Request an Appointment

The goal of an advising appointment with AHF staff is to help students identify fellowship opportunities that best align with their academic, leadership, professional interests and past experiences. Appointments are typically one-on-one sessions between 30 – 60 minutes.

What are Open Advising Appointments for fellowships?

Open Advising indicates the time of year when students or recent alumni can request a general exploratory meeting with a fellowship advisor about a specific opportunity. The goals of Open Advising generally include:

  • Determining best overall fit for specific external fellowships and/or USC awards. See below for required preparation.
  • Exploring students’ short- and long-term academic and professional trajectory as it relates to these opportunities.
  • Reviewing national/campus deadlines and setting expectations for applicants before starting an extensive application process.

Requests submitted after the listed time frame for each award should only be made by those with serious intent to meet an upcoming campus and/or national deadline, demonstrated by progress on an application (drafts of essays, requesting letters of recommendation, etc.). Requests may be denied if a student does not meet the basic eligibility requirements for the fellowship.

Intake Survey submission MUST include at least one fellowship of interest.

Before requesting an appointment

Individual appointments provide AHF staff the opportunity to learn more about your background and interests, in order to offer you intentional guidance towards a specific fellowship pathway. You are expected to research all fellowship information available on our website for program overview, eligibility, application materials, and campus deadlines if applicable.

Explore Fellowships

Use our “Find a Fellowship” tool to begin sorting for right-fit opportunities.

Advising Information

Review AHF advising information such as the year-by-year timeline.

Applicant Resources

See resources for personal statements, campus interviews, and letters of recommendation.

Ready to meet with us?

After you have reviewed all fellowships material online, complete an intake survey to schedule a meeting with AHF staff.

You do NOT need to complete the intake form for inquiries regarding: Merit Scholarships, Exceptional Funding, USC Scholar Distinctions. Instead, email your inquiries directly to ahfstaff@usc.edu.