Tips for Creating an Engaging & Successful Fellowship Program

Is your fellowship process drawing in great candidates or putting them off?

How do you encourage the best and brightest to apply to your fellowship? By putting yourself in their shoes. This includes considering what they might need, have questions about, and worry about. Then, build elements into your process that address each one.

As one of the most notable fellowship processes automation solution providers, our program management software for fellowships ensures an efficient and streamlined candidate to recruit conversion process. The fellowship applications & audit management software is a must-have for academic and professional fellowships for the following reasons:

Make it easy to apply and track the application’s status

Once you’ve convinced someone to apply, get them to the finish line with a clear, easy-to-use, online application. You don’t want to put up any unnecessary obstacles with confusing forms. By using a fellowship management platform, your candidates will be guided through the application process in stages, with customizable instructions all along the way.

Keep communications open between applicants and reviewers

Once they apply, your candidates will be anxiously awaiting more information. In your confirmation email, be sure to provide a clear timeline for decisions and notify them of any delays. With a fellowship management platform, you can send these updates with a single template and a click.

It’s also possible to have reviewers contact applicants directly if they have follow-up questions, which helps your selection team choose the best candidates. This all occurs inside the system, so all communications are recorded alongside the application, making it quick and efficient.

Be accessible to candidates during the Fellowship application process

The more channels you have for applicants to reach you, the better. This will remove obstacles to applying, especially for those with busy or irregular schedules. It also sends a clear message that you welcome their application and will continue to support them if they’re selected as a fellow.

Identifying a primary email address for questions and responding within 24 business hours, publishing your standard office hours for applicants to call or come in, scheduling several webinar Q&A sessions, offering one-on-one appointments for applicants, and responding to questions via social media are the best ways you and your applicants can stay in touch.

Give your candidates an opportunity to shine

By limiting your candidates to standard written responses, you could be missing out on a chance to see their full potential. Think about how you can incorporate new technologies or formats that provide more ways for applicants to showcase their skills.

Provide an opportunity to include charts, timelines, maps, photos, or other visuals to help explain concepts that are tough to understand through words alone. By asking for examples and personal experiences, applicants are given the opportunity to transform hard data into a story. This can give you a better sense of their motivations and inspiration.

Leverage your fellowship alumni network 

Your fellowship alumni are critical to engaging potential candidates. There’s nothing more powerful than a one-to-one conversation with someone who’s “been there.” Look for ways to involve your alumni throughout the application cycle.

You might ask them to record a video about what they learned and accomplished,  serve on a panel during an information session about the fellowship, join a webinar Q&A for potential applicants and even share your fellowship opportunity with their work, school, or industry networks.

Stay in touch with former applicants and fellowship alumni

For applicants who weren’t selected or those who had to postpone their application, it’s critical to stay connected. There’s a good chance they’ll apply again, especially if you stay top of mind. Consider sending monthly newsletters, deadline reminders, or opportunities to network with fellow alumni. All these individual touches will add up, and they’ll be more likely to apply in the future.

Applying for a fellowship requires a significant time investment. But when you give applicants a vision of the amazing experiences in store for them, remove concerns about whether they’re qualified, and make the process easy and seamless, you’ll have candidates eager to apply!