Nomination Information

Prospective students work alongside their graduate departments to submit the required nomination materials. KU academic departments nominate outstanding students who demonstrate the potential and motivation to become notable leaders and can be expected to make a significant contribution to their chosen profession and society. Students who strongly fit the program are highly encouraged and welcome to ask their departments for a nomination. 

Nomination deadline: January 28, 2026, at noon CST

TIMELINE

It is important that students meet various deadlines in order to be nominated for a Self Graduate Fellowship. The following serves as a suggested timeline for prospective Self Graduate Fellows.

November

  • Check with your chosen department to confirm deadlines and necessary information. Submit your KU graduate school application as early as you can as departments will prepare nominations in late January. Make sure you have identified good sources for letters of recommendation. Update your resume.

December

  • Confirm with your chosen department your application is complete and all supporting materials have been received.

January

  • Review our website for nominee information. If you are nominated, you will be asked to write a personal statement that is specific to the Self Graduate Fellowship. This personal statement is one of the most important documents in the nomination process. You will submit the statement directly to the department before the deadline. Talk with your department about their internal timeline to ensure all your materials are included in the nomination.
  • Nomination deadline for all nominations: January 28, 2026, at noon CST

February

  • Mid-February 2026: Nominees are selected for interviews. Those selected will be notified by email.
  • February 19, 20 and 23-27, 2026: On-campus interviews are conducted.

March

  • Mid-March, 2026: Self Graduate Fellowship offers are extended. Students who receive offers will first be notified by email.

April

  • April 15, 2026: Deadline for acceptance of offers. 

INSTRUCTIONS

As a nominee, you will need to submit to your nominating department the following items:

  1. Self Graduate Fellowship Personal Statement
  2. Current Resume or CV
  3. One Letter of Recommendation specific to SGF (Required)

 

Self Graduate Fellowship Personal Statement 

Your personal statement is critical to your success in the Self Graduate Fellowship selection process. This is your opportunity to demonstrate how you fit the profile of a Self Graduate Fellow. Your statement should be authentic and tell your story in your own words. Remember that through this document you will try to persuade the evaluation committee that you deserve an interview. Edit the statement carefully. Before you begin, be sure to review the Self Graduate Fellowship website (selfgraduate.ku.edu). Your statement should be two to three pages long, in 12-point font, and double-spaced. Your personal statement must address the following points:

  • The academic and professional choices you have made to date, and why
  • Career goals, both short-term and long-term, and speciation of intended career field (industry, government, medical, higher education)
  • How you envision yourself in a leadership role expanding human knowledge, contributing to your profession, and benefiting society as a whole
  • How you match the Self Graduate Fellow profile (see below)
Self Graduate Fellow Profile

The ideal candidate possesses unusual motivation, passion, and potential to make significant contributions to their profession and to society. In addition to a strong academic record, the candidate has leadership, communication, and decision-making skills. Should display personal attributes including self-awareness, emotional maturity, initiative, tenacity, energy, vision, risk-taking, and interpersonal effectiveness. The ideal candidate is interested in personal development and lifelong learning and is committed to participation in the Fellow Development Program.

Current Resume or CV

All nominees must submit an updated resume or CV. This should be distinguished from a traditional academic vita, as this document should highlight a variety of leadership experiences and significant achievements from work, school, volunteer projects, and extracurricular activities. Include awards, honors, memberships, positions held, and research experience.

Letter of Recommendation

All nominees are required to include one SGF specific letter of recommendation in their nomination. This provides additional materials for reviewers to refer when determining student fit to SGF profile. It also provides students with the option to include letter writers who may not traditionally be included in graduate admissions but can offer information on SGF attributes and program fit.