Starting the Application Process: International Fellowships for Independent Scholars

Now that I have established host institutions for the international fellowships for independent scholars I am applying for, it’s time to start the application.

As an independent scholar pursuing international fellowships for independent scholars, I’ve realized that the application process is a beast of its own. Especially this removed of academia. 

Here’s how I’m attempting to tackle it:

Preparing the Applications 

When it comes to international fellowships for independent scholars, organization is key. I’ve set up separate Google Docs for each application, highlighting items that need external input (e.g., letters of recommendation, host invitation letters). I also have a document with my random notes and ideas: the cutting floor, if you will. I’ve created folders for each fellowship to store documents and materials. To keep track of milestones, I’ve got a to-do list in Notion. For literature, I’m using Evernote – a habit from my grad school days that helps me see the work better, add notes, and search PDFs. It might seem chaotic, but there’s a method to my madness.

I also created a Project Proposal Outline document to collaborate with my host institution. While the bulk of the work is on me, their input and approval are crucial. After all, they will participate in the development and execution of whatever project, so they have to approve it. I’m not expecting them to write or edit any bit of the proposal. Their suggestions, ideas, and literature offerings are invaluable for these international fellowships for independent scholars.

Priorities  

If you are managing multiple applications for international fellowships for independent scholars, prioritization is crucial. Especially as I can only assume you are managing multiple life things at once too. I’m focusing on the Fulbright first, despite securing the British Academy host earlier, because the Fulbright deadline is a month sooner. I let my British Academy host know about this prioritization and even inquired about any cross-national collaboration opportunities between the two institutions. JIC.

My top priority is getting everything I need from others – recommendations, host institution letters, and finalized project outlines. But for them to do their part, I need to clarify my intentions. So, the project statement became my immediate focus, followed by updating my CV. These will inform my recommenders about my goals and work in the context of international fellowships for independent scholars.

Fulbright Application Development

The Fulbright application has five major sections: Project Statement, CV, Letters of Recommendation, Essays, and Reference List. Each section has specific format requirements, page/word/character limits, and content guidelines that you can refer to here. The project statement is the cornerstone, so that’s where I started.

Project Statement

I spent three full days working solely on the project statement. I may have blacked out. It was so much reading and writing and thinking. I haven’t done that kind of intensive writing since I was in grad school. Except this felt right to me. Here is my process:

1. I started with a brain dump. I wrote without organization, just getting ideas down, including notes from calls, ideas I had been thinking about, and anything that could be connected to the project. Copy is copy! 
2. I read literature. Starting with the host’s contact literature (since our research agenda and interests aligned so perfectly) and building from there. 
3. I asked for a little AI assistance. I used Claude.ai to help organize my brain dump into the main sections of the project statement. The word salad was too much for me to conceptualize into a cohesive outline. 
4. I expanded the writing and refined the outline, fleshing out each section, and writing without worrying about word count. Sometimes, I would write a good paragraph and realize that it did not fit in the section, so I moved it to another section to be dealt with later. 
5. I reviewed each section thoroughly while reviewing the Fulbright application details. and organizing/cleaning up the writing again. 
6. I reviewed the full document several times, noticing gaps and moving sections around as needed.

Off she goes!

Finally, once my eyes went cross-eyed and I knew there was nothing more I could contribute at this stage, I sent a 16-page draft to the host institution. Overcoming self-doubt was tough. I felt a pang of imposter syndrome in writing out this wild project idea and thinking the host is going to open it, begin reading, and call it shit. (This is the unbearable pain I felt every time I wrote when I was in academia). Deep breathing, reminding myself that they are interested in my work and my perspective, and trusting my voice is how I prevailed. Hits send. 

Letters of Recommendation

As an independent scholar, this one worried me. Because international fellowships for independent scholars vary, I wasn’t sure what would be required of me. The Fulbright requires 2 letters of recommendation, while the British Academy requires none. 

My concerns lie with my current position as an entrepreneur. Most applicants get letters from current colleagues or supervisors, but I haven’t worked full-time for a university since 2021. The Fulbright requires one recommendation letter from your current place of employment, and the other from a colleague within your discipline. 

Well, this is awkward. I work as a solopreneur, and I am in a new discipline. 

I got some clarification on this in another Fulbright Office Hours session. There appears to be more flexibility here.

So with this new information, I asked: 

1. A long-term client who’s familiar with my work in the science and research communication space
2. A former co-author from my graduate school days who I worked with throughout my prof days

They both willingly agreed, bless their hearts. My goal is to get them my materials with 3 weeks to complete the recommendation. 

