Project Proposal

How to Prepare Your Project Proposal or Plan of Study

Selection committees want to award money to candidates who will use it well. A project proposal or plan of study is often required when a fellowship allows flexibility on how and where awards will be spent.

The project proposal or plan of study

• A concrete plan of study or research.  
• Your goals.  
• The facilities or program that will provide you with the means to achieve those goals.
• An elaboration of how qualified you are to achieve those goals.  
• A statement describing how your plans for the fellowship fit in with your personal and professional goals.

Shaping your project

A strong proposal or plan is well-researched and shows an awareness of current activity in the field. To make sure that your project makes sense for the program or place you have targeted, consult with:

• Facility or academic department you are interested in.  
• Professors in your field of interest.  
• People who have actually studied in the program or place you are targeting.  
• People who have carried out similar projects or programs of study.

Be sure to show your essay to a faculty advisor in your field before you send off a final version.