The Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowships

Fellowship Application Process
Deadlines for applications are November 1st of the given year; we encourage candidates to submit and get their collateral material to us before that date. Life being as it is in universities, however, there is a crush of material to us. Letters of recommendation are often late, making a full consideration more difficult. Once the application and other materials are in hand, teams of at least three readers consider the candidacy and determine who will be invited for interviews. Like every strong fellowship program, the Soros Fellowships have many more able people applying than can ever be invited for interviews. Painful though the decision process is, 84 are eventually invited. The interviews are held in January in New York and Los Angeles, with a February announcement.

What generalizations can be made on the basis of 11473 applications, 1026 interviews, and 384 appointed Fellows?

• Fields that seem especially to predominate in results (e.g., law and medicine) are those fields that have the largest number of applications.

• Relative to their numbers of applications, many other fields have greater success rates.

• Private institutions generally do a better job in informing candidates about the Soros opportunity and seem to take greater care in presenting their candidates.

• Two good essays and letters of recommendation can offset a poor interview.

• Candidates who only demonstrate excellence in their academic field, without evidence of other creative and sustained activity, do less well.

• Padded resumes are easily detected by readers and selection panelists.

• Candidates in master's programs are less likely to apply. (56% Doctoral and 44% master's)

• No geographical area of immigration origin does disproportionately well. Talent is well distributed around the world. Differences in numbers reflect difference in numbers of applicants, which in turn reflects differences in recent immigration rates.

Source: http://www.pdsoros.org/overview/application.shtml