Office of Nationally Competitive Awards

Expand your academic and professional horizons by applying to fellowships and scholarships.

What's Your Award?

The Office of Nationally Competitive Awards (NCA) helps students and alumni identify and apply for fellowships and scholarships that support undergraduate and graduate study, independent research projects, language acquisition, and a variety of study abroad opportunities. Working closely with students, NCA guides them through each step of the application process, whether that involves matching prospective applicants with specific opportunities, offering feedback on personal statements, staging mock interviews, or organizing internal selection committees. NCA supports students and alumni in their growth as intellectually versatile and globally fluent citizens by enabling them to pursue funding opportunities at home and abroad.

What can NCA do for you?

Applying for a national award can be an intense and time-consuming process, and NCA can help you navigate this process from beginning to end. Whether you win an award or not, the application process alone will allow you to:

• Improve your writing by producing a clear, concise, and persuasive personal statement that you can adapt for future competitive opportunities
• Practice your networking skills by cultivating relationships with professors, community mentors, and professionals in your field
• Reflect upon and develop graduate school and career plans
• Learn how to communicate your research activities and career goals to a broad audience in a compelling way
• Strategically align your experiences with the values that support them
• Clarify how you can make useful and meaningful contributions to the world
• Realize the importance of diversifying your college experience
• Discover how to fulfill your potential

Current students should check out The Hub for more information. Questions about nationally competitive fellowships and scholarships? Email nationalawards@cofc.edu for more information.