PhD Plus is excited to support UVA doctoral students applying for any research fellowship or scholarship program. UVA applicants have access to virtual workshops, mini-writing retreats, feedback sessions, and online materials designed to help you strengthen your application by providing insight into the entire cycle—from drafting your materials to understanding the review process. To help you plan and set goals weeks or months before the deadline, please download a copy of the PhD Plus - Fellowship Applications Timeline and PhD Plus - Fellowship Application Checklist, which includes a month-by-month breakdown of how you can begin preparing to apply for upcoming programs, as well as tips and important reminders.
Individual Support
Contact Anne-Charlotte Mecklenburg ([email protected]) or Sam Lake ([email protected]) with questions. We are available to provide individual support for fellowship applications (planning, draft feedback, etc). See our advising page for more details about how to schedule a meeting.
PhD Plus - Summer Fellowship & Grant Writing Series
For graduate students and postdocs applying to fellowships: gain insight into what reviewers are looking for, develop a better understanding of what made past applications successful, begin drafting application materials that highlight your individual experiences and strengths, receive small group feedback on your personal and research statement ideas, and more. This series is applicable to students in ANY field. Students who are planning to apply for the NSF GRFP are strongly encouraged to participate.
Summer Workshop Sessions
- June 9, 12:00 pm: Deconstructing Fellowship Announcements & Evaluation Criteria
- June 17, 12:00 pm: Creating Strong CVs and Cover Letters
- June 30, 12:00 pm: Personal Statements and Essays: Crafting Your Stories
- July 7, 12:00 pm: Research Plans and Statements: Framing Your Research
- July 22, 12:00 pm: Letters of Recommendation; Revising and Refining
- July 27-August 5, TBD, in-person: Peer Feedback Sessions
This series will be offered next in Summer 2027. For access to recordings and resources from these 2026 sessions, please reach out to Anne-Charlotte Mecklenburg at [email protected].
PhD Plus - NSF GRFP Applicant Support
The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program is open to students in their first year of a research-based master’s or doctoral program, and supports graduate students in some STEM and social science fields. The application deadline is in mid-October, so we encourage interested students to start crafting their application materials this summer.
PhD Plus provides a range of resources and support for students interested in applying for the GRFP.
Learn more about GRFP support
PhD Plus - Mini-Writing Retreats
Need time to work on your GRFP or other fellowship application? Do you like to write in a group setting? Join our Mini-Writing Retreats! Each session will start with a brief welcome and some helpful tips, but the focus of the session will be on writing—turning your ideas and draft materials into a final application. Anne-Charlotte Mecklenburg, PhD Plus' Assistant Director of Research Communication, will be there to answer questions and provide feedback on your draft materials.
Each retreat will be held in-person in the Brown Science & Engineering Library, room 148. Snacks and beverages will be provided for attendees. You are welcome to attend one, some, or all of the following sessions.
Fall 2026 Dates and Times
- Sept. 9 (Wednesday) from 2:00 - 4:00 PM
- Sept. 17 (Thursday) from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
- Sept. 25 (Friday) from 2:30 - 4:30 PM
- Oct. 1 (Thursday) from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
- Oct. 9 (Friday) from 2:30 PM - 4:30 PM
- Oct. 12 (Monday) from 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM
- Oct. 21 (Wednesday) from 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
- Oct. 29 (Thursday) from 2:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Register here for the PhD Plus Mini Writing Retreats
PhD Plus - Canvas Connect Online Resources
Videos, worksheets, and other resources for graduate research, postdoc, and science policy fellowship preparation are available on our Canvas Connect page (open to all UVA graduate students and postdocs). Reach out to Anne-Charlotte Mecklenburg for access.
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Check out these databases and funding discovery tools!