About the fellowship
The ISEP Founders Fellowship is restricted to students who are enrolled at an ISEP Member Institution. As an integral part of their interest in living in another country and culture, Founders Fellows are dedicated to learning and improving their ability to speak, read, and understand another language. Founders Fellows believe living, studying, and engaging in another culture will inform and broaden their perspectives and allow them to have an even greater understanding of the language of their host country.
Who can apply?
You are eligible to apply for this fellowship if you attend an ISEP Member Institution and meet the eligibility criteria for the fellowship. This includes demonstrated financial need, the submission of a creative project or project prototype, a project proposal, and a personal statement expressing your passion for language learning.
How much is awarded to fellowship recipients?
The ISEP Founders Fellowship is awarded to two outstanding applicants annually. Each fellow will be awarded US$2,500. $1,250 will be awarded before the semester begins and $1,250 will be awarded when the student completes or continues their creative project.
How to apply:
- Review the eligibility criteria.
- Complete the ISEP Founders Fellowship Application, which consists of the following:
- Statement of Need indicating the financial barriers this award will help you overcome
- Creative Project or Creative Project Example focused on language learning
- Project Outline explaining how your project works, how it connects to the concept of learning a language, and how you will complete or continue your creative project while studying abroad. This statement must be 400 words or less.
- Personal Statement which provides an “about me” statement that outlines background information on you as a student and language learner. This statement must be 200 words or less and submitted in English.
- Projects should be a personal creative expression of the fellowship prompt using the medium of your choice. Your ISEP Founders Fellowship project must be submitted digitally in the form of a URL. This means your project should be hosted online and accessible to the public. Examples of projects may include, but are not limited to:
- Handmade craft, piece of art, or other creative expressions that have been photographed to document the project digitally and hosted online
- Video series on Tik-Tok or Instagram
- Blog post on your personal blog that could be an essay(s), poetry, or other forms of written expression
- Software application for language learning
- Art project documented on Instagram
- Photo essay on Flickr
- Video posted on YouTube
- Podcast episode posted on SoundCloud
- Your project proposal must clarify the following six aspects of your project:
- How your project is innovative or original
- How your project expresses your dedication to learning a new language and culture
- How the choice of your project’s medium will be successful in expressing language learning
- How your project’s details will contribute to success in your chosen medium
- How your project relates to language learning in general
- How your personal statement provides personal context for your project
Lastly, you should know that we will check with your ISEP Coordinator to confirm if they endorse the information in your application.
Submit an Application:
ISEP Founders Fellowship Application
Please note that once you begin your application, you cannot leave the webpage until you press “Submit.” Applications cannot be saved and you will not be able to return to a submitted application.
Application deadlines:
Applications for students who plan to attend a program during the Fall semester SM1 (August-December) or Full-Year (August-May) must be submitted by April 1.
Applications for students who plan to attend a program during the Spring semester SM2 (January-June) must be submitted by October 15.
Students who plan to attend a Summer program (June-August) can apply for either deadline.
Whom to contact:
Get in touch with the ISEP Scholarship Team at scholarships[AT]isep.org.
When the fellowship will be awarded:
Recipients who plan to attend a program during the Spring Semester SM2 (January-June) or Summer (June-August) will be notified in mid-November. Recipients who plan to attend a program during the Fall semester SM1 (August-December), Full-Year (August-May), or Summer (June-August) will be notified by the last week of April.