Click on the following link to https://sssp.slideroom.com/#/permalink/program/81835. 

• How many students apply for the fellowship each year?

Since moving the application process online, on average 30 students apply each year. Starting in 2016, two fellowships are awarded annually.

• Do you have to be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident to apply for the SSSP Racial/Ethnic Minority Graduate Fellowship?

With the exception of DACA and undocumented students, who are also eligible, applicants must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident at the time of application.

• How far along in a graduate program should applicants be?

Applicants should have defended the dissertation proposal and have achieved advanced status in the doctoral program (completed course work, examinations, and approval of the dissertation prospectus) by the end of the Spring 2 academic year. Masters level students are not eligible for this fellowship.

• Can the award be used to support the dissertation writing process after the research stage is completed?

Yes, the fellowship may be used to support the dissertation writing process after the research stage is completed. The ideal candidate is a student who is in the process of completing a dissertation, whether that be data collection, data analysis, or writing.

• Does an applicant need to be a student throughout the entire time for which the fellowship applies (2025-2026 academic year)?

Yes, the distribution of the award occurs twice during the academic year (September 2025 and January 2026). Only applicants enrolled in their respective graduate programs during this period may receive the fellowship.

• How formal should the dissertation proposal be? How long does it need to be? Does it need to be the official prospectus approved by the graduate program?

The dissertation proposal should be as formal as possible. The length of this document should be no more than 10 single spaced pages, plus a table of contents. A document approved by a doctoral committee or graduate program is appropriate as long as it is no more than 10 single spaced pages in length, plus a table of contents. While the proposal need not be formally approved by the time of application, it should be approved by the time of the award (September 1, 2025).

• Is there a requirement for the length of the personal statement?

A personal statement of no more than 3 double spaced pages is required. Applicants should include a discussion of their commitment to a career of scholar activism and any personal financial need.

• Is there a specific form for the letters of recommendation or does it have to be on letterhead?

We are only accepting references via our online application system. The online application system allows a document to be uploaded or written using the online text editor. For an uploaded letter of recommendation, letterhead is standard but not required. The letter of recommendation from the advisor should note either that the student already has or should have defended the dissertation proposal and have achieved advanced status in the doctoral program (completed course work, examinations, and approval of the dissertation prospectus) by the end of the Spring 2025 academic year. In addition, programmatic financial need should be addressed within the letter of recommendation from the dissertation advisor program chair, or graduate director.

• How do you request letters of recommendation?

The online application allows the applicant to enter e-mail addresses for those being asked to write a letter of recommendation. The online system will then send those individuals instructions on how to load letters of recommendation to the applicant’s application. The applicant will not have access to these letters, but will be able to see if they have been submitted. It is the applicant’s responsibility to follow-up with references who fail to submit a letter of recommendation prior to the application deadline date.

• Do application materials need to be completed using the online application process?

Yes, no other format will be considered. A complete application includes:

1. Racial/Ethnic Minority Graduate Fellowship Application
2. Academic Transcript from Doctoral Program (Official or Unofficial accepted)
3. Resume or Curriculum Vitae
4. Three letters of recommendation addressing the student’s work and progress in the program, including one from the student’s dissertation advisor, are required. A letter from the dissertation advisor, program chair, or graduate director should address the programmatic financial need of the applicant and that the student will have defended the dissertation proposal and have achieved advanced status in the doctoral program (completed course work, examinations, and approval of their dissertation prospectus) by the end of the Spring 2025 academic year.
5. A personal statement of no more than 3 double spaced pages. Applicants should include a discussion of their commitment to a career of scholar activism and any personal financial need.
6. No more than 10 single spaced pages of the dissertation proposal, plus a table of contents

Incomplete online applications will not be reviewed. It is the candidate’s responsibility to make sure that their application meets all requirements to be considered eligible for evaluation. Each application must include the components listed above. Otherwise, the application will not be available to the Fellowship Committee for review.

• What happens if I forget to include one item in my online application?

Your online application will not be considered complete unless all required items are included. You have until 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Time) on February 1, 2025, to finalize the online application. Only complete applications will be available to the Fellowship Committee for review.

•  When will applicants learn of the Fellowship Committee’s decision?

Applicants will learn whether they were selected for the fellowship by July 15, 2025.

• Is membership in SSSP required in order to receive the fellowship?

Yes, applicants must be current student members of SSSP at the time of application in order to be eligible for the fellowship. The current membership year is 2025.

•  Is conference participation required at the annual meeting?

Yes (except for DACA/undocumented eligible winners who might be excluded from travelling outside the United States). The award recipient should plan to attend both the 2025 and 2026 annual meetings as the award will be formally given at the SSSP Awards Ceremony in 2025 and the recipient will be required to present work that was supported during the award year at the 2026 meeting.

• If I am not selected, may I apply next year?

 Yes, applicants not selected are encouraged to reapply the following year.

• How can I find more information about the SSSP Racial/Ethnic Minority Graduate Fellowship?

Visit our website. If the information there does not answer your questions, contact the 2025 Racial/Ethnic Minority Graduate Fellowship Committee Chair, Dr. David Brunsma, at brunsmad@vt.edu. If you have technical questions concerning the online application system, contact the SSSP Administrative Office at ssspit@utk.edu.