Application Process

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    1. Check your eligibility

    Check your eligibility for the program.

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    2. Register

    Begin the application process by registering for an application. When you register as a user of the Woodrow Wilson Web site, you create a user profile that will enable you to save your unfinished application, so that you can return later to add or change entries and view a checklist of supporting documents received.

    There is no fee to register. You will need to provide basic contact information and choose a username and password. Any information collected is used only for purposes of the Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowship (see the Foundation’s privacy policy).

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    3. APPLY!

    To ensure you have all necessary components, please view/print the checklist.

    Sign in using the username and password you created during registration.

    If this is your first visit, select “Not Applied,” then “WW Teaching Fellowship” for the appropriate state.

    If you are returning to complete an unfinished application, select “Saved Applications.” If you are returning to check the status of your supporting documentation, select “Submitted Applications.”

    To be considered for the Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowship, you must complete all items on the application—but you may save the work you have done on parts of the application during any online session, and return to complete other parts during subsequent visits.

    Information required on the application includes:

    • Your educational background: Information on your undergraduate institution, graduate institution (if applicable), and academic record.
    • Your preference(s) of master’s program(s): A rank ordering that indicates which of the participating universities you wish to apply to. You may select all of the institutions, or choose one or more of them.
    • Two 500-word essays: Brief essay questions on why you want to teach in a high-need urban or rural school and on how you would explain a complicated concept.
    • Information on the recommenders you’ve asked to write letters for you: This section is used in the course of the application process to allow you to check back and learn which of your recommendation letters have been received.
    • Personal information: Brief answers regarding your citizenship (required), race/ethnicity (optional), date of birth (optional), and gender (required: an “undeclared” option is available).
    • Additional information: Space for any clarification or description of extenuating circumstances you wish to provide.

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    4. Submit Supporting Documents

    In addition to your online application, you must submit a resume, recommendations, and official transcripts.

    Resume

    The resume—perhaps the most important component of your application—provides you with the opportunity to showcase your excellence.

    • Please be sure to include all colleges/universities attended, along with enrollment dates, as well as information and employment dates for all professional experience.
    • If you won awards or fellowships or excelled in sports or other extracurricular activities, please be sure to include this information on your resume.
    • Any volunteer experience, particularly with adolescents or in an underresourced community, is also worth detailing.

    Please send your resume to the Woodrow WilsonTeaching Fellowship Program as an email attachment at WWTFdocs@woodrow.org.

    TIP: There is no need to limit your resume to one page for your Woodrow Wilson Fellowship application. Remember, this is an important opportunity to showcase your excellence.

    Recommendations

    Please request letters of recommendation from three (3) recommenders and provide their contact information in your application as soon as possible. Recommenders shoul be advised they will receive and email notification directly from the Woodrow Wilson Foundation.

    Each recommender will be required to complete a recommendation form, as well as a letter of recommendation. The site will provide the necessary instructions.

    Letters of recommendation must come from individuals who are not members of your family. In general, recommenders should comment on your character, your commitment to education and service, and your capacity to work in high-need urban and/or rural contexts.

    • If you are still enrolled in a degree program or are a very recent graduate, please include, as one of your recommendations, a letter from at least one faculty member in your major content area who can comment on your academic ability.
    • If you have been employed over the past several years and are not able to request a faculty recommendation, please include, as one of your recommendations, a letter from a professional colleague who can comment on your skills/knowledge in your specialty field.

    Note:You will be able to track receipt of your letters of recommendation in the "supporting documentation" section of your application. It is your responsibility to follow up with your recommenders to ensure that they have submitted their online recommendation.

    Official Transcripts

    Copies of official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions you have attended—this includes any institution that awarded credit for coursework—must be provided with your supporting documentation. The transcripts must be provided in an unopened envelope from your institutions(s). Contact each of your institutions to request that official copies of your transcripts be mailed to:

    The Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation
    ATTN: WW Teaching Fellowship
    P.O. Box 5281
    Princeton, NJ 08543-5281

    For express deliveries or courier service only, please use the street address:

    The Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation
    5 Vaughn Drive
    Suite 300
    Princeton, NJ 08540

    Telephone: (609) 452-7007, ext. 141

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    5. Interview (Finalists only)

    Interviews will be conducted at various sites in Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. Applicants selected for an interview will be asked to select the date and location that best works for them. The interview will begin at 1:00 PM and end at 5:30 PM. Applicants selected for an interview who live outside of these states will be provided with alternate opportunities to fully participate in the interview process.

    The interview day will include between 10-20 other applicants and will include a sample teaching lesson, writing sample, one-on-one interview, and a Question & Answer session at the end of the day.

    Sample Teaching Lesson

    Applicants will meet in small groups where each applicant will present a short sample teaching lesson. This lesson may be on any subject but should not be more than five minutes in length. A white board, chalk board, or chart paper will be available for your use and you may bring additional materials if appropriate. Please note that you are not expected to know how to teach. Use this as an opportunity to demonstrate your potential.

    One-on-One Interview

    Each candidate will participate in a 30 minute one-on-one interview with a Woodrow Wilson selector.

    Writing Sample

    While candidates are waiting for their interview, or after they complete their interview, they will have 30 minutes to complete a short writing assignment. No advanced preparation is required for this part of the interview process.

    Question & Answer Session

    The day will close with a whole group question and answer period where candidates are free to ask any additional questions about the program not previously addressed.

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    6. Review Financial Aid Opportunities

    Each of the participating institutions provide financial aid opportunities for graduate students. Should you be interested in applying for need-based financial aid from the federal government, you will need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) which can be found at www.fafsa.ed.gov.

    The Federal government offers loan forgiveness of up to $17,500 in Federal loans for math and science teachers who 1) meet the highly-qualified teacher status, 2) teach for five consecutive years, and 3) teach for these five years in a low-income school. As a Teaching Fellow, you should easily meet the criteria of being a highly-qualified teacher in a low-income school. For more information, please visit the Federal Loan Forgiveness Website.

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    7. Await a Decision

    The Woodrow Wilson Foundation expects to award a total of 20 Fellowships at each of the fourteen participating institutions. In addition, the Foundation will select a number of alternates who may be offered the Fellowship if those originally selected choose to decline for any reason.

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