fellowships for dissertation research

An official website of the United States government

Here's how you know

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS. A lock ( Lock Locked padlock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

NSF 101: Graduate and postdoctoral researcher funding opportunities

The U.S. National Science Foundation supports research opportunities and provides stipends for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows and scholars.

There are multiple ways to find these programs, including the funding search on NSF’s website and the NSF Education & Training Application , which is growing its list of opportunities for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars.

To help begin your search, opportunities for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers are listed below. The principal investigator, or PI (a researcher who oversees a project), is often listed on these grants, along with their graduate students or postdoctoral researchers.

Graduate Student 

While funding for graduate students is often included in a PI’s research proposal, the following opportunities are also available for early career researchers. 

• Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Awards/Grants (DDRI/DDRIG) These programs help fund doctoral research in a variety of fields to help provide for items not already available at the academic institution. The funding provided cannot be used for items such as, but not limited to, tuition, stipends, textbooks or journals. The monetary amount listed in each DDRI/ DDRIG section does not include indirect cost associated with the project. The doctoral student should be listed as a co-PI on the grants with their advisor listed as the primary PI.

Archaeology Program- DDRIG : This program supports doctoral laboratory and field research on archaeologically relevant topics, with the goal of increasing anthropologically focused understanding of the past. Awards provide funding up to $25,000 per awardee.  

Arctic Science Section DDRIG : The Arctic Sciences Section offers opportunities for DDRI proposals in the following programs: Arctic Social Sciences supports research in any field of social science. Arctic System Science supports projects that address the relationships among physical, chemical, biological, geological, ecological, social, cultural and/or economic processes to advance our understanding of the Arctic system. Arctic Observing Network supports projects focused on scientific and community-based- observations; development of in situ or remote sensors and automated systems; design and optimization of coordinated and scalable observation networks; and management of Arctic Observation Network data, data accessibility and data discovery. Awards provide funding up to $40,000 for a maximum of 3 years. 

Biological Anthropology Program- DDRIG : This program supports research on human and non-human primate adaptation, variation and evolution. Awards provide funding up to $25,000 for up to two years.  

Cultural Anthropology Program- DDRIG : This program supports research that is focused on cultural anthropology research, including topics such as: Sociocultural drivers of anthropogenic processes (i.e., deforestation, urbanization); resilience and robustness of sociocultural systems; scientific principles underlying altruism, conflict, cooperation, and variations in culture and behaviors; economy, culture migration and globalization; kinship and family norms. Awards provide funding for up to $25,000 for up to two years.  

Decision, Risk and Management Science DDRIG : This program supports research on decision, risk and management sciences. This includes research in the areas of judgement and decision making; decision analysis and decision aids, risk analysis; perception and communication; societal and public-policy decision making; and management science and organizational design. Awards are for a maximum of 12 months. 

Economics DDRIG :This program provides funding for research focused on improving the understanding of the U.S. and global economy from macroscale to microscale, including all field of economics such as macroeconomics, microeconomics, econometrics, economic theory, behavioral economics and empirical economics.  

Human-Environment and Geographical Sciences Program- DDRI : This program supports basic scientific research about the nature, causes and/or consequences of the spatial distribution of human activity and/or environmental processes across a range of scales. The program welcomes proposals for empirically grounded, theoretically engaged, and methodologically sophisticated, generalizable research in all sub-fields of geographical and spatial sciences. Awards may not exceed $20,000 in direct costs. 

Linguistics Program- DDRI : This program supports research on human language, including syntax, linguistic semantics and pragmatics, morphology, phonetics, and phonology of individual languages or in general. Awards provide up to $12,000 for a maximum of two years. 

Dynamic Language Infrastructure- DDRI : This program supports research on building dynamic language infrastructure, which includes describing languages; digitizing and preserving languages; and developing standards and databases for analyzing languages. Provides funding up to $15,000 for up to two years. 

