Laurel Fellowship Criteria

Laurel Fellowships are awarded on a competitive basis, but the vast majority of applicants are successful. Last year, 93 % of applicants were approved for funding (up from 85% the previous year). Mount Holyoke College is committed to providing financial support to more students, and to encouraging students from all backgrounds and disciplines to consider studying abroad.

Students must clearly demonstrate how study abroad or on one of the designated U.S. programs is integrated into their overall educational plan. Students’ goals often are related to their major or minor, but they may also include improving language proficiency, pursuing interests outside of the major or minor, learning about a different culture, broadening perspectives, etc. Each application is evaluated on its own merits, taking into account the following criteria and restrictions:

• Appropriateness of location/program choice to the stated goals
  
• Academic record (no priority or preference is given solely on the basis of GPA)
  
• Level of preparation (including language proficiency, if applicable)
  
• Laurel Fellowship funding generally will be limited to one semester for any student who studies in an English-speaking developed country and for every international student. These limitations will not apply if the student’s educational program clearly warrants a full year or if is selected for one of our own programs or exchanges that is offered only on a full-year basis.
  
• Special consideration generally will be given to a student who has never before studied abroad or lived in another country for an extended period of time, who is majoring in a subject that is under-represented in study abroad (e.g., physics), or who plans to study in a non-Western or developing country.
• Students who have already had extensive experience abroad are not at a disadvantage, but will be expected to articulate goals related closely to their academic program rather than to the general benefits of learning about another culture.
  
• International students generally will not be funded for study in their home country or region.
• Laurel Fellowships will not be awarded for study away in a student's final semester.
  
• Laurel Fellowships for study aboad will be awarded only for study on "bolded" programs. Bolded programs are high quality programs that are competitively priced for their location. Our priority is to fund as many students as we can, for good programs that will meet their academic needs; by limiting Laurel Fellowships to bolded programs, we are able to fund many more students than we otherwise could. If you have a compelling reason to study in a country or region in which there is no bolded program listed, consult in advance with Joanne Picard, Dean of International Studies, about choosing a suitable program.