Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ
The purpose of The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans is to provide opportunities for continuing generations of able and accomplished New Americans to achieve leadership in their chosen fields. The Program is established in recognition of the contributions New Americans have made to American life and in gratitude for the opportunities the United States has afforded the donors and their family.
- What is the Program and how many Fellowships for New Americans are offered?
- Who is eligible to become a Fellow?
- What are the criteria for selection?
- What does a Fellow receive?
- What may a Fellow study?
- Are there any limitations to where a Fellow may study?
- When does the Fellowship Program begin?
- May a Fellowship be deferred?
- What is entailed in applying?
- Where may an application be obtained?
- What is the selection process?
- What are the responsibilities of a Fellow?
- How can I help my recommender write a good letter?
- What characterizes a good essay?
- What are the interviews like?
- When is the deadline for application?
- How may I be in touch with the Soros Program?
What is the Program and how many Fellowships for New Americans are offered?
The Fellowships are grants for up to two years of graduate study in the United States. The recipients are chosen on a nationally competitive basis. Thirty Fellowships will be awarded each year.
Who is eligible to become a Fellow?
A New American is an individual who (1) is a resident alien, i.e., holds a Green Card; or, (2) has been naturalized as a US citizen, or (3) is the child of two parents who are both naturalized citizens.
The Program is open to individuals who retain loyalty and a sense of commitment to their country of origin as well as to the United States, but is intended to support individuals who will continue to regard the United States as their principal residence and focus of national identity.
The applicant must either have a bachelor's degree or be in her/his final year of undergraduate study. Those who have a bachelor's degree may already be pursuing graduate study and may receive Fellowship support to continue that study. Individuals who are in the third, or subsequent, year of study in the same graduate program are not, however, eligible for this competition. Students who have received a master's degree in a program and are continuing for a doctoral degree in the same program are considered to have been in the same program from the time they began their work on their master's degree.
To be eligible you must not be older than thirty years of age as of NOVEMBER 1, 2008.
What are the criteria for selection?
Candidates must demonstrate the relevance of graduate education to their long-term career goals and potential in enhancing their contributions to society. Fellowships are not solely awarded on the basis of academic record. The academic record is relevant as evidence of the candidate's ability to complete successfully a graduate degree program and it strengthens the demonstration of achieving the Program's specific criteria for selection.
A successful candidate will give evidence of at least two of the following three attributes or criteria for selection: (1) creativity, originality, and initiative, demonstrated in any area of her/his life; (2) a capacity for accomplishment, demonstrated through activity that has required drive and sustained effort; and (3) a commitment to the values expressed in the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The third criterion includes activity in support of human rights and the rule of law, in opposition to unwarranted encroachment on personal liberty, and in advancing the responsibilities of citizenship in a free society.
Each year the Fellow receives a maintenance grant of $20,000 (paid in two installments) and a tuition grant of one-half the tuition cost of the US graduate program attended by the Fellow (up to a maximum of $16,000 per academic year). The Fellowship Program pays the tuition grant directly to the institution. The size of the tuition grant depends on the cost of tuition at the institution the Fellow attends. Fees are not included in calculating tuition. If the program pursued is less than two years or the remainder of the of the Fellow's degree residence is less than two years, the Fellow receives the amount to cover the period required for the degree. Joint degree programs will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis. It is expected that the Fellow will complete the cost of tuition from such other sources as summer employment, public and private grant and loan programs for advanced education, or matching funds from the graduate institution the Fellow attends. The Fellow will be asked to inform the Program of other awards that she/he has been offered and may be asked to accept a total combined award package that does not exceed full tuition and required fees, plus $30,000 for maintenance. A Fellow may not work during the period of the Fellowship without the permission of the Director.
A Fellow may pursue a graduate degree in any professional field (e.g., engineering, medicine, law, social work, etc.) or scholarly discipline in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences. The Fine and Performing Arts are included. The Trustees strongly encourage applications from candidates who have not yet begun their graduate studies, but full consideration will be given to candidates in the first or second years of graduate studies in their current program.
Are there any limitations to where a Fellow may study?
A Fellow may study at any accredited graduate program in the United States. It is the responsibility of the Fellow to secure admission.
When does the Fellowship Program begin?
The application and selection process will take place in the late fall and winter, and Fellows will be expected to begin their graduate study no later than the following September. Successful Fellows already undertaking graduate work may be supported during the semester they are selected.