Graduate Research Fellowship Program This fellowship supports full-time master's or doctoral students earning their degree in a research-based program focused on STEM or STEM education. Students are the primary submitter for the fellowship. Fellows will be awarded a $37,000 stipend and $12,000 cost-of-education allowance for three years of the five-year fellowship. For tips on applying, see our previous NSF 101 article on the fellowship program . 

Non-Academic Research Internships for Graduate Students (INTERN) Supplemental Funding Opportunity   This supplemental funding opportunity is for graduate students funded by active NSF grants. PIs may submit for up to an additional six months of funding to allow students to participate in research internship activities and training opportunities in non-academic settings, such as the following: for-profit industry research; start-up businesses; government agencies and national laboratories; museums, science centers, and other informal learning settings; policy think tanks; and non-profit institutions. Students must have completed at least one academic year of their program. This funding request may not exceed $55,000 per student for each six-month period. A student may only receive this opportunity twice. In addition to the general INTERN opportunity, there are two topic-specific INTERN opportunities: 

Non-Academic Research Internships for Graduate Students in Geothermal Energy Supplemental Funding Opportunity : This opportunity is provided by NSF in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. It maintains the same funding levels and requirements as the general INTERN program; however, funding may only be used for gaining knowledge, skills, training and experience in geothermal energy and technology.  

• Research Internships for Graduate Students at Air Force Research Laboratory Supplemental Funding Opportunity : This funding opportunity is for students supported on an active NSF grant to intern at a Air Force Research Laboratory facility. AFRL has several potential technology directorates available for students at locations across the U.S.: Aerospace Systems (Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio), Information (Rome, New York), Materials and Manufacturing (Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio), Directed Energy (Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico), Munitions (Eglin Air Force Base, Florida), Sensors (Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio), Space Vehicles (Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico), 711th Human Performance Wing Training (Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio). 

Mathematical Sciences Graduate Internship This summer internship is for doctoral students in mathematical sciences through a partnership between NSF and Oak Ridge Institute for Science and E ducation. It provides students who are interested in academic and non-academic careers with the opportunity to learn how advanced mathematics and statistical techniques can be applied to real-world problems. Participants in the internship will receive a stipend of $1,200 per week during the 10-week internship. In addition, there is travel reimbursement for up to $2,000 for those who live more than 50 miles away from their hosting site. 

NSF Research Traineeship Program Graduate students can apply for this traineeship through their institutions, if available. These topics can range across the scientific spectrum. Current projects can be found by state . 

Research Experiences for Graduate Students Supplemental Funding These awards provide additional funding for graduate students with mentors who have an active NSF grant. Currently funding is available through the following programs:  

Cultural Anthropology provides up to $6,000 per student for research activities. 

Human Environment and Geographical Sciences at Minority Serving Institutions and Community Colleges provides up to $7,000 per student for research activities. 

Postdoctoral Scholars 

Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowship This fellowship supports research investigating a field within astronomy or astrophysics for up to three years. The stipend is $75,000, with a fellowship allowance (i.e., expenses for conducting and publishing research, fringe benefits) of $35,000. 

Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences Postdoctoral Fellowship This fellowship supports postdoctoral fellows in atmospheric or geospace sciences. Atmospheric science includes topics such as atmospheric chemistry; climate and large-scale dynamics; paleoclimate climate; and physical and dynamic meteorology. Geospace science focuses on aeronomy, magnetospheric physics and solar terrestrial research. This fellowship provides up to 24 months of support. The stipend is $70,000 per year, with a fellowship allowance of $30,000.  

Earth Science Postdoctoral Fellowship This program supports the study of structure, composition and evolution, the life it supports and the processes that govern the formation and behavior of Earth’s materials. Researchers are supported for up to two years at the institution of their choice, including institutions abroad. The stipend is $65,000 per year, with a fellowship allowance of $25,000 per year.  

Mathematical and Physical Sciences Ascending Postdoctoral Research Fellowships

This program supports postdoctoral fellows performing impactful research while broadening the participation of members of groups that are historically excluded and currently underrepresented in mathematical and physical sciences. This fellowship can last between one and three years. The stipend is up to $70,000 per year, with a fellowship allowance of $30,000 per year. 