Reference List

The reference list is not a bibliography of the project statement, but a list of references that show my understanding the dicisiplne and the important works that will inform my project. Thankfully, I have been collecting literature since I started my business in 2021 so I have plenty to pull. The trick is for it to tell a story that aligns with the project idea. 

CV

The CV can be up to 6 pages. I will expand beyond a simple list of accomplishments to tell more of my story as an independent scholar pursuing international fellowships. A few other things I need to do is expound upon the projects I’ve worked on in this space. There is lots of professional development to include. Plus any and all things that speak to the project and my growth. My published research will more than likely remain (though not relevant) to show that I can do the work. But I will exclude details about teaching (e.g., listing each course and the course evaluation rating). Service will be excluded. 

Essays

The essays are less theoretical and more about the why. There are three essay sections – country selection, career trajectory, and cultural preparation – that are limited by characters, not word count. 

Given my travel background, I anticipate the country and cultural section to be fairly easy to write. Plus I’ve spent time in New Zealand. I traveled from Auckland to Queenstown via bus over a 3-week period visiting Lord of the Rings sites. I also went to museums, tours and cultural immersion with a few Maori communities, and made friends with locals to learn about life on an island at the end of the earth. Random, but my favorite all-time fact I learned on that trip is that New Zealand has no predatory bugs or animals, besides humans.   

Career trajectory asks you to address how the Fulbright award fits into your career path and future goals, what is the career trajectory you have followed, and what are your plans for the future. 

Conclusion

Even days after sending the document, I was second-guessing myself. Did I do too much? Not enough? Did I stay true to what I want? Yes, part of the fellowship is to assist the host institution, but the major part is for me to do what I want to do. And I just want a space to research, talk through ideas, and work with like-minded people. I want to learn about the university system structure, see how science communication is (or isn’t) valued, and understand what keeps people from different departments from publicly engaging. Now, the challenge is to effectively communicate all this (and more) in my application for this international fellowship for independent scholars.

The first draft is 16 pages long, and the final submission has to be between 3-5 pages. So I’ve got some serious condensing to do. Thankfully, some content can be moved to the essay portion, and a few things can go to the CV. I’ll cross that bridge when I get there. 

For now, I wanted to make sure I thought through everything and the host had all the project details from me. She needs to approve it and connect with the funding body to ensure the project idea is viable. 

Next Steps

1. Once I get feedback on the project statement, I’ll revise and reduce the content.
2. Provide the updated project statement and CV to my recommenders ASAP, giving them a few weeks to complete their letters.
3. Work on the reference list over the next few weeks.
4. Tackle the essays last since they don’t need external review.

I am traveling on holiday for a week, which is throwing a wrench in the process. I won’t have much time to write or think about this while I’m gone. My goal is to work through the reference list on the flight and my CV.  But I also just want to stare out into the wide sky and relax. We’ll see how this goes. 

Advice for International Fellowships for Independent Scholars

• Don’t underestimate your value: As an independent scholar, you bring a unique perspective that can be very valuable to host institutions. Your diverse experiences and non-traditional path are assets, not drawbacks. As an entrepreneur, I am highlighting innovation, practicality, and adaptability. Embrace what makes you unique in the world of international fellowships for independent scholars.
• Review, review, review. Look over all the pieces of your application multiple times. Each review might reveal something new – a detail you missed, an idea you can expand on, or an area that needs clarification. Take a walk, and then review again. 
• Overwrite initially. When drafting your materials for international fellowships as an independent scholar, remember that more content is better than less. It’s easier to cut and refine than to add substance later. Give yourself plenty of material to work with, especially for crucial components like the research project statement.
• Write consistently. Try to write a little bit every day, even if it’s just a few thoughts under one or two sections. Something is better than nothing. This consistent effort keeps your ideas flowing and helps prevent last-minute rushes, which is crucial when applying for competitive international fellowships for independent scholars.

Looking for information about other international fellowships for independent scholars? Check out my previous posts in this series about the Fulbright application process.

Life After Academia: Exploring International Fellowships for Independent Scholars

International Fellowships for Independent Scholars: Finding a Host Institution

Solidifying A Host Institution for International Fellowships for Independent Scholars

Starting the Application Process: International Fellowships for Independent Scholars

Writing the Application: International Fellowships for Independent Scholars

International Fellowships for Independent Scholars: Application Submitted! (Plus Insights and Resources)

International Fellowships for Independent Scholars: Racing to the British Academy Deadline