Killam Fellowships Program

UCI (Pre-Application) Deadline: November 14, 2019 at NOON for 2020-21 funding

Pre-Application Link: https://scout.eee.uci.edu/s/19-20Killam

Overview

The Killam Fellowships Program provides funding for exceptional undergraduate students to study in Canada for either one term ($5,000) or a full academic year ($10,000). The goal of the program is to increase mutual understanding between Canada and the United States of America. The fellowship includes a number of enrichment opportunities covered by the Killam Mobility Program, including the Fall Orientation, a Cultural Awareness Grant, and the Spring Seminar.

The Killam Fellowship application is supplemental to your study abroad applications. As of Fall 2019, the UCI Scholarship Opportunities Program (SOP) offers advising and nomination for Killam Fellows applicants to McGill University (UCEAP direct exchange) only, although more Canadian universities may be added in subsequent years.

Eligibility

Applicants must be enrolled UCI undergraduate sophomores (graduating in 2022) or juniors (graduating in 2021) at the time of application, which is November 14, 2019, SOP’s Killam Fellows Pre-Application deadline.

You must intend to study abroad in Canada during the 2020-2021 academic year.

The ideal candidate has excellent academic performance, a strong interest in cross-cultural exchange, and can articulate a compelling reason for choosing to go to Canada to study abroad.

In order to be considered for a Killam Fellowship to study in Canada, students must, at the time of application, be:

  • a citizen of the United States of America,
  • expected to be enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student in good standing during the 2020-2021 academic year, should he/she be selected for an award,
  • expected to receive an undergraduate degree in the Spring of 2021 or beyond,
  • meet the eligibility requirements and regulations of the home university,
  • proficient in English (and in French, should the student plan to study at a French language institution)
  • in possession of a strong academic record, and
  • able to complete all steps of the application process prior to the published deadlines.

Please note that external scholarship agencies will consider, as part of the review process, all of your credit-bearing coursework from any college or institution (including CSU, community colleges, private colleges or other UC campuses/Extension programs, as well as  units earned while in high school). Grades from other colleges will be included in the calculation of your overall GPA for eligibility purposes.

Application Procedure

All UCI Killam Fellowship applicants must work closely with the UCI Study Abroad Center in the Office of Global Engagement to understand all requirements and policies for studying abroad and prepare the required application forms to study abroad in Canada. The SOP office does not offer advising or nomination on your Study Abroad application components.

I. UCEAP Direct Exchange to McGill University only**

Killam Fellowship candidates applying to study abroad at McGill University through the UCEAP Direct Exchange Program will register at UCI and attend the host institution, McGill University, as an exchange student. During the course of their Killam Fellowship, Direct Exchange students continue to pay tuition and fees to UCI.

UCI SOP may endorse (i.e., nominate) up to 3 eligible undergraduate sophomores and juniors for the Killam Fellowships Direct Exchange Program to study at McGill University. If seeking nomination for this fellowship, you must start your Killam Fellowship application with SOP’s Pre-Application and follow SOP’s advising, draft feedback, and endorsement process, detailed in the timeline below.

  • By November 14, 2019, noon: submit your online UCI SOP Killam Fellowship Pre-Application.
  • Late-November: SOP staff will respond to Pre-Applications and provide detailed guidance on preparing complete 1st Draft applications for the UCI nomination committee.
  • By JANUARY 8, 2020, noon (Projected): Submit 1st Draft of Complete Application Materials & Reference Forms (recommendations) to SOP.
    • One (1) cover sheet & checklist
    • One (1) completed application form
    • One (1) list detailing course selection for the top three (3) choices for which you want to be considered, approved and signed by an academic advisor in your major/School
    • One (1) 1-page personal statement detailing why and how studying in Canada as a Killam Fellow is vital to your long-term career goals
    • One (1) 3-page maximum resume or C.V.
    • One (1) official, unopened transcript from the Registrar of each institution you have attended for college credit
    • A photocopy of your passport (preferable), birth certificate, or other documentation that verifies citizenship
    • Two (2) reference forms completed by faculty, staff, or supervisors who can attest to your academic, professional, or intellectual merit (at least one reference must be a Professor)
  •  By JANUARY 13, 2020, noon (Projected): UCI endorsement committee convenes.
    • The UCI endorsement committee may select up to 3 applicants to endorse (nominate) for final submission to the Killam Fellowships Direct Exchange Program. The committee may provide feedback for revision of application materials.
    • After the committee meeting, SOP staff will inform nominees and provide detailed guidance on preparing Final Draft applications for submission to the Killam Fellowships Direct Exchange Program.
  • By JANUARY 22, 2020, noon (Projected): Submit Final Draft to SOP.
  • By JANUARY 24, 2020, noon (Projected): SOP submits nominated applications to the Killam Fellowships Direct Exchange Program.

Recommenders should provide signed Killam Fellows Reference Forms, in sealed envelopes with the writer’s signature on the seal, directly to SOP by campus mail (zot code 5695), or dropped off in person at our office (193 Science Library, in the Writing Center) by January 8, 2020. Submissions will not be accepted without the mandatory, signed cover form and envelope. Attaching a traditional letter of recommendation to this form is optional. Reference Forms are available on the Killam Fellows website in the Application Package PDF.

II. Open Competition to all other Canadian universities: 

You will apply directly to the Killam Fellows open competition. This means that you do not need to go through the SOP office or advising/nomination process. 

Instead, simply follow the guidance on the Killam Fellowship Program website and submit your complete application materials directly to Killam by the external postmark deadline of January 31, 2020.

Selection Procedures

At the national level, a screening committee will select approximately 15-20 Killam Fellows from the United States. Applicants will be notified of their status in April 2020.

Finances

Killam Fellowships are either 1 academic term (semester) or 1 academic year (2 semesters), beginning in August of each year.  Selected Killam Fellows will receive $5,000 for one term of study in Canada, or $10,000 for a full academic year of study in Canada.

For More Information

Please visit the Killam Fellowships Program website.

For applications and more information regarding the Killam Fellowships Program for the direct exchange study abroad program at McGill University, contact the Scholarship Opportunities Program at 949-824-0189. We are located in the Center for Excellence in Writing & Communication, on the first floor of Science Library (Building 520).

SOP is able to advise competitive undergraduate candidates at UC Irvine only.