Mathematical Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowships This fellowship has two options:  

• The Research Fellowship provides full-time support for any 18 months within a three-year academic period.  
• The Research Instructorship provides a combination of full-time and half-time support over a period of three academic years, which allows the fellow to gain teaching experience. Both options receive up to $190,000 over the fellowship period. The full-time stipend is $5,833 per month and the part-time stipend is $2,917 per month. In addition, the fellow will receive $50,000 in two lump sums ($30,000 in the first year and $20,000 in the second year) for fellowship expenses.  

Ocean Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowships This fellowship supports research in topic areas such as: biological oceanography, chemical oceanography, physical oceanography, marine geology and geophysics, ocean science and technology. This two-year fellowship with a stipend of $67,800 for the first year and $70,000 for the second year, with a fellowship allowance of $15,000 per year.  

Office of Polar Programs Postdoctoral Research Fellowships This fellowship supports postdoctoral research in any field of Arctic or Antarctic science. This two-years fellowship, with a stipend of $67,800 for the first year and $70,000 for the second year, with fellowship expenses of $15,000 per year.  

Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology The Directorate of Biology offers a fellowship for postdoctoral researchers in one of three areas: 

• Broadening Participation of Groups Underrepresented in Biology. This area requires a research and training plan that is within the scope of the Directorate for Biology and that enhances diversity within the field.  
• Integrative Research Investigating the Rules of Life Governing Interaction between Genomes, Environment and Phenotypes. This area aims to understand higher-order structures and functions of biological systems. Research should use a combination of computational, observational, experimental or conceptual approaches. 
• Plant Genome Postdoctoral Research Fellowships. This area has a broad scope and supports postdoctoral training and research at the frontier of plant biology and of broad societal impact. Highly competitive proposals will describe interdisciplinary training and research on a genome wide scale. The fellowships are for 36 months and have a stipend of $60,000 per year, with a research and training allowance of $20,000 per year. 

SBE Postdoctoral Research Fellowships This fellowship supports postdoctoral research in the social, behavioral and economic sciences and/or activities that broaden the participation of underrepresented groups in these fields. Funding is up to two years and has two tracks available:  

• Fundamental Research in the SBE Sciences. This track supports research focused on human behavior, interaction, social and economic systems. 
• Broadening Participation in SBE Sciences. This track aims to increase the diversity of post-doctoral researchers in the social, behavioral and economic sciences. In addition to the research proposal, these applications should also answer the question: “How will this fellowship help broaden or inform efforts to broaden the participation of underrepresented groups in the United States?” The stipend for this program is $65,000 per year (paid in quarterly installments) and the research and training allowance is $15,000 per year. 

SBIR Innovative Postdoctoral Entrepreneurial Research Fellowship This fellowship supports postdoctoral researchers at start-up companies through the Small Business Innovation Research program. By recruiting, training, mentoring, matching and funding these early-career scientists, this fellowship addresses the need of doctoral-level expertise at small, high-tech businesses. The base stipend is $78,000 per year with optional individual health and life insurance, relocation assistance (company dependent), professional conference travel allowance, and professional development funds.  

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education Individual Postdoctoral Research Fellowship This fellowship is for postdoctoral researchers to enhance their research knowledge, skills, and practices of STEM education research. If the fellowship is granted, the fellow is expected to remain affiliated with the host organization and PI sponsoring them. The fellowship can last up to two years with an annual stipend of $70,000, with fellowship expenses of $15,000.  

Multilevel 

CyberCorps® Scholarship for Service This program is for students earning their associates, bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree in cybersecurity. A stipulation of the program is that the recipients must work after graduation in a cybersecurity mission of the federal, state, local or tribal government for an equal amount of time as the scholarship's duration. It will provide full tuition and fees plus a stipend of $27,000 per academic year for undergraduates and a stipend of $37,000 per academic year for graduate students, in addition to a professional allowance of $6,000 for all levels. 

