Olin Fellowship: Application & Admission

Eligibility

Any female graduate of a Baccalaureate institution in the U.S. who plans to serve and lead at the highest levels of society.  To be eligible, students must be enrolled as a full-time student at Washington University. International students are eligible, but the undergraduate degree must come from a U.S. institution.

Selection Criteria

  • Students will be selected for the Olin Fellowship, who, in light of all pertinent academic qualifications, experiences, and attributes, demonstrate potential to be an impactful influence at Washington University, both within their selected field and for the fellowship community.

  • Students will be selected for the Olin Fellowship, who demonstrate a desire to use the exclusive fellowship resources to catalyze their development as a future citizen scholar. 

  • The University believes that student body diversity entails many dimensions, and is advanced on campus by having a broad variety of cultural, socioeconomic, gender, racial, ethnic, geographical, philosophical/religious, and other distinctive backgrounds and perspectives (e.g., first-generation college graduates, experience facing personal or financial hardship).

Eligible Programs 

Nearly every terminal degree on campus is eligible (School of Law, Olin, Brown School, Medicine, all PhD programs) and there are a wide range of program lengths as a result. (Not presently eligible: Doctor of Audiology, Doctor of Occupational Therapy, Doctor of Physical Therapy.)

 

 

    Olin Application

    The application period for academic year 2022-2023 is now closed.

    Olin Application

    Program Benefits

    Olin Fellows receive an annual stipend ($36,720 for 2021-2022), full tuition remission, and a $600 travel award. This award supports fellows through their program length, which varies by degree type. 

    Olin Fellows have designated priority housing available to them (through Quadrangle Housing) adjacent to both the Danforth & Medical campuses.  

    In addition to the financial benefits, Olin Fellows have access to professional development workshops, speaker events, networking opportunities, and social events throughout the academic year.  Further, current Fellows have access to a robust alumnae network

      How to Apply

      Materials Needed for Applying

      To complete an application, applicants will need:

      • A resume or CV
      • The letter(s) of recommendation from your program application
      • A response to the following essay prompt (in 500 words or less): Imagine you have just received a MacArthur Fellowship with a no-strings-attached award of $625,000. How would this affect your career path and what would you want to impact with the award?

      Please include your name, the essay prompt, and response at the beginning of your uploaded document to facilitate the review process.


      Application Procedure

      You must first fill out and submit your appropriate online application for admission. Be certain that you apply by your department/School's application due date. 

      All applications must be submitted through the online process. No paper applications will be accepted.
       

      If you are applying to any PhD program (with the exception of Public Health Science) or the Masters in Fine Arts programs in Dance or Writing:

      Navigate to your CollegeNET portal. On the “Demographics” section of the application, please indicate whether you have earned or are in the process of earning an undergraduate degree from a U.S. institution. After selecting your program of interest on the “Program Selection” page, navigate to the “Program-Related Questions” section of your application in CollegeNET and check the box for the Olin Fellowship Program.

      If you are applying to Architecture, Law, Public Health Sciences, or Design and Visual Arts:

      In advance of submitting your fellowship application, we encourage you to first fill out and submit the online application to your program of interest. Once you have applied to one of the programs above, please fill out the online application for the Olin Fellowship. On the “Demographics” section of the application, please indicate whether you have earned or are in the process of earning an undergraduate degree from a U.S. institution. When navigating the application in CollegeNET, select Fellowship Only in the program selection section and check the box for the Olin Fellowship on the Program Related Questions page.

       

      Inquiries about compliance should be addressed to:
      Vice Chancellor for Human Resources
      Washington University
      Campus Box 1184
      One Brookings Drive
      St. Louis, MO 63130

      Specific information may be obtained from the departmental or administrative unit to which the student intends to apply.

       

      Washington University encourages and gives full consideration to all applicants for admission, financial aid, and mentorship. The University does not discriminate in access to, or treatment of mentees in, its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, veteran status, disability or genetic information.

      Still have Questions?

      Visit our Fellowship application FAQs page for additional information and an application guide.

      Fellowship application FAQs