Particular types of overseas fellowships can be distinguished based on the specific intentions of the funding. In some cases, overseas fellowships are open only to members of a particular gender, race, culture, ethnic, or religious group. In other cases, they may be field-specific and established in order to promote specific research goals. Many overseas fellowships are also designed with the intention of fostering good relations between nations and their citizens. Overseas fellowships can be established by universities or research facilities, by governments, or through private or corporate donations.
Overseas fellowships designed specifically to help fund the studies of members of particular groups often target groups that have been underrepresented in higher education generally, or within a particular field. Group-specific fellowships can also be founded with the intention of equipping people with skills that could help them to promote their groups' interests. For example, an evangelical Christian organization might provide fellowships to students who wish to apply their skills after graduation to missionary work.
There are also fellowships set up to encourage research in certain areas. A university department or a research facility might offer fellowships to attract the best and brightest. Companies frequently provide fellowships as part of an image-management campaign or simply to make an investment in the education of future employees or the general advancement of their fields.
Fellowships can also be founded, usually by private organizations or wealthy individuals, to honor someone. This kind of fellowship usually has some relation to a special interest of that person; for example, a fellowship in International Relations might be named after a beloved diplomat.
All types of overseas fellowships facilitate study abroad primarily through economic support. Overseas fellowships might provide complete or only partial funding of tuition fees. Some fellowships offer additional funding for living expenses or for travel to the host country, though this is not very common. Fellowships can also be called scholarships, but the term fellowship is more frequently associated with funding provided for postgraduate studies or research, whereas the word scholarship is applied commonly at the undergraduate level.
Unlike scholarships, fellowships rarely take into account the financial need or economic background of an applicant and instead focus more strictly on academic merit. There are overseas fellowships, however, that are restricted to applicants from economically less-developed countries. When considering the different types of overseas fellowships available, it is important to pay close attention to each fellowship´s objectives and eligibility requirements. People who focus their energies on researching and applying to those fellowships that best match their own backgrounds and interests have a much better chance of securing funding.