NSF-NIST Interaction in Basic and Applied Scientific Research This supplemental funding request is for NSF-supported researchers to collaborate with researchers at a National Institute of Standards and Technology facility. It can be used for travel expenses and per diem associated with on-site work at NIST. It is available for NSF-supported PIs, co-PIs, postdoctoral scholars, graduate and undergraduate students and other personnel associated with the research. PIs should contact their NSF program director for their award before applying. 

This extensive list shows the ways in which NSF helps train the next generation of STEM researchers. If you are interested in learning more about any of these programs, reach out to contacts listed on the award webpages.  

If you are interested in awards for high school students, undergraduates and post-baccalaureate scholars, check out our previous NSF101 for more information! 

About the Author

Related stories.

NSF 101: The NSF brand identity

Exploring the science of the sun during the eclipse

Invention to Impact: The story of LASIK eye surgery

Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowships

This award opportunity is made available through the Ford Foundation Fellowships administered by the Fellowships Office .

Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowships provide one year of support for individuals working to complete a research-based, dissertation-required Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) or Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) degree that will prepare them for the pursuit of a career in academic teaching or research. Practice-oriented degree programs are not eligible for support. The fellowship is intended to support the final year of writing and defense of the dissertation.

Announcements

2023 Predoctoral, Dissertation, and Postdoctoral Fellowship Awardees and Honorable Mentions

Predoctoral, dissertation, and postdoctoral scholars have been awarded fellowships in the 2023 Ford Foundation Fellowships competition administered by the Fellowships Office.

• View the 127 Awardees for 2023
• View the 521 Honorable Mentions for 2023
• Load More...

Publications

No publications are associated with this project at this time.

No projects are underway at this time.

Description

Scope of the award.

Dissertation Fellowships provide one year of support for individuals working to complete a research-based, dissertation-required Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) or Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) degree that will prepare them for the pursuit of a career in academic teaching or research. Practice-oriented degree programs are not eligible for support. The fellowship is intended to support the final year of writing and defense of the dissertation.  

Award Details

Fellowships can be held at any fully accredited not for profit U.S. institution of higher education offering a Ph.D. or Sc.D. degree in an eligible discipline. A limited number of dissertation fellowships will be awarded for the 2024-2025 academic year and will include these benefits:

• One-year stipend: $28,000 
• An invitation to attend the 2024 Conference of Ford Fellows, a unique national conference of a select group of high-achieving scholars committed to diversifying the professoriate and using diversity as a resource for enriching the education of all students
• Access to Ford Fellow Regional Liaisons  (PDF, 132 KB) , a network of former Ford Fellows who have volunteered to provide mentoring and support to current Fellows
• Access to other networking and mentoring resources   
• Application deadline:  December 12, 2023 at 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time (EST) 
• Supplementary materials deadline: January 9, 2024 at 5:00 PM EST

Application and supplementary materials deadlines: The online application system will close promptly on the deadlines stated above. All required materials must be successfully submitted online by these deadlines in order for an application to be considered for review. Applicants should take the time zone into account if they or their letter writers will be submitting materials from a different time zone. It is strongly recommended that applicants and letter writers submit their materials well in advance of the deadline. Out of fairness to all applicants, we regret that we cannot consider requests for extensions for any circumstances for anyone (applicants or letter writers) who is unable to successfully submit their materials by the stated deadlines.

• Notification of 2024 awards: March 2024
• Expected fellowship tenure start date: June 1, 2024 (for 12 months) or September 1, 2024 (for 9 or 12 months)  

Eligibility

All applicants must:

