Irma Cheatham Summer Research Fellowship
This fellowship provides research support for a student sophomore or junior majoring or minoring in Africana Studies; or sophomores who intend to declare with Director's permission, to engage in the Africana Studies curriculum during the summer months. This fellowship is made possible by a generous gift from Seth Glickman '10, in honor of Irma Cheatham, a family friend who cared deeply about the Black experience in America. The fellowship provides $560/week for 8 to 10 weeks of full time research; subsidized college housing; and funding to cover research supplies.
While there are many paid internships, fellowships, and other summer opportunities offered by outside organizations, Bowdoin has a generous offering of funding programs to increase your access to great summer opportunities.
Bowdoin Public Service (BPS) Fellowships
Washington, DC FellowshipFunding is provided for a small cohort of students to spend the summer in a 10-week government or public sector internship in Washington, DC. This includes professional support and additional cohort programming during the summer to extend knowledge and networks. Fellowship amounts for Summer 2024 will be $6,000, with an additional $1,000 expenses supplement for students on aid.
Deadline: TBD
Eligibility: First-years, sophomores, and juniors; with priority for juniors
Contact:Wendy Van Damme, McKeen Center
Funding and support for a 10-week full-time internship in pre-selected Maine state or local government offices. Fellowship amounts for Summer 2024 will be $6,000, with an additional $1,000 expenses supplement for students on aid.
Deadline: TBD
Eligibility: First-years, sophomores, and juniors
Contact:Wendy Van Damme, McKeen Center
BSS Kent Island Summer Fellowship
This fellowship supports undergraduate field research in the natural sciences and artistic endeavors (broadly defined) at Bowdoin’s research station on Kent Island. Eight fellowships are available each summer. The fellowship lasts approximately 8 weeks and provides a stipend, food and housing at the station, travel, and research/art supplies.
Application Deadline: 1/19/2025
Contact: Ian Kyle, Kent Island Scientific Station Assistant Director
Designed to support students undertaking unpaid internships in a career field of their choice, research, or original summer projects that serve the common good. The award is only limited by the imagination and creativity of Bowdoin students. Grants for Summer 2025 will be $6,000, with an additional $1,000 expenses supplement for students on aid.
Deadline: 3/26/25 by 12 noon ET
Eligibility: First-years, sophomores, and juniors; must be enrolled full-time for spring semester 2025.
Contact: Make an appointment on Handshake with a CXD advisor.
Junior students who already have a foundation of community involvement are provided the opportunity to pursue in-depth work or research on a particular public issue on behalf of a non-profit or policy organization. Following the summer, students are encouraged to incorporate their summer experience into their senior year academics – either through a class, independent study, or honors project. The stipend can be used domestically, with preferences given to students working with organizations in Maine and New England. Fellowship amounts for Summer 2025 will be $6,000, with an additional $1,000 expenses supplement for students on aid. Students working with local organizations are eligible to live in on-campus housing.
Deadline: 1/31/25 by noon
Eligibility: Junior students and older, only
Contact: Office Hours with Tom Ancona, McKeen Center
Gibbons Summer Research Program
The Gibbons Summer Research Program was established by John A. Gibbons, Jr. '64 to enable students who are rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors to work with members of the faculty on projects that use technology to explore interdisciplinary areas and to develop fresh approaches to the study of complex problems.
Deadline: TBD
Eligibility: Rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors
Contact: Jennifer Snow, Academic Technology & Consulting
The Global Citizens Fellowship provides five students with the opportunity to pursue community-oriented summer volunteer and public service projects outside of the United States. The intent of the program is to support student work with locally-led international social impact organizations. By enabling students to immerse themselves in foreign contexts, this fellowship aims to encourage a broadening of perspective among volunteers, the communities in which they will work, and the Bowdoin community to which they will return. Selected students will participate in a 5-week pre-departure seminar in Spring Semester to prepare them for their time abroad.
Fellowship amounts for Summer 2025 will be $6,000, with an additional $1,000 expenses supplement for students on aid.
Deadline: 1/31/25 by noon
Eligibility: All first-years, sophomores, and juniors
Contact: Office Hours with Tom Ancona, McKeen Center
Fellowships offered with placements in non-profit organizations located in midcoast Maine. Students work to address community issues while strengthening campus-community partnerships. Maine Community Fellowships capitalize on students’ interests and allow them to explore work in the non-profit sector while developing an understanding of issues at the local level. Students can apply to up to 4 fellowship partner organizations in the application process. These ten-week fellowships include the fellowship payment, students are eligible for on-campus housing, and fellows participate in on-campus programming throughout the summer.
Fellowship amounts for Summer 2026 will be $6,000, with an additional $1,000 expenses supplement for students on aid.
Deadline: 1/31/25 by noon
Eligibility: All first-years, sophomores, and juniors
Contact: Office Hours with Tom Ancona, McKeen Center
Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship (MMUF)
Qualified students who have demonstrated the appropriate intellectual drive for higher education are provided access to a supportive academic environment, faculty mentoring, rigorous structured programming, and research opportunities. Active participation in two summer research training programs, GRE workshops, and guidance with the graduate application process in a Mellon designated field. MMUF offers academic year and summer stipends with the expectation that beneficiaries will work toward acquiring terminal or doctoral degrees in a Mellon designated field.
Deadline: TBD
Eligibility: Sophomores
Contact: Elizabeth Muther, MMUF Faculty Director
Students are invited to design original grassroots projects that you can implement during the summer that advance world peace. The two Bowdoin student projects judged to be the most promising will be submitted to the national committee. Recipient is given $10,000 to implement their project. Interested students must meet with Meg Springer to discuss their proposal prior to the application deadline.
Deadline: 12/13/2024 by 12 noon ET
Contact: Meg Springer, CXD
Summer Fellowships from the Office of Student Fellowships and Research
Funding to support independent, faculty-mentored research in all disciplines over the summer. Fellows receive $590/week at 8, 9, or 10 weeks of research, and are eligible to receive an additional $500 in expense reimbursement. Campus housing available at no cost to the student.
Phase 1 Deadline: 2/18/25 by noon
Phase 2 Deadline: 2/25/25 by noon
Eligibility: First-years, sophomores, and juniors; limited funding available for seniors.
Contact: Make an appointment with the Office of Student Fellowships and Research.
Summer Language Study Program from the Office of Student Fellowships and Research
This program fully funds a small number of students who receive financial aid to pursue an intensive language study program. Faculty mentors guide applicants in identifying a rigorous language program to advance their academic goals, and awardees commit to continuing their study of the language in the following academic year. Preference is given to declared or prospective language majors (or minors, if a major doesn’t exist).
Deadline: TBD
Eligibility: First-years, sophomores, and juniors who receive Bowdoin financial aid
Contact: Julia Littlefield in the Office of Student Fellowships and Research
Upward Bound Summer Program Staff
Upward Bound is a federally funded college access program serving low income, first generation college-bound students in 14 high schools in Maine. UB Summer Session provides a college preparatory academic experience, social emotional support, and college readiness skills to help students gain admission to and successfully graduate from college. Guide staff play a critical role providing mentoring and academic support, as well as facilitating social/cultural experiences during a 6-week summer program. Guide positions are typically fully residential and require living in the dorm with students. The time commitment for Guide positions is mid-June to early August.
Deadline: TBD
Eligibility: All years
Contact: kreinema@bowdoin.edu
Academic Department Funding
Deadlines, eligibility, and application processes vary; current deadlines are not yet posted for some of these programs. Please review the information posted on each program page to learn more.