Many students apply for everything that looks funded. Knowing the difference helps you write the right application and understand what you are signing up for.
Scholarship
A scholarship normally funds your education — tuition, living costs or both — and is usually tied to admission to a degree program. You are a student, and the selection focuses on academic merit, potential and sometimes need.
Fellowship
A fellowship funds study, research or professional development, often with more independence. Postdoctoral and policy fellowships usually expect you to propose your own project and build your career, not just complete a course.
Vacancy (position or job)
A vacancy is employment: salaried PhD positions in Europe, postdocs, research assistant and graduate trainee roles. You apply like a job — CV, cover letter, references — and you get a contract with an employer’s rights and duties.
Why it matters
- Your application style changes: a motivation letter for a scholarship, a research proposal for a fellowship, a job-style cover letter for a vacancy
- Tax, social security and visa status can differ between a stipend and a salary
- Deadlines work differently — vacancies often close as soon as a good candidate is found
On ScholarsChapter every listing is labelled by type, so you can filter for exactly what you need.
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