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AS&E Students
Arts and Sciences, Engineering, SMFA at Tufts
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Become a Writing Fellow

Applications for Writing Fellows are now open for the 2026-2027 academic year! The deadline to apply is Sunday, February 8, 2026 at 11:59pm. 

What Is a Writing Fellow?

Writing Fellows are Tufts' undergraduate peer writing tutors. They are assigned to specific courses and work with the same 7-12 students on drafts for 2-3 writing assignments throughout the semester. Writing Fellows read drafts before meeting with students to discuss their paper, writing process, and goals, asking questions to help them refine their ideas and make decisions about revision. Our program emphasizes collaboration and process as crucial aspects of becoming a more engaged writer. Read more about the program or sign up on Tutor Finder to attend an info session. 

Info Sessions: 

  • Wednesday, January 21 at 12pm in Mayer Campus Center 203 
  • Monday, January 26 at 12pm in Mayer Campus Center 203 

Compensation and Time Commitment

Writing Fellows are paid $16 per hour with an automatic pay increase and opportunities for additional paid responsibilities after the first year. Hours vary and are flexible but are concentrated around paper deadlines; Writing Fellows are often busy around midterms and finals. Writing Fellows should expect to work between 30-45 hours over the course of the semester, which includes individual appointments (15-25 hours), preparation (10-15 hours), and ongoing training meetings (5 hours).  

Who Can Apply?

First-year, sophomore, and junior undergraduates from any major (and undeclared students) can apply to be a Writing Fellow.  

You might want to apply if: 

  • You enjoy writing and language and want to grow as a writer and communicator yourself 
  • You enjoy reading other people's papers and are excited about the opportunity to work with your peers on their writing 
  • You understand the challenges and difficulties of writing, have struggled yourself, and want to support others 
  • You are willing to learn more about and commit to an inclusive practice of writing tutoring  
  • You are a good listener who enjoys hearing others’ stories, having meaningful conversations, and understanding how other people learn and express themselves 
  • You are excited to join a community of writers with these shared interests 

You can expect to develop the following knowledge and skills as a Writing Fellow: 

  • Gain a deeper understanding and/or new knowledge of academic writing at the college level 
  • Gain introductory knowledge to theories of tutoring and learning 
  • Learn and employ tutoring skills and strategies 
  • Recognize institutional and structural barriers that impact a student’s educational experience 
  • Develop your own tutoring approach 
  • Develop an understanding of your learning process and how it might differ from others 
  • Practice transferrable career skills including but not limited to time management, mentorship, and interpersonal communication 

Training and Ex-College Course

Writing Fellows participate in a series of training and educational opportunities in preparation for their first appointments and throughout their time in the program. New Writing Fellows hired for the 2026-2027 academic year must be available to participate in: 

  • New Writing Fellows Orientation 2026: Wednesday, September 2 - Saturday, September 5 
  • Fall 2026 Writing Fellows Seminar (Ex-College Course, 3 credits, graded P/F): Thursdays, 4:30pm - 7:00pm 
  • Ongoing training meetings: select Wednesdays 12:00pm-1:00pm (dates TBD; some flexibility) 

The new Writing Fellows Orientation provides a solid foundation and general overview of the program in preparation for working with faculty and students within the first few weeks of the semester. It also provides opportunities to build community and present writing workshops to incoming first-year students. 

The Writing Fellows Seminar is a pedagogy seminar focused on the history, theory, and practice of writing tutoring at the college level. Together we will read and discuss scholarship, engage in reflective and analytical writing, and practice hands-on activities to apply theoretical concepts and develop as writing tutors. By the end of the seminar, you will be able to discuss prevailing theories and create your own tutoring philosophy. 

To further these learning experiences, new Writing Fellows will be matched with experienced mentors to support and deepen their understanding of the Writing Fellow experience throughout the first year of fellowing. 

What Is the Program's Commitment to Inclusive Excellence?

The Writing Fellows Program commits to inclusion through our hiring practices and approach to writing support. We actively encourage applicants from underrepresented groups and strive to retain Writing Fellows through leadership and community-building opportunities. Our community values diversity in all forms, including race, gender, disability, nationality, and language, and we support students' rights to their own language.  

