Summer Fellowships: Criteria
Students apply for the fellowship and must meet eligibility requirements and selection criteria for the application to be accepted.
Quality of the Job
The determination of the quality of the job is a function of the level of responsibility, the significance of the managerial opportunity, the chance for managerial development, the opportunity to work with senior management, and the commitment of the host organization to the Fellow and the summer position. The Committee is particularly interested in the degree to which the student will use skills gained during the MBA program. Unsupervised project work is unlikely to receive funding. The applicant should explain clearly in his or her application, to the extent possible, the specific activities that he or she will perform at the host organization.
Impact on the Host Organization and Community
The Committee considers the degree to which the proposed position provides benefits to the host organization and the broader community it serves.
Qualifications
The Committee will consider the student's commitment to the issues addressed by the host organization, qualifications for the position, and ongoing interest in social enterprise.
Length of Fellowship
To provide maximum benefit to the host organization as well as a meaningful learning experience for the student, sponsored Fellows should work full-time at the organization for between eight and twelve weeks. Fellowships under eight weeks are unlikely to receive funding. For students who are pursuing a split summer, the committee will need to understand the reasoning and see a coherent career approach for the summer. The maximum number of weeks for which HBS provides a financial award is twelve weeks.
Salary Requirements of the Host Organization
The Fellowship Committee regards financial support from the host organization as a very important sign of commitment to the applicant. The host organization is expected to pay a salary of $600-$1,000 per week. In the past, organizations without funding in their budget have approached board members, individual funders, or foundations for support.
If students are applying for the Social Enterprise Summer Fellowship and receiving less than $600 per week from the organization, please have the organization complete the additional information requested in the Financial Support form. Students should submit the form as part of their application, and this information will be reviewed carefully by the Selection Committee in the application decision process. Students who receive the fellowship will receive up to the weekly maximum per student (see details on Awards page).