• Confirm holding a previous Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship;
• U.S. citizen or U.S. national
• U.S. permanent resident (holder of a Permanent Resident Card)
• Individual granted deferred action status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program, 1 Indigenous individual exercising rights associated with the Jay Treaty of 1794, individual granted Temporary Protected Status, asylee, or refugee
• Demonstrate an intent to pursue a career that includes teaching and research at a U.S. institution of higher education; 
• Be enrolled in a research-based Ph.D. or Sc.D. program at a not for profit U.S. institution of higher education.
• Expect to complete the Ph.D. or Sc.D. degree in a period of 9-12 months during the 2024-2025 academic year; 2
• Have completed all departmental and institutional requirements for their degree, except for writing and defense of the dissertation by December 12, 2023;
• Upload a signed Verification of Doctoral Status Form  (PDF, 92 KB) by the January 9, 2023 Supplementary Materials deadline ;
• Provide evidence of superior academic achievement (such as grade point average, class rank, honors, or other designations); and
• Not have already earned a prior doctoral degree at any time, in any field.

Receipt of the fellowship award is conditioned upon each awardee providing satisfactory documentation that they meet all the eligibility requirements.  

Dissertation fellowship awards will not be made for work leading to terminal master’s degrees, the Ed.D. degree, the degrees of Doctor of Fine Arts (D.F.A.) or Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.), or professional degrees in such areas as medicine, law, and public health, or for study in joint degree programs such as the M.D./Ph.D., J.D./Ph.D., and M.F.A./Ph.D. This program does not support the Ph.D. portion of a joint/concurrent/articulated program.

[1] Eligibility includes individuals with current status under the DACA Program, as well as individuals whose status may have lapsed but who continue to meet all the USCIS guidelines for DACA. 

[2] Dissertation Fellows are expected to spend the majority of their time working on the writing and defense of the dissertation. Applicants enrolled in a program that requires an internship in addition to completion of a dissertation are not eligible for the Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowship if they plan to participate in a full-time paid or unpaid internship during the fellowship year . Applicants who undertake internships required for degree completion  after  completion of the dissertation are eligible to apply. On the Eligibility page of the online application, applicants should enter the date they expect to complete all requirements for the dissertation, and in the Proposed Plan essay, they should clarify, for the reviewers’ benefit, the timeline for their dissertation work during the fellowship year and the subsequent requirement for an internship.  

Conditions of the Fellowship

Dissertation Fellows are expected to be enrolled in a full-time program leading to a Ph.D. or Sc.D. degree in an eligible discipline. Dissertation awards are intended to support Fellows who will be spending the majority of their time writing and defending the dissertation during the fellowship year. Participation in full-time paid or unpaid internships or other paid activities, even if required for degree completion, should not be undertaken during the fellowship year.

Those who accept a dissertation fellowship must agree to the stipulations in the Terms of Appointment for Ford Foundation Fellows that accompany the award notification.  

How to Apply

Application process  .

The deadline for online application submissions is December 12, 2023 at 5 PM Eastern Standard Time (EST).

• To ensure a complete application, applicants should carefully follow the  Application Instructions  (PDF, 202 KB) .
• Applicants can also follow step-by-step instructions for navigating the online application (PDF, 435 KB) .
• Applicants will receive a confirmation e-mail once their application has been successfully submitted.  

Required Supplementary Materials

The deadline for the online submission of required supplementary materials is January 9, 2024 at 5 PM Eastern Standard Time (EST).

• Applicants will be able to upload transcripts and the  verification form  (PDF, 92 KB)   only after they have submitted the main portion of their online application . Letter writers will be able to upload letters as soon as they have received the notification link sent by the applicant up until the Supplementary Materials deadline.
• To ensure their application will be considered for review, applicants should carefully follow the instructions for required supplementary materials  (PDF, 168 KB) .
• Applicants may share the instructions for the expected content of letters  (PDF, 171 KB)  with their letter writers. These instructions will also be available to letter writers once they gain access to the online application. Applicants must send request notifications to their letter writers through the online application.
• Applicants will not be required to re-submit their application by the Supplementary Materials deadline. After the deadline has passed, applications will be checked for completeness to determine if they can be forwarded to the review panel.

All application materials become the property of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and will not be returned. Applicants should retain copies of all submitted application materials for their personal records.

APPLY NOW!  

Selection process.

