Lafayette Fellowship

The Lafayette Fellowship provides:

• A monthly stipend to cover living expenses
• One year of tuition at a partner French institution for eligible programs
• Application fee waivers for French academic institutions and master’s programs
• Student visa fee waivers for one academic year 
• A round-trip flight to and from France at the start and end of the program
• Coverage of travel costs
• Funded participation in the French-American Leadership Program, an immersive leadership development experience offering opportunities to:
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  • Attend conferences and masterclasses in fields where France is at the forefront.
  • Meet world-renowned French leaders and top researchers. 
  • Visit leading labs and scientific facilities to explore innovative solutions to global challenges.
  • Take part in a rich cultural itinerary, including internationally renowned events, such as the Avignon Theater Festival.
  • Travel to Strasbourg, the seat of European institutions, and to Paris to gain insights into Europe’s role on the global stage.   
  • Benefit from a mentorship program. Each fellow will be paired with a prominent French figure in business, government, culture, or academia aligned with their professional goals.

Applicants must be in possession of a bachelor’s degree from a U.S. institution that was completed between January three years before taking up the award and June of the year they would begin the fellowship.

Applicants must be 27 years old or younger as of July 1in the year they would begin the fellowship.

GPA of no less than 3.7 on a 4.0 scale.

Knowledge of French is not required for acceptance into the Lafayette program. 

Candidates must apply for admission to one of the French partner universities in addition to completing a Lafayette Fellowship application. The awarding of the scholarship is conditional upon admission to one of the partner institutions.

Students who are considering applying for the Lafayette Fellowship should email Cindy Stocks, Director of Student Fellowships and Research, and request access to the "National Fellowships that Support Graduate Study" Canvas course. Cindy will then give you access to the course so you can learn more about the opportunities that fund graduate study, including the Lafayette Fellowship, and begin to get your thoughts down on paper.

Gaining access to the Canvas course doesn't commit you to applying; rather, it is one of several tools to help you figure out whether this opportunity is a good fit for you. After reviewing the Canvas course and answering some preliminary questions, you should schedule a meeting with Cindy in March or April (before applying in the fall) to explore more deeply whether the Lafayette Fellowship is the right fit for you.

The goal is for you to have a finalized list of which national fellowship(s) you want to apply to before the end of classes, so you can work on your application(s) over the summer. 

The Lafayette Fellowship is a direct-apply program. Students submit their materials straight to the Lafayette Fellowship—there is no preliminary application to Bowdoin and no College endorsement. However, students are encouraged to work with the Office of Student Fellowships and Research over the summer to prepare for a fall submission.

To be considered for the Fellowship, applicants must submit the following materials via the application platform no later than 11:59 PM ET on the application deadline: 

• General information: personal information, nationality, and contact details 
• Proof of eligibility 
• Education history, including university transcripts 
• Academic institutions you are applying to and the academic program or degree you intend to pursue in France 
• CV 
• Cover letter 
• Video personal statement 
• At least three, but no more than four, recommendation letters, including two academic letters and one extracurricular letter 
• French language certificates (with date(s) of issue), only if you are applying for a program taught in French 

Candidates must apply for admission to one of the partner institutions as well as complete a separate Lafayette Fellowship program application. The awarding of the scholarship is conditional upon admission to one of the partner institutions.