External scholarships and fellowships are nationally, and in some cases internationally, competitive awards administered by foundations and government programs not affiliated with The University of Alabama. These entities provide funding and opportunities for undergraduate academic study and research, teaching placements and graduate school abroad, and leadership development programs as well as internships. Typically, you will apply for these opportunities a full academic year or semester before the start of the award. The timeline for each award varies and can change each year, so please stay up-to-date with national and internal deadlines.

No, the Office of External Scholarships and Fellowships is not responsible for administering internal or federal scholarships or financial aid. If you are looking for immediate opportunities or have questions pertaining to federal student aid, FAFSA, grants, loans, work study or merit- and need-based scholarships through academic departments or colleges, please visit: https://afford.ua.edu/financial-aid/

Depending on your background, academic profile and career outlook, you may be an excellent candidate for external scholarships. Each award is unique and is looking for something different. Some programs care about academic excellence shown through outstanding grades and rigorous coursework or research, while others value teaching or public service experience and take into account your career trajectory in certain fields. We encourage you to explore the eligibility requirements for each award in the Find an Opportunity section of our website and to learn more about past recipients. With that in mind, know that there isn’t a one-size-fits all approach, and programs are looking for you to bring your own ideas and experiences into your application. Once you have an idea of what award(s) you’re interested in, you can make an advising appointment with our office to talk about fit and competitiveness in starting your application.

External scholarships and fellowships are extremely competitive with a national, and sometimes international, applicant pool. Each award has a different acceptance rate which can range from year to year depending on the number of applications received. In general, most of the awards have an acceptance rate of between 10-30%, though some awards have a far lower or a far higher rate. Therefore, by statistics alone, many of the applications received are not able to be awarded. These percentages should not discourage you from applying or make you count yourself out as a competitive applicant. Please read below to read more about the benefits of applying and to explore past winners from The University of Alabama.

Yes, students from The University of Alabama have had tremendous success with receiving external scholarships and fellowships. In the past three years, our office and partner programs have supported 117 recipients of endorsed awards alone. This has included a Rhodes Scholar, 2 Marshall Scholars, 2 Mitchell Scholars, 6 Goldwater Scholars and 37 Fulbright Scholars—amongst many others. We encourage you to check out the Award Recipients page for a full list of winners and to learn more about past winners.

No, anyone can apply for external scholarship and fellowship opportunities. While we are housed within the Honors College, we support all students across campus in their fellowship endeavors. The office does not give preferential treatment to students in the Honors College or in partner programs.

There are many benefits of applying for external scholarships and fellowships beyond winning. Crafting an application allows you to articulate your academic and personal goals and asks you to reflect on your work and place within your academic or professional discipline. You will not only consider where you’ve been and what you’re doing now, but also envision possible futures for yourself. Engaging in this process will help you to clarify and synthesize your profile and platform through writing, interviewing and presenting. Many students find the process beneficial, despite the outcome of their applications, and have gone on to thrive in top graduate programs, law schools and in other professional endeavors.