Eugene Lang Opportunity Awards

Eligible applicants must: 

• Be matriculated degree students of Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts
• Demonstrate financial need

A minimum 3.0 GPA is strongly preferred.*

Students receiving federal Pell Grants are given priority consideration.

*Please note: Students whose GPA is below the preferred GPA will have an opportunity on the application to provide an explanation of why their GPA does not reflect their academic capacities.

Eligible activities fall into the general categories of:

• Research fellowships and projects
• Study abroad programs and projects with a significant selfdirected component
• Civic engagement and social justice initiatives, including organizing and activist work
• Leadership and/or student government projects
• Artistic productions and exhibitions
• Other self-designed projects clearly related to a student's educational goals 

Proposals that address social justice issues or otherwise have a positive community impact are given priority consideration. Awards are granted not to fund singular events but to make possible participation in ongoing activities.

You must show that a proposed activity would be financially difficult without external funding. Independent Research and Creative Project grants are not intended to be tuition scholarships but rather should finance out-of-pocket expenses required for a particular activity or opportunity. However, a student may request an award to help with tuition if the co-curricular activity requires registration for associated credits not covered by academic-year tuition (for example, a summer internship).

Expenses in the following categories are not allowable:

• New School fees or tuition
• Wages or other fixed, regular payments that will continue beyond the scope of the project
• Alcohol or other age-restricted items

Expenses in the following categories should be justified as uniquely essential to the project covered by the application:

• Basic living expenses in New York City
• Payments to other students or professionals for research or performance-related work (in the form on single payments for services directly related to the project)
  
  

Immediately following a deadline date, all proposals received to that point are reviewed in a collaborative process by the Student Academic Excellence Committee.

• Complete the Independent Research or Creative Project application on the Engaged Learning Opportunities Shared Application page.
  • Personal statement. In 600 words (or less), discuss your reasons for applying; include any relevant experience or information.
  • Financial statement. In 400 words (or less), discuss your need for financial assistance, including an explanation of your ability/plans to pay for the proposed project/program independently.
• Attach a résumé that indicates your qualifications to pursue the activity described in the proposal.
• Attach your current academic transcript and financial aid award (printed from MyNewSchool).
• Applicants will be asked to designate a mentor for the project. This voluntary role is assumed primarily by faculty, but it is also open to staff at The New School. The mentor's main responsibility is to check in with the awardee at the mid-point of the experience and to review the awardee's final blog post. If the chosen faculty or staff member is not available or the student does not have a particular person in mind, a member of the Student Life and Outreach Committee will serve as the mentor.
• ALL APPLICATIONS REQUIRE A RECOMMENDATION: Identify someone who will speak to your qualifications for this proposal. Your recommendation does not have to be written by your proposed mentor. Your recommender should submit his or her recommendation through the Recommendation Form. Recommendations must be received no later than two days after the application deadline by noon. 

Questions can be submitted to [email protected]. An application received after one deadline will be rolled over to the next deadline unless the dates of the proposed activity or project preclude later consideration. In that case, the application will be rejected.

If you would like help thinking through and writing your proposal, read the tips below and sign up for help with your proposal with the Learning Center. This is the perfect opportunity to learn how to present and highlight your ideas in a compelling manner, especially if you are new to the process of applying for a grant. 

Step 1. Create a plan.

• Carefully review the required information and create a list of tasks that need to be completed.

Step 2. Prepare an effective résumé.

• For support, contact Student Career Services at The New School.

Step 3. Write a compelling narrative description of your proposed activity.

Consider the following:

• Describe your reasons for applying to the ELOA program.
• What can you gain from the proposed experience?
• Describe your interest in the proposed area of research, project, or program.
• Draw upon past experiences in leadership, community service, team efforts, etc. (Note: Do not restate the contents of your résumé.)
• Highlight your career goals and how the proposed project or program fits into your plans.

Step 4. Prepare a detailed project budget.

Consider the following:

• Make sure the budget includes only eligible project-related expenses. These may include (but are not limited to): 
  • Travel, lodging, transportation, and meals
  • Equipment not otherwise available on campus
  • Materials and supplies not available on campus
  • Access fees for data or memberships, professional organizations, or registration fees
  • Costs for showcasing artwork or performance
  • Necessary payments/incentives for participants in a research study

• Expenses in the following categories are not allowable:
  • New School fees or tuition
  • Wages or other fixed, regular payments that will continue beyond the scope of the project
  • Alcohol or other age-restricted items

• Expenses in the following categories should be justified as uniquely essential to the project in the application: 
  • Basic living expenses in New York City
  • Payments to other students or professionals for research or performance-related work (in the form on single payments for services directly related to the project)

Step 5. Prepare a strong personal statement.

Consider the following:

• What is the topic/focus of your research, project, or program?
• Can you concisely explain your research question or the focus of your research, project, or program and goals?
• What is the purpose and merit of the proposed research, program, or project? (How will this research, program, or project contribute to your academic and personal development and to the community, and are these contributions significant?)
• What methodology will you employ to complete the research, project, or program? (Is the proposed research, project, or program feasible, and do you have adequate resources and abilities to complete it? Is the research, project, or program overambitious or underambitious?)
• Describe your qualifications. (Why should the selection committee feel you can successfully complete this research, project, or program?)
• How do you plan to share the results of your project or research or the program experience with the broader community?
• What are the benefits of this research, project, or program to you personally?

Step 6. Get strong recommendation letters and reach out to possible mentors.

Contact your potential letter writers early to ensure they can submit a recommendation letter on your behalf by the supplementary materials deadline. Be sure to provide them with a copy of your essays and any other relevant information that will enable them to submit a strong letter on your behalf.

Reach out to faculty in your subject area to see if they would be willing to mentor your project. The mentor request should not be a surprise!

Note: A letter of recommendation is most useful when it includes specific comments on the strength of your application. Recommenders should be able to comment on your ability to carry out the proposed course of study/project and the suitability of the university or program chosen. Choose people who know you well — both in and outside of the classroom and personally. A faculty advisor is often in the best position to comment on a student's academic abilities and potential. It is most important that your recommenders know you well. Short references from well-known people don't go over well. Academic letters from those who taught you in high school are also not recommended.

Step 7. Proofread your application before you submit it.

Your submission is final. You can't make edits or append any documents after submission. Be thorough in your review of your application, but do not wait until the last minute to submit it. Late submissions are not accepted. We recommend that applicants make every effort to submit their applications at least 48 to 72 hours before the application deadline.

Check your proposal for spelling, correct calculations, adherence to page limitations, and font and file-type requirements.

Use the checklist provided in the application instructions to ensure that all required documents are included in the application.

Review the content and be sure you have addressed all the criteria that will be used to evaluate your application.