Branner and Stump Traveling Fellowships

Submit the following using the application form:

• Proposal
  The fellowship proposal should describe the applicant’s intended line of inquiry and related travel plans. Submit the following as a single PDF file (no more than 10 pages total). Do not include your name on the proposal pages. The jury will review proposals anonymously.
  • Statement of Interest (1 page)
    The Statement of Interest should clearly articulate the applicant’s hypothesis/research objective and expected findings.
  • Research Methodology Statement (1 page)
    The Research Methodology Statement should provide a detailed explanation of the methods (including strategies for data collection and analysis) that will be used to answer the research question.
  • Description of Work Product(s) (1 page)
    Applicants are required to define the work product(s) of their proposed research, accompanied by a timeline for completing deliverables during or upon the conclusion of travel. The committee considers a compelling and realistic work product to be a primary criterion for awards. The work product will be presented at the Branner and Stump Travel Fellowship Exhibit in spring 2025.
  • Detailed Itinerary
    The Detailed Itinerary should include sites of study, accompanied by descriptions of their connection to the proposed research question and anticipated findings, as well as a defined timeline for how the applicant will accomplish these travels. The itinerary should be prefaced by a short description of methods used at the selected sites listed in the itinerary. Please keep in mind that France and Italy must be included in the itinerary to be considered for the Branner Fellowship.
  • Budget
    The Budget should outline the applicant’s best estimates for expenses required to successfully fulfill goals set forth in the proposal. Expenses may include, but are not limited to: ground transportation, airfare, lodging, food, visa, vaccines/immunizations, materials/supplies, admission to sites, educational development/special training, returning fellow’s exhibit materials etc.
  • Portfolio 
    Include representations of past or current CED work which conceptually exemplify the value of the proposed research initiative as well as skill in design.
• Current Transcript
  As a separate PDF file, submit a current transcript (unofficial transcript from CalCentral is acceptable). This document can have your name on it.

• To assist preparation for the Travel Fellowship Application, a faculty member of the Travel Fellowship Committee will lead a proposal writing and research methods workshop on Monday, November 18th from 1-2pm in room 370.
• Applications will be accepted for the 2025-26 Travel Fellowships beginning in late fall.
• Fellowships will be awarded for summer 2025 travel. Fellowship recipients have the option for additional travel during the 2025-26 winter break.
• Recipients of funds from the Branner Traveling Fellowship must include France and Italy in their travel itineraries.
• Students submit one application to be considered for both fellowships (Branner and Stump).
• The Traveling Fellowship Committee will fund however many proposals it determines meet the criteria for fellowship awards.
• Individual awards are typically between $15,000-$20,000.
• Fellowship recipients will accept responsibility for determining and managing their own budgets as proposed in their fellowship application.
• Travel to state department Level 4 (Do Not Travel) locations is not permitted. Travel to Level 3 (Reconsider Travel) locations is permitted on a case by case basis. The University considers this fellowship travel to be non-essential and you can find more information about UC Berkeley’s travel protocol here.

• Academic Abilities, Achievements
  The committee will look to the applicant’s GPA and completed courses to determine their current academic abilities and achievements. Serious research proposals should contain a well-articulated hypothesis and method.
• Demonstrated Professional and Design Skill
  The portfolio will be used to determine excellence in this criterion.
• Potential for Growth and Development from Travel
  The Statement of Interest, Itinerary, and Description of Work Product(s) will be used to judge seriousness, preparation, and intent relevant to the applicant’s proposed future work. The committee will favor articulate, inquisitive itineraries that demonstrate knowledge of the sites and a compelling relationship of the itinerary to the project.

Please note: Federal financial aid regulations require that all awards received by a student cannot exceed their financial aid need as determined by a congressional formula. It is possible, therefore, that the cash award for a Prize could reduce some component of a needy student’s package of financial aid awards. In these cases, the Financial Aid Office attempts first to reduce loan or work aid; fellowships, grants or scholarships are only reduced as a last resort. Regardless of your financial aid situation, the IRS views fellowships, grants or scholarships that are not directly applied to tuition or other educational expenses as taxable income.

All questions regarding the Travel Fellowships should be directed to cedprizes@berkeley.edu.

The John K. Branner Fellowship was established in 1969 for the purpose of maintaining and providing traveling fellowships to outstanding students of architecture at the College of Environmental Design at the University of California, Berkeley. Awards are made through the UC Berkeley Graduate Division. The fellowship fund is named for John Kennedy Branner, a prominent Bay Area architect of the early 20th century and the elder son of Stanford University’s second president, John Casper Branner. After completing his degree in architecture at Columbia University, Branner pursued travel and study in Europe, which he believed was formative to his development as a designer. Upon returning to San Francisco, Branner maintained a successful practice specializing in residential architectural design for 46 years. His principal works include Stanford Stadium, numerous residences in Hillsborough, Palo Alto, and Woodside, several fraternity houses at Stanford, and the Mein Estate in Woodside. Recipients of the Branner Fellowship must include France and Italy in their itineraries.

The Harold Stump Memorial Traveling Fellowship enables an outstanding architectural graduate to spend up to four months exploring significant architectural monuments in Europe and other parts of the world. The student is encouraged, through independent travel, to achieve a greater understanding and appreciation of the art and architecture that has influenced the architectural profession throughout history. The fellowship fund was established in 2016 by Lester Wertheimer (MArch 1952). The fund is named for Professor Harold Stump (BA Architecture 1926), who taught Wertheimer and encouraged him to apply for the Le Conte Memorial Fellowship, which he received while a student at CED. It permitted him to travel for one year visiting important historic and modern works of architecture and had a significant impact on his life and career in architecture.