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Applicants are required: 1) to complete an online application form; 2) to submit two essays on specified topics; 3) to submit a 1-2 page resume; 4) to assure the submission of three recommendation letters, of which one is from a faculty member familiar with the applicant's current or most recent academic work and one is from someone who is familiar with her/his performance in a work-setting, whether paid or volunteer; 5) to submit an institutional status form from the institution attended indicating when and whether the present degree program will be completed (this may be completed by a registrar, a dean or director of the program, or other authority); candidates who have a bachelor's degree and have not yet enrolled in a graduate program need not provide this form; 6) to assure the submission of a transcript from the applicant's undergraduate institution, and if her/his graduate training is already in progress, from the graduate institution as well; candidates may submit a photocopy of the transcript; 7) to submit documentary evidence that the applicant meets, as of NOVEMBER 1, 2008, the definition of New American as detailed in the second page; and 8) to have taken and submitted to the Fellowship Program by the second week of December, 2008, scores from any graduate aptitude test (e.g., GMAT, MCAT, GRE, LSAT) required by programs to which the applicant has applied; candidates may submit a photocopy of the score report; this requirement does not pertain to students in programs where portfolios or auditions determine admissions.
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Applications are available on our website (www.pdsoros.org) and should be submitted via the Online Application System.
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Applications can also be downloaded from our website and submitted by mail.
What is the selection process?
After screening, 84 candidates will be selected for interviews. The interviewers will be distinguished New Americans. The Program will provide funding for travel and accommodations. After its recommendations have been reviewed and approved by the Program's Board of Trustees, the class of Fellows will be announced in February. Unsuccessful applicants may reapply if they continue to meet the program requirements.
What are the responsibilities of a Fellow?
A Fellow must obtain admission into a graduate academic program. Upon admission and matriculation, a Fellow must show continued progress towards the degree (i.e., a transcript must be submitted after each academic year of the Fellowship) and provide a final report to the Program Director. The Fellowship Program staff may require other evidence of progress.
A member of the Program staff will visit each Fellow at her/his campus.
A Fellow's attendance at graduate school must be continuous and at the same institution; any modification requires approval of the Program Director.
In addition, a Fellow is required to attend a Fellows' Conference Program of two days in New York City twice during the tenure of the award. The Program pays for all costs associated with the Fellows' Conference Program. Fellows will be given ample advance notice of the dates and locations of the Conference programs.
How can I help my recommender write a good letter?
Letters of recommendation are very important in the selection process. Three letters are asked for - one from a current or present teacher and one from a supervisor or colleague you have known in some work or other situation. A third can be either an academic or a work reference. Be strategic in your letters.
TIPS FOR APPLICANTS
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Be sensible in your choice of recommender: does the writer really know your work, and can he or she speak about it? Is the writer so busy that he or she might not be able to get around to it in time?
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Give your recommenders a complete set of information about you, including, if possible, your application essays and resume. It might also be helpful to give the "Tips for Recommenders" included below to the people you have asked to write your letters.
Allow them plenty of time to write the letter. -
Give the writer a stamped envelope addressed to the Paul and Daisy Soros Foundation, along with the completed cover sheet, so the letter can be sent directly to the program.
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Follow up with your recommenders. Write each one a personal thank-you note, and update them on your progress in the competition, regardless of what the outcome is.
TIPS FOR RECOMMENDERS
(The information below is available in PDF format on the Application Forms page to be printed and made available to your recommenders.)
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You have been asked to write a letter of recommendation for a candidate to The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans. These letters are very important to the decision process and are read by specialist readers and selection panelists alike. A letter that reads as if the writer does not really know the candidate ("X was in my class of 200 and got an A minus in an otherwise quite difficult exam. Yours sincerely….") might as well not been written at all.
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The letter should complement the rest of the applicant's materials, mentioning and elaborating on themes raised in the essays and application.
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Make clear how long you have known the applicant and in what context.
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Directly address the scholarship criteria, discussing how well you feel the applicant fits them. For instance:
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Creativity, originality, and initiative, demonstrated in any area of his/her life. This criterion can be demonstrated in many ways: creative expression in the arts, original thinking when faced with a difficult choice or situation, strong leadership, etc.
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Accomplishment, activity that requires drive and sustained effort. This can be shown through either academic or extracurricular achievement and should reveal the candidate's dedication and capacity for hard work.
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Commitment to the values expressed in the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights, which includes activity in support of human rights and the rule of law, in opposition to unwarranted encroachment on personal liberty, and in advancing the responsibilities of citizenship in a free society. A bit more amorphous, this criterion can be well exemplified in many ways. Any activity that shows the candidate exercising the rights given him or her by the US Constitution or the Bill of Rights would apply. Examples include organizing a voter registration campaign, working for Amnesty International, being active in a political group, working in a public health clinic, producing art that expresses opinions that might not be allowed in other countries, etc.
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Give vivid, concrete examples of the qualities you admire in the applicant. Evidence is more useful and interesting than adjectives, however glowing.
