"Why do you need financial support"?

[Ideal Impulse]

Many of the fellowships I am looking at require a usually fairly short statement, one that's pretty similar to my statement of purpose. However, they want to know why you need financial support, and I'm not really sure what to say. I mean, I need it because I am still really in debt from my undergrad education (not to mention my post bac!), and because I'm really hoping to not have to work at my (unrelated) job throughout grad school. But what specifically are they looking for?

[rising_star]

Tell them something about needing the money so you can concentrate on your studies full-time.

[StrangeLight]

do you travel for research? if you work in the field, explain that you need to be relieved from teaching duties in order to conduct your research in another location.

in my experience, when fellowships ask for that information, they want to know how you plan to use their financing, not that you can't afford to pay for grad school yourself. so explain how the money would help you complete your research or grad studies.