Application Process and Fellowship Policies

Deadline for the Spring 2025 fellowship cycle: Tuesday, April 1, 2025 by 11:59 p.m.

Letters of recommendation will be due by Friday, April 4.

The priority deadline for the NASA MOSAICS Summer Research Fellowship is March 10, 2025. Applications will be accepted through April 4, 2025. Learn more.

Whittier College fellowship applications and required materials are available by selecting the specific opportunity. Completed applications typically consist of:

An online application form including demographic information, questions regarding research and career interests, project and/or personal essays, and the names of faculty and/or professional references
Unofficial academic transcripts from all two-year and four-year institutions attended
Signed Sample Student Contract outlining the terms and conditions of the award
Signed Faculty Mentor Agreement or Sponsor Endorsement, if applicable
Letter(s) of recommendation, if applicable
Resume or C.V, if applicable
Selected semi-finalists may be interviewed

Faculty Mentor Eligibility

Senior Lecturers, tenure-track, and tenured faculty are eligible to serve as faculty mentors for fellowship projects. Faculty mentors for the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Research Fellowship must hold a doctoral degree or must share mentoring responsibilities with a Ph.D. faculty member.

International Travel

In an effort to minimize the risk associated with international travel, Whittier College fellowships will not be awarded for fellowship activities in any location designated high-risk by the U.S. Department of State’s Travel Advisory System. Whittier College fellowships will not support travel to any Level 3 or Level 4 country or location -- or to areas within a county or location -- with a Level 3 or Level 4 designation.

Level 1: Exercise normal precautions
Level 2: Exercise increased caution
Level 3: Reconsider travel to
Level 4: Do not travel to

Fellows are responsible for adhering to all State Department Travel Advisories at all levels. Note that a “Do Not Travel” advisory might be issued for specific cities in a country, or an advisory might highlight the dangers of undertaking particular activities in that country. Fellows are expected to monitor such advisories and to take appropriate precautions, avoiding any specified areas or activities.

Tax Liability

All or part of the fellowship you receive may be considered a “non-qualified” fellowship by the IRS. The IRS considers non-qualified fellowship amounts to be taxable income and reportable by the student recipient on their personal tax return. If you are a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident, no federal taxes will be automatically withheld from your payments. Whittier College is not required to report the amounts to the IRS if you are a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident, so you will not receive a W-2 or 1099 form. It is the responsibility of the student recipient to report the taxable non-qualified fellowship payments to the IRS.

If you are an international student who is considered to be a nonresident for tax purposes, Whittier College must report your fellowship to the IRS, per the relevant IRS guidance (e.g., Withholding Federal Income Tax on Scholarships, Fellowships, and Grants Paid to Aliens).

For information on the taxability of non-qualified fellowships and how to report these payments on your personal tax return, please see IRS Publication 970, Tax Benefits for Education and IRS Publication 519, U.S. Tax Guide for Aliens.

Applying for Multiple Fellowships

Students are encouraged to apply for as many fellowships as they qualify for. In some cases, it is also possible for a student to participate in multiple fellowships concurrently. The parameters for this are as follows:

1. Students may apply with the SAME proposal to multiple fellowships, if the project meets the specified criteria so as to increase their odds of being selected for an opportunity, but they will only receive ONE fellowship per project proposal. Students cannot receive two fellowships to complete the same project.

2. Students may apply with DIFFERENT proposals to multiple fellowships and participate in each. For example, a student who is accepted to MMUF or UniHealth may also complete a project for Standiford or Alianza, so long as that project is different. If offered both opportunities, they would be able to participate in both, provided they understand that they would be responsible for the respective deliverables and progress reports.