BCB Graduate Student Fellowships

• Proposed Plan of Research should have a maximum length of two pages, including all references, citations, charts, figures and tables. Your application should explicitly address each review criterion. The Review Criteria are explained below.
• If you are submitting a renewal application OR applying for a BCB Fellowship for the first time as a current (continuing) BCB student, you should also include a report of your progress made during the past year, and specific outputs such as publications and presentations (maximum length two pages).
• The reference letters from your advisor and a second UI faculty member should specifically addresses the following:
  • An evaluation of the student's critical thinking and communication skills.
  • An evaluation of the student’s potential for continued development as a scientist and independent researcher.
  • The advisor should outline specific steps that have been, or will be taken to secure financial support for the applicant in the future.
• Your most current graduate school academic transcript.
• Applications must be written using standard 8.5" x 11" page size, 12-point, Times New Roman font, 1" margins on all sides, and must be single spaced or greater. Only references, footnotes and figure captions may be a smaller font, no less than 10-point Times New Roman. Applicants should not send extraneous information or materials such as CDs, manuscripts, links to web pages, or resumes. These items will not be reviewed with an application.

Each application will be reviewed independently by members of the BCB Governing Board and other BCB faculty as deemed appropriate by the Board. All information included in the application and reference letters will be confidential. Reviewers will evaluate the application with respect to the following criteria:

• How important is the proposed research to advancing knowledge and understanding within its own field or across different fields?
• How innovative is the proposed research?
• How well conceived and organized is the proposed research plan, and is it well-written and feasible?
• How well qualified is the applicant to conduct the project (based on elements such as strength of the academic record, description of previous research experience, or past or planned publication/presentations, letters of reference).
• What progress was made during the past year and were there specific outputs such as publications and presentations?
• What specific steps were taken by the student or major professor to secure financial support for the applicant in the future?

• Previous Research Experience: a one-page description that includes all references, citations, charts, figures, and tables.
• Proposed Plan of Research: a one-page description of the applicant's proposed research plan that includes all references, citations, charts, figures, and tables.
• Your prospective BCB advisor(s) should submit a reference letter that specifically addresses the following:
  • An assessment of your research potential.
  • Your potential to think critically and communicate your ideas effectively.
  • Specific steps that have been, or will be taken in the near future to secure financial support for the applicant in the future.
  (Reviewers will also consider the three reference letters included in your application to the BCB program.)
• Your academic transcript should be the same as what you included in your application to the BCB program.
• Applications must be written using standard 8.5" x 11" page size, 12-point, Times New Roman font, 1" margins on all sides, and must be single spaced or greater. Only references, footnotes and figure captions may be a smaller font, no less than 10-point Times New Roman. Applicants should not send extraneous information or materials such as CDs, manuscripts, links to web pages, or resumes. These items will not be reviewed with an application.

The fellowships will be evaluated by the BCB Governing Board based upon the following criteria:

• How important is the proposed research to advancing knowledge and understanding within its own field or across different fields?
• How innovative is the proposed research?
• How well conceived and organized is the proposed research, and is it well-written and feasible?
• How well qualified is the applicant to conduct the project (based on elements such as strength of the academic record, description of previous research experience, or past or planned publication/presentations, letters of reference).
• What specific steps were taken by the student or major professor to secure financial support for the applicant in the future?