Gaither Junior Fellows Program at The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

• Must be nominated by Ohio State Undergraduate Fellowship Office staff
• Be a graduating senior or have graduated in the last year (graduate studies make you ineligible)
• Be a U.S. citizen or on an F-1 visa and eligible to work in the U.S. for 10-12 months beginning September 1

Gaither Junior Fellows Program selection criteria include:

• Research experience, writing skills, and analytical capacity demonstrated through:
  • Substantive essay / thought piece with an analytical bent responding to program area prompt
  • Concise personal statement that addresses why the applicant wants this opportunity, how it fits in their career trajectory, and why they chose the program they did
• Strong academic record, with a 3.7+ GPA and coursework relevant to their chosen program area
• Required language, analysis, and data skills required by each program

• Application form, which you can request by emailing fellowships@osu.edu
• A personal statement of up to two pages, double-spaced, discussing why you are applying for this job, what you hope to learn from it, how you think your experience and working style would serve you well as a research assistant, and why you have chosen to apply for the program you are applying for.
• Resume/C.V. (preferably 1-2 pages)
• Two letters of recommendation. These recommendations can come from anyone the student feels can best speak to their abilities as a potential Gaither Junior Fellow.
• Transcript of undergraduate records. The transcript may be unofficial.
• A writing sample of three to five pages, double spaced. This sample may be either a full-length piece that falls within the size range or an excerpt from a longer work. The writing sample can be on any topic, but it should be relevant to the program you are applying for, either in subject matter or style of analysis. The writing sample must be accompanied by a brief explanation of no more than half of one page explaining why you chose that sample. 

Campus Application Deadline – November 17, 2025

Campus Application Process

Because the university is required to nominate candidates for this opportunity, there is an internal application process. For support on your application, reach out to fellowships@osu.edu at any time while the applications are open.

Please submit all of the materials listed above, including letters of recommendation, to fellowships@osu.edu by 5 pm on the campus deadline. After a review of applications, we will contact all applicants to announce the campus nominees. From that point, Undergraduate Fellowship Office staff will work with nominees to revise materials in advance of the national deadline.

National Application Deadline – January 2026

All application materials must be submitted to fellowships@osu.edu in advance of the national deadline. Undergraduate Fellowship Office staff will communicate about deadlines with nominees.