WHAT IS A FELLOWSHIP ALL ABOUT?

Simply put, a Fellowship is an optional, additional component that complements a TTN travel program. It consists of:

1. Pre-program reading/viewing assignments, 
2. on-program engagement, and 
3. a post-program final project

The final project is due after you return from your program and have time to compose your thoughts. It is the primary focus of the Fellowship, and takes the form of an essay for Honors Fellows or a creative project for Arts & Letters Fellows.

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DOES IT COST TO BE A TTN FELLOW?

The standard Fellowship Fee is $500 and it covers the expense of the custom curriculum in your area of concentration, any awards earned upon completion of your Fellowship, and a detailed final project review by the Fellowship Committee (if desired). 

Think of it like paying a lab fee for a college class, or paying for a textbook to complete an academic course in school. We have built a quality curriculum for our Fellowships and the cost reflects that quality and time investment of our specialists.

As a reminder, applying for a Fellowship is free of charge.

*The Fellowship Fee has been waived for students participating in 2023.

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IS THE FEE REFUNDABLE?

No. We are unable to issue refunds for paid Fellowship fees.

If you are accepted into the Fellowship and pay the fee but later decide to drop out of the Fellowship or do not complete a final project, you will not receive a refund.

*The Fellowship Fee has been waived for students participating in 2023.

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WHY IS IT CALLED A “FELLOWSHIP”?

“Fellowship” is a term used by many academic and creative institutions for their intensive curriculum and project-based initiatives for high-achieving, motivated students–just like we are doing! 

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WILL I BE MISSING OUT IF I DON’T WANT TO BE A FELLOW, AND JUST WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE REGULAR PROGRAM?

Not at all.

While a Fellowship is a great way to deepen and broaden your experience, it is fully optional. Foregoing a Fellowship will not cause you to lose out on any portion of the regular TTN experience–there is plenty to be learned just through exploring!

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WHAT HAPPENS ONCE A STUDENT IS ACCEPTED TO PARTICIPATE AS A FELLOW?

Step 1: After applying, keep on the lookout for an email from our Fellowships Committee welcoming you and giving next steps. 

Step 2: The student will need to pay the $500 Fellowship Fee*, in addition to their standard program tuition, to participate.

Step 3: Accepted Fellows will be sent their specific Fellowship’s curriculum packet so they can start working on their optional pre-departure assignments.

Please note that accepted Fellows must complete their payment no later than one week before the start of their TTN travel program this summer. Fellows who do not do so by t will not be able to participate. 

*The Fellowship Fee has been waived for students participating in 2023.

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DO I HAVE TO GO ON A TTN PROGRAM TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FELLOWSHIP?

Yes. A student must be enrolled (applied & accepted) in a TTN travel program this summer in order to become a Fellow.

Not quite ready to pull the trigger? Students are free to apply for a Fellowship before enrolling in a TTN program, to see if they would be accepted into the Fellowship prior to making the decision to enroll. Please just note this in your Fellowship application when applying.

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WHAT WILL I GET OUT OF THE FELLOWSHIP EXPERIENCE?

From a learning standpoint​, you will get out of it what you put in. If you truly push yourself to learn as much as possible and complete a thoughtful final project, you can get an immense reward from the experience.

Upon completion of your final Fellowship project, you will also have a work to be proud of–a polished final project (essay, short film, etc.) that you can then use for college applications, portfolios or resume builders.​

And let’s not forget the swag: each TTN Fellow will receive a Certificate of Achievement, a custom pin and the title of Arts & Letters Fellow or Honors Fellow. You can also request a letter of recommendation from our Executive Director.

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DO I NEED TO COMPLETE ALL THE ASSIGNED PRE-PROGRAM MATERIAL?

Nope! All pre-program assignments are for context-building and learning more about your subject matter. We won’t be assessing your Fellowship participation based on pre-program prep. Pre-program work is totally optional.

