Should I mention my external funding in my SoP?

[perfectionming]

Hi all,

 

I just successfully secured an external fellowship that funds my full Ph.D.. I personally feel that it is really an advantages, since some of the professors indeed implied to me once that if I had external funding, my chances would be much higher.

 

Therefore, I wish to make the admission committee aware of this, but meanwhile, I can't find a natural way of bring this thing up in my statement of purpose (SoP).

 

So here comes the questions:

 

1. Should I mention my fellowship in my SoP?

2. If so, what would be a natural way of doing so?

 

Thanks a lot in advance for the help!

 

Rakesh

[Dubblebubble898]

If you have any external funding, then that is always a plus. Definitely mention it! Usually they have a funding section, but if not put it in the SoP.

[perfectionming]

If you have any external funding, then that is always a plus. Definitely mention it! Usually they have a funding section, but if not put it in the SoP.

Thanks a lot for replying!

 

Yes, they do have a finance section, where I can say that. But as you said, it is a plus, so I wish to also mention it in SoP. But I can't find a way of naturally mentioning it. haha 

[TakeruK]

I also don't think the SOP is the right place to put this information.

[MathCat]

I would worry about coming across as bragging about it by putting it in the SoP. That can really hurt an application. I would just put it in the financial section.

[juilletmercredi]

Your statement of purpose is the place to brag.  That's where you want to convey that you are well-prepared for the program and that they really want to have you!  Bragging in the admissions process doesn't hurt, unless you do it in a way that's off-putting.  (And that's generally true in academia in general, btw.  You have to toot your own horn a bit; nobody else is going to toot it for you.)

 

I think putting the fellowship in the finances section of your application is fine by itself.  But if you want to put it in the statement, I would put it in the paragraph in which you describe your current research interests.  You can add a short line like, "I was recently awarded the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship for my proposal to study the role of oxytocin in mother-infant bonding" or whatever.

[perfectionming]

I also don't think the SOP is the right place to put this information.

Yeah, I also feel it is a bit bragging.

[perfectionming]

Your statement of purpose is the place to brag.  That's where you want to convey that you are well-prepared for the program and that they really want to have you!  Bragging in the admissions process doesn't hurt, unless you do it in a way that's off-putting.  (And that's generally true in academia in general, btw.  You have to toot your own horn a bit; nobody else is going to toot it for you.)

 

I think putting the fellowship in the finances section of your application is fine by itself.  But if you want to put it in the statement, I would put it in the paragraph in which you describe your current research interests.  You can add a short line like, "I was recently awarded the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship for my proposal to study the role of oxytocin in mother-infant bonding" or whatever.

Thanks, this is indeed a plausible way. I will see where this line can fit in.

 

I am thinking about writing something like,

 

"I secured a NSF fellowship for my PhD study with my determined goal. "