officers upon graduation, embarking on one of the most exciting and rewarding careers.

Eligibility requirements include U.S. citizenship, plans to enter graduate school in fall 2011, and a minimum 3.2 GPA.  The program encourages the application of members of minority groups historically underrepresented in the Foreign Service and those with financial need.  The application deadline is January 21, 2011.  Additional information about the Rangel Program and specific application requirements are available at www.rangelprogram.org.

The Rangel Program is managed by the Ralph J. Bunche International Affairs Center at Howard University and funded by the U.S. Department of State.  It seeks to promote excellence and diversity in the U.S. Foreign Service.

Contacts:

Patricia Scroggs                                               Erica Lee

Director                                                              Program Assistant

pscroggs@howard.edu

rangelprogram@howard.edu

erlee@howard.edu

202-806-4367 or 877-633-0002

Each year SIPA is proud to partner with several organizations to assist students with paying for school.  One of the programs we partner with is The Thomas R. Pickering Graduate Foreign Affairs Fellowship.  This fellowship focuses on individuals that are interested in working for the U.S. Department of State and are applying to graduate programs.

There is another program available to undergraduate students called the Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship.  SIPA is proud to partner with both divisions of this fellowship program.

The following article was contributed by SIPA student Timothy Shenk.

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Four SIPA students have been named Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellows and are preparing to work in the U.S. Foreign Service. Just 20 graduate Pickering Fellowships were awarded this year, more to SIPA students than any other school.

SIPA’s four Fellows are Keondra Bills (MDP ’12), Amanda Buescher (MPA ’12), Karina Gabriela Garcia (MIA ’12), and Jane Park (MPA ’12).

The fellowships were awarded this spring by the Woodrow Wilson Foundation and are funded by the State Department. Pickering Fellows pursue two years of study in fields such as international affairs, political science, economics and foreign languages. They also complete two internships with the State Department, including one at a U.S. embassy.

In exchange, Fellows commit to work for three years as Foreign Service officers, which is contingent upon passing the Foreign Service exam.

According to Park, the Pickering Fellowship is an ideal award for students interested in pursuing a career in the Foreign Service. She is concentrating in international finance and economic policy at SIPA and hopes to work in international trade negotiations.

“Representing the U.S. internationally is something that I always found admirable,” she said.

Garcia said she hopes to work for the State Department on human rights issues in Africa or Latin America. She chose to attend SIPA because of its human rights concentration.

“I definitely felt like the program here was a better fit,” she said. “It’s very flexible and interdisciplinary.”

Four second-year SIPA students are also Pickering Fellows: Kristofer Clark (MIA ’11), Caitlyn Finley (MIA ’11), Kahina Robinson (MIA ’11), and Miriam Schive (MIA ’11).

The Pickering Fellowships are named for Thomas R. Pickering, who served as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations from 1989 to 1992.

When filling out your admission application to SIPA you will notice a section labeled “International Fellows Program” (IFP). Applying to become an International Fellow at SIPA is optional.  This means that it is not a requirement that you submit an essay as part of your admission application.  Not submitting an IFP essay will have no impact on the decision of the Admissions Committee in any way.

However, the IFP program is an outstanding opportunity to shape your future in a unique way and I believe it is worth the time to submit an essay as part of your admission application.  Below is a short video that provides insight into this truly exceptional opportunity.

We were recently notified of a wonderful fellowship opportunity.  Please read below for details on the Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship program.  The deadline is November 1st so act quickly if you qualify.

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The Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowships are for up to two years of graduate study in ANY FIELD at any university in the United States.   They provide cash support of $25,000 per year plus up to $20,000 in tuition support per year (a total of as much as $90,000 over the two years!).

THE DEADLINE for applications is November 1, 2010.

ELIGIBILITY:

New Americans:   if born abroad, an applicant must have a green card or be a naturalized citizen.

If born in the US, the applicant’s parents both must have been born abroad and have become naturalized US citizens (the absent parent of an applicant raised by a single parent need not meet the naturalization requirement).

Age:

An applicant must be 30 or under (i.e. not 31 or older) as of November 1, 2010.

Academic status:

An applicant must have a bachelor’s degree or at least be in his/her final year of undergraduate study.

If already in graduate study, an applicant should be in the first or second year of a degree program for which she/he is seeking support.

Prior graduate training is not a barrier to eligibility.  Individuals who are not currently in a graduate program are welcome and encouraged to apply.

SELECTION CRITERIA:

We seek individuals who have demonstrated unusual creativity, originality and initiative in one or more aspects of their lives who have demonstrated a commitment to and capacity for sustained accomplishment whose graduate plans or program give promise of enhancing their future creativity and accomplishment who seem likely to sustain their past record of creativity and accomplishment.

We try very hard to create a “level playing field” for applicants, irrespective of the challenges and opportunities they may have experienced as New Americans.   We take into account their age, their level of academic preparation, and their experience.

The program website, http://www.pdsoros.org contains detailed information about the application process.   It also provides background sketches of current fellows and alumni who are pursuing careers in a wide range of fields.

Truly creative and accomplished young people should not be discouraged from applying just because they do not come from elite schools, or do not have stellar grades or test scores, or don’t want to study medicine or law.   We WELCOME AND ENCOURAGE applicants from a wide range of backgrounds with a wide range of career goals.