How to Apply

To apply, compile the following application materials into a single document, add page numbers, and save it as a PDF titled with your last name and WFapp (for example: SmithWFapp.pdf). You will also need to download your unofficial transcript from SIS. Then go to the application portal to upload your materials and answer a few additional questions.  

Application Materials (compile into a single document, save as a PDF, and submit it here. 

1. Résumé (or list of current and past employment, experiences, and activities) 

2. Explanation of writing sample: a paragraph about your writing sample, including what class it was written for, a general description of the prompt, why you chose this sample to represent your academic writing, and your process of writing and revising it. 

3. Writing sample: Approximately 6-10 pages (double-spaced) of college-level academic writing from any discipline. Your sample can consist of one longer paper or two shorter papers, and it's okay to be slightly under or over the page count. Please do not submit personal essays, fiction, or poetry, as Writing Fellows primarily work with academic nonfiction. If sources are used, include a works cited page even if it was not required for the original assignment. We strongly encourage you to choose a paper you've written in college, but if you must submit a high school paper, please revise it, if necessary, to reflect your current level of analysis and critical thinking.  

4. Writing Fellows extended analogy: Write a 1-2 page (double-spaced) analogy that compares a Writing Fellow to someone or something you think a Writing Fellow is most like. Choose a comparison that accurately reflects what you feel are the most important qualities or responsibilities of a Writing Fellow. Your analogy can be as straightforward or as unusual as you like, but use it to reveal your curiosity, creativity, and insight into the role of the Writing Fellow. 

Note: you must be in good standing with the university (not on academic or disciplinary probation or higher) to be hired as a Writing Fellow. You must also be an enrolled Tufts student who will be taking classes on the Medford campus (i.e., not studying abroad or on leave) in the fall semester be eligible. 

 

FAQs

  • Of course! Students from any major can apply to be a Writing Fellow. Every academic discipline involves writing at some level, and we work with classes in many disciplines. If you are interested in writing and not sure how your discipline approaches writing, now is a great time to find out! 

  • Don't stress! You can either take this as an opportunity to create a resume (the Career Center can help), or simply write your name and contact info at the top of a document, followed by a list of current and past paid employment, volunteer work, and/or co-curricular activities, including dates you were active with each position. 

  • Generally speaking, we are looking for academic writing with a clear focus and organization and thoughtful analysis of course texts and/or researched sources. We value written voice, creativity, critical thinking, and analytical depth. 

  • Please be patient with us; our team is small, and we receive many applications. Some applicants will be invited to interview throughout February-March, and final decisions will be made by April 15. Please do not contact us to inquire about the status of your application unless you need to withdraw your application or if you have received an offer with conflicting training dates. 

  • Writing Fellows Orientation is a required and necessary part of NEW Writing Fellows training. Due to the intensive nature of the training period and scheduling conflicts with other programs, new Writing Fellows cannot participate in other programs that have mandatory training or programing between Wed, Sept 2 – Sat, Sept 5. This may include but is not limited to Orientation Coordinators, Resident Assistants, TWO Pre-O Leaders, Explorations Leaders, Career Fellows, and Identity Center Interns. If you plan to participate in one of these programs, please consult their website or inquire with them about their training/programming dates to see if they conflict. If you are accepted as a Writing Fellow, you can do these activities after your first year as a Writing Fellow with no conflicts, as the orientation training is only required once.  

      

    You are welcome to *apply* to programs with conflicting dates. If you are accepted to a conflicting program and that program is your first choice, please email us to withdraw your Writing Fellows application. If you are accepted to a conflicting program but Writing Fellows is your first choice, you may contact us for more information.  

  • The Ex-College course is a 3-credit course with significant reading, writing, and outside work. It is also intended as a placeholder to help students adjust to the unusual time-commitment demands of being a Writing Fellow. For these reasons, we do not support a course overload. 

  • If you are going abroad in the fall semester, please do not apply to be a Writing Fellow at the same time; instead, wait until the following year to apply. After you become a Writing Fellow and complete the fall training and course, you may take a leave from Writing Fellows for any reason, including to study abroad.