Requirements

College/School Eligibility:

  • Brooks School of Public Policy
  • Arts and Sciences
  • Industrial and Labor Relations

Class Year Eligibility:

  • Fourth Year + (undergrad)

Open to:

  • Cornell Undergraduate Students

GPA Requirements:

Minimum GPA: 3.70

The application and Junior Fellows' assignments available during the 2024 application cycle for the 2025-2026 fellowships may be found here. 

Please read the information about assignments and the related essay questions carefully: each year some project assignments have specific requirements, for language or other coursework, typically listed on the last page of the application information.

Interested applicants must first apply for Cornell's nomination. The campus nomination process is coordinated by the Office of Fellowships. 

Cornell is invited to nominate two candidates to the national competition each year. Finalists are invited to interview virtually with representatives of the Carnegie Endowment in late February and March, and decisions are expected to be announced by the end of March.

To apply for Cornell's nomination for the Carnegie the following materials must be submitted by sending application materials to ccs-fellowships@cornell.edu, by the campus application deadline

An essay of one page (double-spaced) on why the applicant would like to become a Junior Fellow.

  1. A one- to two-page résumé.
  2. Two confidential letters of recommendation (at least one of which should ideally be from a faculty member in the department of the applicant's major).
  3. An essay of no more than three (3) typewritten, double-spaced pages on one of this year's set questions. These topics are intended to test skills in analysis, logic, and written expression. The essays should be thought pieces, not research papers. Applicants should submit an essay related to the available assignment in which they are most interested, although the James C. Gaither Junior Fellow Program may ultimately select an applicant for a program outside their designated primary interest or make an assignment to more than one program. This year's essay topics can be found in the official application materials via the link provided above.
  4. Transcripts: Unofficial Cornell College transcripts suffice for this application.  An unofficial transcript is also required from any other institution attended for post-secondary studies.

Interested Cornell applicants, after doing some research of their own, may refer questions to Krista Saleet (meetings by appointment). 

Special Eligibility Requirements:

Eligible are graduating seniors and alumni who have graduated from Cornell within the past academic year. Individuals who have begun graduate studies are not eligible (except in cases of joint bachelor's/master's degrees).

Candidates must have completed a significant amount of coursework related to their discipline of interest and have achieved a high academic standard.

Each year some project assignments have specific requirements, for language or other coursework; please read the official application materials carefully, including the last page, to determine if you meet the program requirements.

There are no citizenship requirements; however, all applicants must be eligible to work in the United States for the duration of the fellowship (for example with OPT).

NOTE: The Carnegie Endowment does not accept direct applications for this program. Only students nominated by participating universities can be considered. Applicants should complete the endorsement application for the Cornell campus endorsement process. Students who are selected as nominees will be invited to submit their official application. Details will be provided at the time of nomination.

Selection decisions (both on campus and at the national level) are based on the following criteria:

  • Academic record: a high GPA (generally 3.7 or above) is expected with coursework in international relations, government, history, economics, sociology or anthropology, or Russian studies.
  • Commitment to a career in international affairs: internships, research, and related employment strengthen a student’s application.
  • Two letters of recommendation: at least one should be from a professor in the student’s major.

Restrictions to Use of Award:

This Fellowship is not deferable.

Contact Information:

For questions about this application, please contact Krista Saleet at ks2334@cornell.edu.