Questions about Eligibility

Who is selected for BOLD?

Detailed information about the eligibility requirements for BOLD can be found here. Applicants who are selected to become BOLD Scholars are those who have been able to convey their passion and personality through their application and interview. When completing your application, focus on answering the questions in a way that allows the selection committee to learn about who you are, why you are drawn to BOLD, and what motivates you to work on an issue of social good.

Does being selected as a BOLD Scholar affect my eligibility for other OUR awards?

You may not engage in your BOLD service leadership project and a SURF Award project or UConn Co-op Legacy Fellowship project or UConn IDEA Grant project concurrently. Support for project expenses through the BOLD Scholars program may impact your eligibility for OUR supply or travel award funding. Students considering applying to the BOLD Women’s Leadership Network and other OUR award programs should schedule an appointment with Emily R. Schwab (via email to emily.r.schwab@uconn.edu) to discuss their proposed project and individual circumstances.

I’m completing my degree requirements early or late compared to a standard 4-year bachelor’s degree timeline. Can I be a BOLD Scholar?

Yes.  Eligibility is determined by years left of study, not years completed. BOLD Scholars applying for Cohort 7 must plan to earn their bachelor’s degrees in May 2026 or August 2026 at the time of application. If you have questions about your eligibility given your graduation timeline, please contact Emily R. Schwab (emily.r.schwab@uconn.edu).

If I am selected as a BOLD Scholar, can I enroll in a summer course?

UConn offers a number of different summer sessions that vary in duration. We recommend that you pursue no more than 3 credits of coursework simultaneously with your service/leadership project. You may elect to schedule your project weeks so as not to overlap with weeks when you will be completing summer coursework, or you may elect to adjust your time commitment to your fellowship project during those weeks. Coursework and other summer commitments will be discussed with BOLD Scholars on an individual basis as part of their project planning activities.

Questions about the Service/Leadership Project

What is a service/leadership project?

A central component of the BOLD Scholars’ experience is engagement in a service/leadership project in the summer between their junior and senior years. BOLD funding – for student stipend and project expenses – will allow Scholars to focus on their summer projects rather than pursuing summer employment. Each Scholar will secure a mentor or faculty advisor for their project, which represents an opportunity to focus on creativity, innovation, original research, and/or service. The project should be personally meaningful, relevant, and engaging to the Scholar. While the project need not be tied to the Scholar’s major(s) or minor(s), it should be guided by the Scholar’s goals and future plans, with a focus on leadership or service experience. You can reference the BOLD Scholar Profiles for an idea of the types of projects BOLD Scholars pursue.

The project I’m imagining involves travel abroad. Is this possible through the BOLD program?

Yes, this is possible, within UConn policy parameters. Please be aware that engaging in projects abroad will require additional preparation and planning, and that various university policies apply. Learn more about preparing for an international project here. You will be expected to plan your summer travel dates to allow for participation in BOLD programming and events.

Questions about the Application

What information will I be asked to provide in the application?

You may reference the latest BOLD Cohort 7 Application Outline as a guide prior to our next round of BOLD applications opening in February 2025.

What is the deadline for the application?

The application for Cohort 7 was due March 8 at 11:59 pm. For Cohort 8 (those planning to graduate in 2027), applications will open in February 2025 and close in March 2025.

My recommender is unable to submit his or her recommendation by the application deadline – does this hurt my chances of being selected as a BOLD Scholar?

Applicants are encouraged to discuss the deadline with their recommenders; should your recommender have questions or concerns, please encourage them to reach out to Emily R. Schwab (emily.r.schwab@uconn.edu). Please note that you can submit your online application even if your recommender has not yet submitted the recommendation; see the Quest Portal User Tips page for further detail on the application portal.

I have questions about the BOLD program and/or application; is there someone I can speak with?

If you have questions about BOLD or the application process, please send them to Emily R. Schwab (emily.r.schwab@uconn.edu).