Nor should truly creative and accomplished young people be discouraged from applying just because they are already reasonably assured of adequate support to complete their graduate study.  A number of wonderful fellows have found that the sense of community that develops among New Americans, the great opportunities associated with the Fall Conferences of Fellows, the regional get-togethers, participation in selecting subsequent classes of fellows, and the prestige of the award turn out to be of greater importance and value than its cash value.

This is the eighth entry in our “Top 10″ list for you to consider when communicating with our office and applying.

Number 8 – Familiarize Yourself with Expenses and Start searching for fellowhips/grants as soon as possible!

Yes, there is no doubt about it, graduate school is expensive.  We will do as much as we can to educate you on financial options, but by far the number one thing you can do is to be diligent in searching for fellowships and grants.  Do not wait to search until you have applied, you should start the search long before applying.  Each applicant should follow what I call the “rule of 2.”  Basically my assertion is that applicants should spend twice as much time applying for fellowships as time spent working on admission application.  If it takes you 10 hours to prepare your admission application, you would be well served to spend 20 hours looking for fellowships.  A great resource to get to use in order to get started is our external fellowship database.

Most of the information you need concerning the cost to attend is available on our Web site, such as cost of attendance, types of aid, scholarship information, and information specifically for international students.  Please do note that SIPA scholarships come from one general pool – there is no difference in the fellowship award process at SIPA for domestic and international students – all students are equally considered no matter the country of origin.

SIPA is proud to partner with several organizations that provide scholarship funding to individuals interested in international and Public Affairs and one such organization is the Institute for International Public Policy Fellowship Program (IIPP).

Individuals apply in their sophomore year of college and participate in academic and professional programs to help prepare for graduate school.  Funding is also included and SIPA agrees to match funding provided by IIPP.  If you are a college sophomore or know someone who is, please pass along this great opportunity.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Application Opened September 16th for UNCF Special Programs Corporation’s Institute for International Public Policy Fellowship Program

Background: The UNCF Special Programs Corporation’s Institute for International Public Policy (IIPP) Fellowship Program is now entering its 17th year. The Institute seeks to enhance U.S. national security and global competitiveness by promoting excellence, international service, and awareness among a representative cross-section of the American citizenry. The IIPP also seeks to broaden access to international education and training opportunities for underrepresented minority college students.

The IIPP Fellowship Program provides students from underrepresented minority groups with education and training experiences critical to entry and advancement in international affairs careers. Ours is a comprehensive program of summer policy institutes, study abroad, intensive language training, internships, graduate study, and student services that include mentoring and career development. Additionally, the Institute provides students with the education and training necessary to successfully enter, advance, and provide leadership in international affairs careers.

Fellowship Components:

• Sophomore Summer Policy Institute
• Junior Year Study Abroad
• Junior Summer Policy Institute
• Summer Language Institute
• International Internship
• Internationally Focused Advanced Degree Program
• Wraparound Student Services (academic, study abroad, and career advising)

Eligibility Requirements – We welcome applications from undergraduate sophomores who:

• Are enrolled full-time at an accredited, four–year baccalaureate-granting institution.
• Are U.S. Citizens or Permanent Residents (documentary support required).
• Will remain enrolled at their undergraduate institution for two years following their acceptance to the Fellowship.
• Have a minimum 3.2 grade point average (on a 4.0 scale).
• Have a strong demonstrated interest in international affairs.
• Are an underrepresented minority (African American, Hispanic/Latino American, Asian American, American Indian, Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander).
• Plan to seek admission to an internationally focused advanced degree program.

Students from underrepresented minority groups, especially those from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), and Other Minority Serving Institutions (OMIs) are particularly encouraged to apply. Though not a requirement, applicants are strongly encouraged to complete at least one of the following courses before starting the IIPP Fellowship: international affairs, foreign policy, a foreign language, political science, sociology, macro/micro-economics, statistics and/or journalism.

Application Deadline: February 1, 2011

Website: www.uncfsp.org/iipp

Email us with comments or questions at iipp@uncfsp.org

A graduate of Columbia College who works for the company below passed along an opportunity to earn a scholarship for a video related to public service.  I confirmed that it is open to graduate students.  If you decide to enter, feel free to share your video with the Admissions Office as well.  Simply email us a link to your YouTube video.

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Indigo Productions Scholarship
$1,000 scholarship award for best
video Public Service Announcement

Indigo Productions, a New York City video production company, invites Columbia students to compete in a scholarship contest which will be awarded to the student or group of students who create the most original and effective video PSA (Public Service Announcement).

First prize: $1,000
Second prize: $500
Deadline: September 15, 2010
Eligibility: Contestants must be students attending an accredited college or university in the continental U.S. at any point during 2010.
Length: Video can be up to 2 minutes long
Subject matter: Any health or safety issue that is of importance to the public (e.g. obesity, addictions, STDs, school bullying).

“We are looking for edgy and original approaches that capture people’s imagination,” says Max Rosen, President and Founder of Indigo Productions (CC ‘84)

To enter, simply upload your finished PSA video to YouTube and fill out the form below.

All videos will be judged by a panel of professionals selected by Indigo based on 5 criteria: Concept, Creativity, Execution, Artistic merit, and Viral potential.  The winning student or group will be announced on October 15, 2010.

To apply for the scholarship, please visit: http://www.indigoprod.com/VideoProductionScholarship

For information about Indigo’s Viral Video Production Workshop at New York University, please visit: http://www.indigoprod.com/ViralVideoWorkshop Classes run 4 consecutive Sunday’s starting September 26th.