The Euretta J. Kellett Fellowship, awarded annually since 1932, provides Columbia College graduating seniors with funding for one or two years of study in any field at either Cambridge or Oxford. The proposed course of study can be either a one-year, two-year, or two related one-year degrees. All proposed courses must be for full-time study. Your undergraduate program must provide a solid foundation for your proposed course of study.
Selection committees consider academic distinction and the suitability of the proposed course to be the most important considerations in evaluating candidates, but each candidate’s ability to contribute to his or her community in the U.K. will also be considered, as will the potential for the fellowship to be a truly broadening experience.
Each fellowship provides for direct payment of its recipient’s University and College fees at Cambridge or Oxford, plus a stipend for travel and living expenses.
Recipients of the Kellett must take up their fellowship for the academic year immediately following their graduation from the College. No deferrals will be granted.
Eligibility
Current seniors in Columbia College are eligible, provided they are in good academic and disciplinary standing.
Candidates must also separately apply for admission to their department at Oxford or Cambridge. The academic program deadlines vary at Oxford and Cambridge. It is encouraged, but not required, to apply for the earliest deadline available. Fellowship awards are contingent on your acceptance to the proposed degree program. The Kellett will only be awarded to students who take up the award for the next academic year. No deferrals will be granted.
Frequently Asked questions
Can I apply for the Kellett if I plan to take a gap year?
Recipients of the Kellett must take up their fellowship for the academic year immediately following their graduation from the College. No deferrals will be granted.
Can I reapply for the Kellett if I don’t win?
Students get one chance to apply for the Kellett: they can only do so as graduating seniors, and they must take up the award the following fall.
Do I need to apply to my degree program before I apply for the Kellett?
Students do not need to apply to their degree program by the Kellett deadline; they need only state a commitment to apply to the program in the Kellett application.
Can you look at drafts of my essays?
We are happy to look at drafts with you during an advising appointment; electronic advising is reserved for non-Columbia opportunities only.
I want to apply for funding for two (consecutive) one-year master’s degrees. How does this work if I am awarded two years of funding from the Kellett? Do I apply for both programs now?
Because Oxford and Cambridge do not allow students to defer admissions, students apply to the program that they intend to pursue the following academic year. If they are seeking funding for two separate degree programs, they would then apply to the second program the next year, and if they receive a two-year Kellett Fellowship, the funding for the second degree program would be contingent on admissions to that program next year. Applicants should plan to speak to both programs in their application, as the committee will want to know why they have selected these programs, why they are both necessary or important to the applicant's intellectual development, etc.
What if I win two years of funding from the Kellett, and then I change my mind about what master’s degree I want to pursue in the second year?
Any changes to an applicant’s program need to be approved, and once the award is offered, changes to the amount of funding provided will not be granted. If a recipient seeks to change their degree program, they should reach out to URF regarding the approval process.
Can I apply to the Kellett if I plan to do one master’s degree at Oxford and one at Cambridge?
Students can apply to one program at Oxford and one program at Cambridge if they so wish. Funding for the second degree program is contingent on admissions to that program next year, and recipients would have to send to URF their admissions letter before the second year of funding is releasaed.
If I apply to the Kellett for two one-year master’s programs, is it possible that only one will be funded?
The selection committee can approve one or both of the programs that a student proposes if they so wish.
What if I am awarded the Kellett, and then I also get funding from Oxford/Cambridge?
If an applicant receives the Kellett and also receives a full scholarship from Oxford or Cambridge, they are required to relinquish their Kellett funds. If the funding package from Oxford or Cambridge is only a partial scholarship, you will receive partial funding through the Kellett. The total amount you receive cannot exceed the initial amount awarded to you by Columbia.
What is the selection committee looking for?
The selection committee considers academic distinction and the suitability of the proposed course to be among the most important considerations in evaluating candidates, but each candidate’s ability to contribute to his or her community in the U.K. will also be considered, as will the potential for the fellowship to serve as a critical stepping stone in the applicant’s intellectual and professional development.
Who is on the selection committee?
The selection committee is made up of members of the Columbia community.