Fellowships can help students and recent graduates gain hands-on experience in international affairs and bolster their résumés for their desired career paths. In this episode of Big World, Chris Swanson, associate director of the Office of Merit Awards at American University, shares his expertise about landing a top fellowship in international affairs.

Swanson discusses the landscape of major international fellowships and scholarships available to students as well as the benefits of applying for them (1:13). He shares when undergraduate and graduate students should start looking into applying for such programs (5:13), and he explains what kinds of experiences students should pursue to stand out from the rest of the applicant pool (8:19).

Are there any skills that students can acquire through their coursework at SIS that can help them prepare a competitive application (14:43)? What are the common mistakes students make when applying for fellowships (18:05)? Swanson answers these questions and shares his personal experience of applying for—and receiving—a Fulbright grant as a graduate student (20:04).

During our “Take Five” segment, Swanson gives five insights into applying for fellowships in international affairs that would surprise most students (10:45).