Office of Fellowships Watson Overview

Who is eligible?

Applicants:

• may be from any country or academic discipline
• must be seniors
• have strong academic standing (but there is no GPA minimum)
• possess qualities such as passion, vision, intention, independence, resourcefulness, courage, leadership, responsibility; and emotional maturity. 

What are the Watson selection criteria?

Watson selects on the basis of person, project, and fit. Read about how Watson defines these qualifications.

Does this application require endorsement by the college?

Yes. The Watson Foundation invites all participating institutions to endorse four applicants each year. All AC applications will be reviewed by the Faculty Committee on Student Fellowships and some or all will be interviewed. Following this review, all applicants will be notified of the endorsement decision. Endorsed candidates will revise their applications before final submission to Watson. 

How can I use Watson funds?

Awardees receive a 12-month stipend of up to $40,000, meant to cover living and project expenses and travel to and from the U.S. or other country of origin. Up to $1,000 of the stipend may be used toward the purchase of “capital equipment” necessary to the project. Keep this budget in mind when planning your itinerary; it cannot be supplemented with private funds. Unused funds are returned to the foundation at the end of the year. Additional support includes health insurance reimbursement (up to $500), domestic travel funds to attend the returning fellows conference, enrollment in comprehensive travel and risk management services, and student loan (institutional and federally guaranteed) assistance program for qualified applicants for the year of the project.

Watson also will reimburse the equivalent of 12-months of payments on outstanding institutional and federally guaranteed (Perkins, Stafford) loans. The fellow is responsible for making the payments.

Are there any award stipulations?

Grantees must not return to the United States or their home country during the year, and must follow Watson guidelines regarding countries and regions within countries where travel is considered dangerous. Generally speaking, travel to countries with Level 3 or 4 status is prohibited. Applicants should check individual country pages on the U.S. State Department website, as well as the Treasury Embargo, and CDC Level 3 list. 

Deferrals are not an option.

Who from Amherst has won this award?

Since 2016, many Amherst students have been selected as Watson Fellows. As you think about your own candidacy, read applications from some of our recent winners. They are Alexander DelFranco '24, Adebola Clinton Oshipitan '22, Teodosii Ruskov '22, Eniola Ajao '21, Margot Lurie '21, Patrick Frenett '19, Mohammed Ramy '18, Sheila Chukwulozie '17E, Tomal Hossain '17, JinJin Xu '17, Aleksandra Burshteyn ’16, and Benjamin Walker ’16. Amherst has had Watson winners nearly every year since the program was started.

What is Watson’s history and mission?

The Watson Foundation was founded in 1961 as a charitable trust in honor of Thomas J. Watson Sr. He is best known for building IBM, whose teams implemented the American social security system, guided the first human flight to the moon, and re-invented cancer treatment. In 1968, the Thomas J. Watson Fellowship was launched, offering college graduates of "unusual promise" a year of independent, purposeful exploration and travel in new international settings to foster their more humane and effective leadership in the world community. The Watson journey is a “solo” experience, to be lived independently but shared broadly with humanity.