Apply for an Experiential Learning Scholarship

• Any UM undergraduate or graduate University of Montana student with a qualifying project. 
• An individual student or an individual within a group may apply, but no group applications will be accepted.
• Applicants must be in good academic standing (GPA of 2.0 or higher) and there must be no outstanding holds or debts on the applicant’s student account.

In addition, for Internship (low-paid* or unpaid) experiences:

• The internship must be connected to UM course credit. 
• The internship must be either low-paid or unpaid.* 
• Students must submit a Learning Agreement for their internship. 
• International students must have work authorization for the internship to be eligible.**

* A low-paid internship is defined as receiving less than minimum wage ($10.55/hour). 

** Work authorization for the internship must be retained from the International Students and Scholars (ISS) Office. 

• Research: Related to any field. Some examples include: examining the relationship between water quality and the lifespan of aquatic organisms; conducting a study to examine factors that lead to the development of chronic disorders; or designing a new piece of equipment. 
• Internship (low-paid or unpaid): A traditional internship, for credit that is connected to an academic department at UM, at an organization that offers the applicant career development and growth in the area of study they are interested in pursuing.  
• Service: Related to any field. Examples include: creating an education program to support your community; coordinating support for a group that is in need.  
• Professional Development: Related to any field. Examples include: Attending a local conference (no travel needed). Attending a local event that has a meaningful impact on your professional development. 
• Producing an Academic Creative Work: Must be related to an academic department on the UM campus. Some examples include: producing a video (fiction or non-fiction); creating a sculpture or other artistic work; creating a piece of literature.  
• Travel: Approvable requests include travel to present a research/creative project, intern, service or participate in professional development; travel to participate in National Student Exchange or Study Abroad; travel to participate in or present at conferences, etc.  

• All applications and accompanying materials must be submitted on the ELSF Application Portal. 
• Upload a one-page maximum (single-spaced, 12 pt., 1-inch margins) Scholarship Project/Experience Proposal document containing your plans for low-paid or unpaid internship, research or creative work, travel, service, study away, or participation in a professional development experience, etc. 
• Follow the rubric for your project/experience type. The rubric is what the committee uses to score each scholarship application: 
  • Research/Internship/Service/Professional Development 
  • Travel (Internship, Research, Professional Development, Conference attendance/presentation, NSE, Study Away) 
  • Creative Work (Video Production, creating a piece of literature, performance/production, etc.) 
• Budget Form: The budget form is now embedded in the online application, but you can preview it here in order to gather and organize your information before you begin your application. You will need to include projected costs for each component of your project/experience, along with the amounts that will be covered by other funding sources and the amounts you are requesting from the Experiential Learning Scholarship Fund. If you are selected for an award, be prepared to provide documentation related to how you estimated your project budget (ex., receipts, online estimates, etc.). 
• Ensure your faculty/staff mentor is prepared to complete a reference when they receive an email from us asking them to do so. We strongly recommend you communicate with your faculty mentor well in advance of the deadline so they are prepared to complete your reference prior to the deadline. 
• Complete all application questions 

Some general suggestions for students wanting to make their applications stronger are the following:

• Write a strong proposal that articulates a compelling link between the experiential learning opportunity and your current program of study/ future and career aspirations. We strongly recommend the UM Writing and Public Speaking Center for assistance with your proposal. 
• Use your proposal as a way to set yourself apart from your fellow applicants. Tell us what makes you unique, your personal challenges, experiences, dreams, accomplishments, etc. 
• Present a strong letter of recommendation from someone who knows you well and, ideally, is faculty/staff in your field of study at UM. 

Experiential Learning Scholarship recipients are selected by the ELS committee. The committee is composed of faculty, staff, undergraduate and graduate students. The committee uses the ELSF rubrics to score applicants. Find these rubrics in the Support and Resources section below.

Your recommendation should come from a UM faculty or staff who knows you well and is overseeing and mentoring your project/experience. They will confirm this in their endorsement. The faculty/staff member must be from the University of Montana.  

Once you enter your faculty/staff mentor’s contact information into your application form (do this early!), we will send them a recommendation request. We will ask them to provide an endorsement of the following: 

• Evaluation of the student and how this experience connects to your career plans, your ability to complete the project/experience, and the necessity/value of traveling or attending an event/conference. 
• Evaluation of the proposed project/experience, especially: (1) potential for student learning and (2) feasibility/likelihood of success, including a willingness to oversee and mentor the student. 
• Faculty/staff mentor role, serving as a faculty/staff mentor for the duration of the project. 
• Whether you understand and will be in compliance with IRB, IACUC, or other UM requirements for the Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research that may be applicable to the proposed project (for research projects). 

We strongly recommend that you communicate with your faculty/staff prior to applying to give the faculty mentor time to complete the recommendation. Your application will not be considered if your recommendation is not received by the deadline.  

Only one application will be accepted for each scholarship application cycle.  If an application is not selected during one cycle, students are encouraged to reapply during future cycles.

You may apply for this scholarship once per academic year. As long as you meet all of the requirements and have not already received this scholarship this year, you may submit another application. However, note that the committee will give a strong preference towards new applicants and new projects. If you have applied but have not been funded, we treat your application just as we would a brand new application. 

• You may apply for a scholarship of $100-$2,000. Award decisions will take into account project costs and other funding as outlined in the budget you submit with your application. 
• Scholarship funding will be disbursed to a student’s account after the student has been vetted by Business Services for any holds and through Financial Aid to determine how this funding will affect their financial aid package. 
• This funding counts towards the student’s financial aid eligibility and could disrupt their current financial aid package. Students who have a strong budget with receipts/documentation are able to share this with Financial Aid to possibly raise their financial aid threshold. If you have concerns regarding financial aid implications, please talk with Student Financial Services.  

Group applications will not be considered. The group must submit their applications as individuals, with separate materials for each applicant. Please indicate in your cover letter that you are working with other applicants. Funds are awarded based on individual application quality, which means certain group members may receive funding from ELSF while others do not. 

No. Given the number of applications we receive, extensions or late application materials will not be accepted. Prepare early to complete your application on time! Please note that your faculty/staff mentor’s recommendation form must also be received by the application deadline.