Consider carving out a few hours to review the material and think about how some of the questions or themes they address can fit into your final submission. Those who complete it will be glad they did.

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DO I NEED TO BUY ANY EXTRA MATERIALS?

Certain Fellowship concentrations may suggest pre-program viewing or reading that requires website membership (ex. New York Times) or a streaming service (Netflix); however, each will also include at least one resource that is free to access. If you want to look through all of the pre-program materials but are not a subscriber, we recommend checking with your local library as they often have online access.

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WHAT IF I RUN INTO ISSUES OR HAVE QUESTIONS?

Don’t worry: we’re here for you! Feel free to email us at fellowships@teentravelnetwork.com if questions pop up along the way. Do keep in mind that this is a self-guided exercise in leadership, which means that you are expected to be largely self-sufficient when it comes to planning your project and adhering to deadlines. 

Our handy curriculum packet has everything you’ll need, including deadlines, prompts, materials and length requirements. 

If you have questions for the Fellowship Committee while you’re on your program, please save these until you return home. You can bounce ideas off of your program staff in the meantime (they’re great resources too!).

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WHAT DO I NEED TO DO WHILE ON MY PROGRAM?

In short, our on-program portion is meant to enhance your tool kit and any creative work completed on-program should not come at the expense of your regular program activities.

If you are an Honors Fellow, your on-program portion will be centered around fact-finding and critical thinking. We highly recommend you keep a journal throughout your experience and ask questions of experts and locals. Take advantage of your time on your program and use your findings in your final essay. 

For those who choose an Arts & Letters concentration, you will want to collect video footage (Videography concentration), take photos (Photography concentration) or jot down ideas (Creative Writing concentration) during your program. Remember to always ask permission before taking images of subjects, and check with staff if you’re not sure that the setting is appropriate. 

Please be aware that if you allow your Fellowship curriculum to interfere with your program experience or affect the planned program activities, you may be asked to hold off on Fellowship work until you complete your program. You must follow all staff instructions at all times.

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WHAT EQUIPMENT DO I NEED FOR A VIDEOGRAPHY OR PHOTOGRAPHY FELLOWSHIP?

It all depends! Some things to consider:

• Phones are not allowed for use on certain portions of the program; you may be limited in what you can collect footage-wise if you only bring your phone for this purpose.
• However, there will be times when phone images and video are fair game
• Be sure to ask staff permission first before any photo or video collection
• Depending on location, bringing larger equipment (cameras) may be difficult for  staff to support. We’ll be on the go, and with each hotel change comes the chance that you could accidentally leave behind expensive equipment. Something to consider

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HOW LONG WILL THE FINAL PROJECT TAKE ME?

The answer to this will vary from student to student; the final project will take the bulk of your time. 

Whether the student is crafting an essay about environmental conservation, writing a short story based on their experience, or compiling a photo portfolio, the final project largely depends on the student’s creativity, level of critical thinking and how much time and effort they want to put into it.

Specific guidelines can be found in your curriculum packets, but you can expect to spend between 5 and 10 hours on your project (or more!) Remember: quality over quantity!

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WHAT HAPPENS IF I MISS A DEADLINE?

Reach out to us! If you need an extension for your final project, let us know as soon as you know–we may not be able to accommodate it, but we’ll consider your request in extenuating circumstances. Communication is key! 

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WHAT HAPPENS IF A FELLOW HAS PAID THEIR FELLOWSHIP FEE BUT DOESN’T COMPLETE THE PROJECT?

The Fellowship is designed for students who do well in a self-guided environment. It is the student’s responsibility to meet deadlines and submit a final project that meets the standards outlined in their curriculum. We won’t chase students down for work not received. 

If a student makes a good faith effort to complete the final project by the deadline and submit quality work, they will receive all of their promised Fellowship Awards.

If the students miss deadlines or does not complete their project up to a satisfactory standard (ex. it is clear they didn’t try), they will be ineligible to receive said awards, as determined solely by the Fellowship Committee.