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Note any change or development you have observed in the applicant.
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The best letters are between 1 ½ and 2 ½ pages in length and reflect quite a lot of time and thought invested by the writer.
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Making the deadline of November 1st is key. Letters that arrive after that date have diminished effect. If you know that you cannot make the deadline, let the candidate know so that he or she can find another recommender.
What characterizes a good essay?
The essays, far more than transcripts and GRE scores, are key to success in the selection process. They are essential for the selection committee to get to know the candidates because they reveal what is important to the candidates, as well as suggesting whether the good traits that are evident in the formal data will carry over into life.
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The essays should be in your own words. Those involved in the selection process want to know about you. Feel free to ask friends or mentors to critique your work, but make sure that your own ideas and voice come through in the final version.
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You cannot explain everything about your life in 1000 words, but you can emphasize certain patterns or themes that you think are important. Threads that run through your application help to organize it and make it memorable for the selection committee.
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The two essays, one about your past and one about your future, should fit together in order to give the reader a full picture of where you've been and where you're going, as well as where you are in your life now and how you got there. Make sure to explain how your graduate school plans will aid you in your ultimate goals.
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Revise your essay many times in order to make it as concise and vivid as possible. Avoid sweeping generalizations and clichés.
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Do not forget to run spell-check!
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Try to make your narrative as active and engaging as possible. Focus on using interesting verbs and nouns, rather than strings of adjectives. Also, stay away from qualifiers and imprecise words such as: very, somewhat, rather, quite, some, often, really, many, far, etc.
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Begin the essay and each paragraph with a compelling opening sentence.
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Write your essays so that they might spark the kinds of questions you can best answer. Don't give so much detail that there is nothing left to ask you in the interview.
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A Lexiconic Footnote: Several words used by candidates in their essays are often misspelled or misused. Doing so makes readers and panelists feel the candidate is not well educated. Here are the chief offenders:
- A family immigrates to (e.g., the US) or emigrates from (e.g., Poland)
- If you speak highly of something or someone, you compliment it; if you contribute something to make it more complete, you complement it.
- If someone has responsibility for a research grant, the individual is referred to as the Principal Investigator, not the Principle Investigator.
- If you take advice on an issue, you receive counsel, not council.
- If you affect something, you act upon it. If you effect something, you bring it into existence.
The interview for the Soros Fellowship is very important. It will be similar to the kind of interview you may have for a Rhodes, a Truman, or a Marshall. The selection panelists are New Americans themselves and increasingly Soros Fellowship alumni/ae. The questions they will ask will try to help you tell them what you think is most important about your career so far and your plans for the future. The interview is not like a job interview where the interviewers are looking for a "good employee." The Soros interview will be about whether you are as creative and accomplished as you say you are and is there evidence that you have begun to act as a citizen in a free society. There are two half-hour interviews with different panelists. As you will have a "wait" between the two sessions, you will have an opportunity to discuss your interview with other candidates and assess your strategy for the upcoming segment. Whatever the outcome, the interview and the candidates' dinner the night before are designed to be positive experiences.
- Dress professionally, but comfortably. A suit and tie are appropriate attire for men, and a suit, dress, or skirt (or slacks) and blouse for women.
- Body language is an essential part of making a good impression. Sit up straight, maintain good eye contact, and try to engage the entire panel, not just the person who asked the question.
- Be aware of your particular nervous habits, and avoid them. Try to convert your nervous energy into enthusiasm. Clasping your hands in your lap can help control stress-induced fidgeting. Try to relax and enjoy the atmosphere of the interview.
- Be sure to re-read your application before the interview. Anything you have written therein may come up in the questions, and it is embarrassing to forget what you wrote.
- Don't be surprised at unexpected questions. Prepare to think quickly. One of the most effective methods of practicing is to stage mock interviews with friends or colleagues. Often they will ask harder questions than any panelist might.
- Make sure you have answers to standard questions, such as: What is your greatest achievement? What was your worst failure, and what did you learn from it? Who has had the most significant influence on you? What will you contribute to your field of study/profession? How does your unique personal history inform your character and what you hope to contribute to this country? What is the best book you've read this year? Why do you want this fellowship?
- Don't take too long on any one question. You want the panelists to ask you as many questions as possible, so that you have lots of chances to shine!
- Don't fake an answer you aren't sure of: just say that you don't know.
- Be yourself.
When is the deadline for application?
The completed application must be submitted via the online applications system or postmarked by
NOVEMBER 1, 2008.
How may I be in touch with the Soros Program?
You may do so by writing:
Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans
400 West 59th Street
New York, NY 10019
Or by telephone (212-547-6926) or by
Email (pdsoros_fellows@sorosny.org).
