We offer fellowships, assistantships, and scholarships to students of philanthropy.
Scholarship opportunities: Graduate students
Application-based scholarships
We recognize the challenges of working professionals pursuing an advanced degree. Leaving a job and moving to pursue a graduate degree full-time has left too many people with limited options to grow in their academic and professional careers.
In an effort to make our degree more accessible and inclusive of diverse backgrounds we have created the Access Scholarship for Working Professionals. The scholarship is open to working professionals, from outside of Indiana who pursue our degree part-time.
- Award is $1,500 per semester.
- Applicants must be classified as a non-resident for tuition paying purposes.
- Students must be enrolled in at least 6 credit hours per semester.
- Students must maintain enrollment in consecutive semesters (not including summer term) for scholarship renewal.
The Braun Scholarship will provide up to $5,000 for one academic year to undergraduate or master’s students majoring in philanthropic studies or philanthropic leadership.
The goal for the Braun Scholarship is to support Indiana residential students interested in careers in nonprofit sectors that are relevant to the arts, animal welfare, veteran services, or Catholic faith traditions.
The scholarship is open to students who are Indiana residents, not pursuing an online degree or certificate.
Students may apply for the fall semester and may reapply annually.
The goal of the Campbell Family Scholarship for Inclusive Philanthropy is to provide more opportunities for under-represented groups to assume leadership roles in philanthropy.
This scholarship is open to our online graduate certificate or master's students from traditionally underrepresented groups in higher education.
Students may apply for the fall, spring, or summer semesters. Students must reapply each semester.
- Indiana residents receive $500 per class
- Non-Indiana residents receive $1,500 per class
Deadlines:
- Fall – August 1
- Spring – December 15
- Summer – April 15
This award is for students in a philanthropic studies program (undergraduate or graduate, including Ph.D.). International students studying in Indianapolis are eligible to apply. Students must be in good academic standing.
The award is for the purchase of books required for philanthropic studies courses up to $300 per academic year.
Priority Deadlines:
• Spring Awards – January 17
• Summer Awards – May 1
• Fall Awards – August 1
Multiple donors to the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy have established a fund at the Indiana University Foundation to create an internship assistance fund for students enrolled in the undergrad or graduate programs at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.
These funds will be used to help defray the costs of internships for students, as well as to provide a resource for living expenses, especially when the internship is without pay.
Eligible students may apply at any time during the year as funds will be given on a rolling basis. Students may request support regardless of whether their internship is paid or unpaid, but preference will be given to internships that are unpaid and are not in the greater Indianapolis area.
The amount of funds paid to the recipient(s) will depend on the student need and the amount available in the fund. The committee will make every attempt to award an amount that is feasible for the student based on the opportunity at hand and the overall needs of every student applying.
Students interested in this opportunity will work directly with the department of academic programs at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.
Apply for internship assistanceThe Lilly Family School of Philanthropy Alumni Association Scholarship was established to help students complete their Master of Arts in Philanthropic Studies or Master of Public Affairs in Nonprofit Management Degrees.
Applicants must be a current student at IU Indianapolis or Indiana University Bloomington, pursing an M.A. in Philanthropic Studies or an M.P.A. with a concentration in nonprofit management.
This $1,000 scholarship is awarded each spring semester. The scholarship recipient will be chosen using the following criteria:
- Essay
- Academic, volunteer and/or professional achievement
- Financial need
Deadline to apply is November 1. All applicants will be notified of their status by December 1.
Apply now »Fellowships
We are excited to launch the ZFI (Zakat Foundation Institute) Muslim Philanthropy and Humanitarian Studies Fellowship. This one-year fellowship program requires you to take 18 graduate credits at Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy leading to a Graduate Certificate in Philanthropic Studies from Indiana University.
This competitive fellowship is designed for students admitted to the master of arts in philanthropic studies program with an interest in pursuing a career centered on conservation and environmental issues. We are interested in finding leaders who fundraise effectively, advocate passionately, and want to make a positive global impact. Preference will be given to applicants interested in staying in Indiana upon completion of the program.
Recipients will receive a scholarship equal to full tuition for the master’s degree. In addition, students will be offered a community-based graduate assistantship. Our graduate assistants are places in an organization, work 20 hours per week, and earn a stipend and health insurance.
Graduate assistantships
Graduate assistantships are awarded on a competitive basis to incoming students. Awardees receive health insurance and a stipend with a work requirement. Based on the competitiveness of your application, you may also receive tuition assistance.
Graduate Student Research Fund
The Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University seeks to support the research of its graduate students working on master's or doctoral thesis projects.
This fund will provide grants up to $1,000 per year to students enrolled in the Indiana University M.A. or M.P.A. programs in philanthropic studies and nonprofit management. Doctoral students enrolled in the Indiana University Ph.D. programs are eligible for up to $2,000 per year. Research projects of students with a minor in philanthropic studies or nonprofit management may be funded in exceptional cases, at the discretion of the director of research.
The fund is not intended to support student research work for courses or for purposes other than thesis or dissertation projects. Course projects in lieu of thesis or dissertation will not be funded. Research funds will only be granted for research proposals that have been approved by the student’s master's or doctoral research committee.
Applications are accepted twice per year – once during the fall semester (by November 15) and once during the spring semester (by April 15) and reviewed by Chelsea Clark, research project coordinator at the school.
To apply for support for thesis research through the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy Research Fund, please submit a cover letter including the following information:
- Name, contact information (including phone and email address)
- Title and brief description of the project (up to two pages), including contribution to the field, with appropriate citations and bibliography
- Anticipated dates and duration of the project; and
- Budget summary and total amount requested. Include a breakout of various expenses with a narrative description of needs and uses of the funds, in addition to other support applied for (if applicable). Funds may be used for postage, travel for data collection, research supplies, transcription costs, and other direct research expenses.
In addition, applications for research funds must be accompanied by a letter of support from the student’s advisor or committee chair. Proposals lacking this letter will not be considered for funding.
Send proposals and letters of support to:
Chelsea Clark
Research Project Coordinator
University Hall, Suite 3000
301 University Blvd.
Indianapolis, IN 46202-5146
chelphil@iu.edu
“The ability to continue my education as the first in my family to obtain a four year and advanced degree has been one of the greatest achievements. Through the generosity of others, I was gifted the privilege to learn without the burden of cost. Receiving the Hearst Fellowship at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, not only afforded me an environment to learn but an ecosystem to thrive. Through my graduate assistantship, I discovered the city of Indianapolis and formed lifelong relationships with colleagues. As a part of the LFSOP community, I formed even more relationships volunteering at events such as the Women’s Retreat and attending a multitude of networking events with alumni. It is with utmost gratitude I continue my career in nonprofit sector paying the same generosity forward.”
—Milan Ball, M.A. student