The 2013 Bonderman Fellowship application is now closed. Please check back in Autumn 2013 for the next cycle’s application and deadlines.
GUIDELINES
The Bonderman Travel Fellowship offers University of Washington graduate students (including those in the Law and Business Schools and other graduate and professional programs) and undergraduate students in the University Honors Program (Interdisciplinary, Departmental or College Honors) and in UW Tacoma’s Global Honors Program an opportunity to engage in independent exploration and travel abroad.
Bonderman Fellowships enable students to undertake independent international travel to explore, be open to the unexpected, and come to know the world in new ways. Because Bonderman Fellowships are intended to foster independence, Fellows may not participate in a program or organization, engage in formal study at a foreign university, conduct research or other academic projects, or travel with an organized group while carrying out the obligations of the fellowship. Bonderman Fellowships are intended to introduce students to cultures, peoples, and areas of the world with which they are not familiar, therefore travel to highly westernized areas (Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand) is not considered competitive. Preference will be given to candidates without extensive international travel experience.
Ideal Bonderman Fellows will have integrity, the capacity for vision and leadership, and the potential for humane and effective participation in the global community. An applicant should demonstrate initiative, commitment, passion, honesty, and creativity in designing his or her proposed travel plan, but does not need to have a theme or project. The selection committee will consider the student’s experience as well as curiosity and seriousness of purpose.
Applications must be submitted online via Catalyst. At the time of submission of your application, you must be an enrolled University of Washington student in good standing in a graduate or professional degree program or a junior or a senior in good standing in the University Honors Program (Interdisciplinary, Departmental, or College Honors) or in the UW Tacoma Global Honors Program. Applicants must hold US citizenship or permanent residence status to be eligible. A committee of past Bonderman Fellows, faculty, and staff will review applications. Selected applicants will be invited for an interview, with final awards announced during spring quarter 2013.
Each Bonderman Fellow will receive a $20,000 award for travel. By accepting the award Fellows must commit to travel independently for eight or more months, exploring six or more countries in two or more major regions of the world. Fellows selected in this round will embark on their journeys between June 2013 and June 30, 2014. Students who propose to travel beginning later than June 2014 are not eligible for a 2013 fellowship.
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS -
In addition to general information about you and your background, the application consists of the following three major components. Please carefully review the entire application before beginning your application and well in advance of the deadline.
Applications for Bonderman Fellowships may only be submitted online via Catalyst. DO NOT email or drop off a paper application in person. No late applications will be accepted.
PROPOSAL
For consideration for travel begun between June 2013 and June 2014, submit a 12,000 character (approximately 4 pages double-spaced) proposal that tells us why you want to undertake extended solo international travel, why you want to travel to these specific locations, and how you think this experience will impact you. Essentially, why you, why these places, and why now. Address these questions however you choose, but be sure to touch on all of them.
ITINERARY
Provide a comprehensive list of the countries, locations and approximate dates of your trip, as well as a projected budget that includes average cost of food and lodging per country, airfare/transportation on the projected route, and other projected costs. This information is limited to 1,800 characters (approximately one page). Please remember that Catalyst does not support formatting (Excel or tables) and you cannot upload a document, so plan accordingly in assembling your itinerary.
REFERENCES
Please list two references able to speak to your qualifications for and commitment to this experience. References can include instructors, mentors, advisers, or employers, but should not be family members or significant others. References may be contacted during the later stages of the application process.
