UMass Amherst

Office of National Scholarship Advisement

The Office of National Scholarship Advisement (ONSA) assists eligible students in the pursuit of distinguished nationally competitive scholarships and fellowships. We help students apply for scholarships such as the Rhodes, Marshall, Fulbright, Goldwater, Truman, and Gates Cambridge. Most of these awards are for post-graduate study and travel but we also provide advice for several merit-based national fellowships for undergraduates. You may search for fellowships and scholarships throughout this site by clicking on the Scholarships link below. Also, please be sure to check the Announcements page, which contains news about additional scholarships, honor societies, informational meetings, and campus scholarship winners.

To help you in your application, we will give you advice and feedback on application information, recommendations, study and research proposals, essays, personal statements, curriculum vitae, and interviews. We recommend you begin by scanning the list of scholarships and then, if you are interested, complete the ONSA Internal Application.

Each year, our students become finalists and then go on to achieve some of the most prestigious awards for graduate study and travel in many parts of the world, and for awards that bridge undergraduate and graduate school.

Start exploring fellowships early in your college career. Preparing for these wonderful opportunities requires work well in advance of submission deadlines. Look for fellowships that match your interests and experience, and think about how you can develop your qualifications to the fullest by the time you are eligible to apply. Our applicants know themselves and their goals much better by the time their applications are submitted, whether or not they win the fellowship. Use this website to start your exploration. In addition, consult your professors, and others. Watch for announcements and information meetings throughout the year, and do visit ONSA to tell us about yourself, your interests, and your vision for the future!


Contacting us:

Voice: (413) 577-2610
Fax: (413) 577-2620
E-mail: onsa@comcol.umass.edu

Office Address: 408 Goodell Building

Postal Address:

Office of National Scholarship Advisement
504 Goodell
140 Hicks Way
University of Massachusetts
Amherst, MA 01003-9272

Advising Staff
Professor Susan K. Whitbourne, Director
Firuzeh Khorasanizadeh, Assistant Director
Shirley E. Archambault, Office Manager

Upcoming Deadlines

Fulbright, Rhodes, Marshall and Mitchell Draft Personal Statements/Principal Activities due: September 19, 2008.

Rhodes: September 19, 2008
Fulbright: September 19, 2008
Marshall: September 19, 2008
Gates Cambridge : September 19, 2008
Mitchell: September 19, 2008
Truman : October 20, 2008
Goldwater : November 10, 2008
NSEP/Boren : December 8, 2008
USA Today : November 3, 2008
National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship
Hollings: November 10, 2008 
Udall: January 26, 2009
Jack Kent Cooke: February 2, 2009

Workshop
There will be a workshop/information session on Nov 18, 2008 at 7:00 PM in Memorial Hall for prospective applicants for national scholarships.