Jacob K. Javits Fellowship Program

Description: The Jacob K. Javits Fellowship Program provides financial assistance to students who have demonstrated (1) superior academic ability and achievement; (2) exceptional promise; and (3) financial need to undertake graduate study leading to a doctoral degree or a master's degree in which the master's degree is the terminal highest degree in the selected field of study. This program provides fellowships to students of superior academic ability—selected on the basis of demonstrated achievement, financial need, and exceptional promise—to undertake study at the doctoral and Master of Fine Arts level in selected fields of arts, humanities, and social sciences.
Dollar Value: The fellowship consists of an institutional payment and a stipend. In fiscal year 2006, the institutional payment was $ 12,224 and the maximum stipend was $30,000.
Number of Scholarships: Varies, between 44 and 60.
Eligibility:
  • Undergraduate students about to enter graduate school and graduate students who have not yet completed their first year of graduate study and who intend to pursue a doctoral or master's degree, if the master's degree is the terminal or highest degree awarded in an approved field, may apply.
  • U.S. citizens or nationals, permanent residents of the U.S., or citizens of any one of the Freely Associated States.
  • Applicants must be eligible to be accepted to or currently attending a graduate program leading to a doctorate or a terminal master's degree in an eligible field of study at an institution of higher education approved by an accrediting agency recognized by the Secretary of the Department of Education. Applicants attending a foreign institution are ineligible.
  • Individuals who, as Javits fellows, will be eligible to receive any grant, loan, or work assistance pursuant to Section 484 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended. Students who have already received a Javits fellowship in previous years are not eligible.
  • Eligibility is limited to students in the arts, humanities, and social sciences fields.
Application Procedures: The Department requires that the Javits Fellowship application be submitted in hardcopy only. A complete application package must contain: applicant information, transcripts, graduate record examination scores, personal statement, three letters of recommendation, and certifications and assurances. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is required as part of the application for a Javits fellowship in order to complete the financial needs calculation.
Deadline: September 30, 2010
Contact:
Carmen Gordon and Lakisha Reid
U.S. Department of Education, OPE (Office of Postsecondary Education)
Teacher and Student Development Programs Service
Jacob K. Javits Fellowships Program
1990 K Street, N.W., 6th Floor
Washington, DC 20006-8524
Telephone: (202) 502-7542;
FAX: (202)502-7859

Frequently asked questions

Who is eligible to apply for a Jacob K, Javits fellowship?
  • Have a combination baccalaureate/master's degree program. YES
  • Have a master's degree and have been working. YES
  • Have a Ph.D. (or a terminal master's degree) but not in an eligible field of study. YES
  • Had a Javits fellowship in past years, but did not complete the Ph.D. before it ended. NO
  • Currently enrolled in the first year of graduate school? YES
  • Currently receiving financial aid in the form of loans and payment for the loans is not over due. YES
  • Pursuing a Masters in Social Work. NO
How is financial need determined in the Javits Fellowship Program?
By law, financial need is determined using Part F of Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended. Each applicant must submit a FAFSA and receive the resulting Estimated Family Contribution (EFC). Your institution will later use the EFC in calculating the stipend. For the purpose of making new fellowship awards, the Department of Education considers a student as eligible whose EFC that is less than the maximum fellowship.
Are parent's financial information included in calculating my Estimated Family Contribution?
No. Students entering graduate school are automatically considered independent in the federal student aid processing system.
Haven't received GRE scores/transcripts/letters of recommendation yet, and the deadline date is fast approaching. What can be done?
The application instructions clearly state that all required materials must be included in the application package. The applicant is responsible for collecting the required information in time for the deadline.
Must the Department of Education receive the application by the deadline date?
The application must be postmarked by the deadline date.
Within the guidelines of the various types of supporting materials, must only one type be submitted? For instance, submit ten slides in addition to a five-minute VHS tape?
No. Please supply the medium that best demonstrates the talent or accomplishments.
The office that sends out letters of recommendation at my school will not give file letters to the applicant for inclusion the application and insists on mailing them directly?
The Department of Education suggest showing the responsible office the Javits Fellowship application instructions requiring the letters as part of the application package. Also request that professors rewrite letters of recommendation specifically for the Javits application.
When are new fellowship awards announced?
The Department of Education must announce new awards by March 1 of the academic year preceding the academic year for which the fellowship is awarded. Successful applicants typically are notified by telephone and later receive a letter containing further instructions. The Department of Education mails all other applicants a letter.
How is the fellowship renewed for next year?
The Javits Coordinator at your school will submit a request on Fellows behalf to the U.S. Department of Education prior to each year of the fellowship. The school will request fellowship funds based on an annual filing/update of the Fellows' FAFSA. Fellows must submit the renewal information to the school upon request.