fellow, by origin a partner or associate, hence a companion, comrade, or mate. The Old English féolage meant “a partner in a business.” The word was, therefore, the natural equivalent for socius, a member of the foundation of an incorporated college, such as Eton, or a college at a university.
In the earlier history of universities, both the junior and senior members of a college were known as “scholars,” but later “scholar” was restricted to those members of the foundation still in statu pupillari (not having attained a master’s degree).
“Fellow” was reserved for those senior graduate members who had been elected to the foundation by the corporate body, sharing in the government and receiving a fixed emolument out of the revenues of the college, as at Oxford and Cambridge. In modern academic usage the term is generally applied to the members of the governing body or to holders of certain stipendiary positions called fellowships established for a fixed number of years and devoted to special study or research. The word is also used to designate privileged members of various learned societies and institutions.
In the United States the word first appeared in the 1650 charter of Harvard University which provided for five fellows among the officials of the governing body. However, in common usage the term "fellow" is applied in U.S. colleges and universities to selected students who have been awarded stipends for a year or more for graduate or postgraduate study. The selection of fellows is based mainly on intellectual and personal attributes, but financial need also may be considered.