Thomas J. Watson Fellowship

Projects should involve travel to places where you have not lived or studied for a significant length of time (more than 4 weeks). Exceptions include places you traveled as a young child and have no memory, and "vast land" countries such as Brazil, if your study was, for example, in Sao Paulo and you seek to study in the State of Amazonas.

Yes, but you may not return to your home country.

If you are awarded a fellowship and discover compelling reasons to alter your project scope, you may propose changes to the program office.

Yes, though we require notification (not permission) for major changes. Changes must be true to the essence and focus of the project.

The Watson is a year on. It is a chance to synthesize ideas, organic to your own interests, on a world scale. The Foundation is investing in you as a leader, an investment that provides a lifetime of compounded interest in the form of perspective, confidence and insight.

We 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.

There are no vacation periods but it is expected that fellows will want to take a break from their project and will do so in the region they are exploring. Your family or a friend may visit for up to two weeks. We do not permit travel for graduate school interviews.

All fellows are automatically enrolled in international travel medical insurance provided by the foundation.

The program provides reasonable accommodations to ensure that all nominees can participate in the fellowship’s application and interview process, and all fellows can participate in the fellowship’s programming. If a nominee or fellow requires an accommodation because of a disability, medical condition or religious practice, an interactive process will be initiated between the nominee or fellow, and the Watson staff, with the goal of determining a reasonable accommodation. Reasonable accommodations are determined on an individual basis and do not impact fellowship selection. Supporting documentation may be requested to inform the interactive process.

Yes, but you can spread the taxes over two years by taking the stipend in two installments.