Applications will be evaluated by review panels of distinguished scholars selected by the National Academies. The review panels will use all materials included in the application as the basis for determining the extent to which applicants meet the eligibility requirements and the selection criteria.  

Selection Criteria

The following will be considered in choosing successful applicants: 

• Evidence of superior academic achievement
• Degree of promise of continuing achievement as scholars and teachers 
• Capacity to respond in pedagogically productive ways to the learning needs of students from diverse backgrounds 
• Sustained personal engagement with communities that are underrepresented in the academy and an ability to bring this asset to learning, teaching, and scholarship at the college and university level 
• Likelihood of using the diversity of human experience as an educational resource in teaching and scholarship 
• If applicable, how experience as a member of an underrepresented group through discrimination, inspiration, resilience, etc. may inform participation in the fellowship
• Ford Foundation Fellowships
• Policy and Global Affairs
• Policy and Global Affairs - Fellowship Office

In Progress

Fellowship/Associateship Program

• Fellowships

Fellowships Office

(202) 334-2872

[email protected]

Responsible Staff Officers

• Elizabeth Prescott  

Additional Project Staff

• Leah Probst  
• Wendy Pastore  
• Blain Bekele  
• Melanie Suydam  
• Selam Araia  
• Yemi Tesfaye  

Cookie Notice

This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies.

American Fellowships

Funding:  $8,000–$50,000 Opens:  August 1 every year Deadline: November 15 every year EXTENDED Now Accepting Applications through November 30

The American Fellowship program began in 1888, a time when women were discouraged from pursuing an education. It is AAUW’s largest fellowship program and the oldest non-institutional source of graduate funding for women in the United States.  

AAUW American Fellowships support women scholars who are pursuing full-time study to complete dissertations, conducting postdoctoral research full time, or preparing research for publication for eight consecutive weeks. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Candidates are evaluated based on scholarly excellence; quality and originality of project design; and active commitment to helping women and girls through service in their communities, professions, or fields of research.  

Dissertation: The purpose of the American Dissertation Fellowship is to offset a scholar’s living expenses while they complete their dissertation. F ellows must use the award for the final year of writing the dissertation. Applicants must have completed all course work, passed all preliminary examinations, and received approval for their research proposals or plans by the preceding November. Students holding fellowships for writing a dissertation in the year prior to the AAUW fellowships year are not eligible. Open to applicants in all fields of study. Scholars engaged in science, technology, engineering , and math fields or those researching gender issues are especially encouraged to apply.  

Postdoctoral: The primary purpose of the American Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowship is to increase the number of women in tenure-track faculty positions and to promote equity for women in higher education. This fellowship ’s purpose is to assist the candidate in obtaining tenure and further promotions by enabling them to spend a year pursuing independent research. Tenured professors are not eligible. Open to applicants in all fields of study. Scholars engaged in science, technology, engineering , and math fields or those researching gender issues are especially encouraged to apply.  

Publication: The Short-Term Research Publication Grants provide support to scholars to prepare research manuscripts for publication. AAUW’s funding priority is for applicants whose work supports the vision of AAUW: to break through educational and economic barriers so that all women have a fair chance. Time must be available for eight consecutive weeks of final writing and editing in response to issues raised in critical reviews. These fellowships can be for both tenure-track and part-time faculty, and to new and established researchers. The purpose is to assist the candidate in obtaining tenure and other promotions. Tenured professors are not eligible. Open to applicants in all fields of study. Scholars engaged in science, technology, engineering , and math fields or those researching gender issues are especially encouraged to apply.  

Award Amount

Dissertation Fellowship: $25,000

Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowship: $50,000

Short-Term Research Publication Grant: $8,000

August 1, 2023 Application opens.

November 15, 2023, by 11:59 p.m. Pacific Standard Time Deadline for online submission of application, recommendations, and supporting documents.

April 15, 2024 Notification of decision emailed to all applicants. AAUW is not able to honor requests for earlier notification.

July 1, 2024–June 30, 2025 Fellowship year

When a date falls on a weekend or holiday, the date will be observed on the following business day.  

Eligibility

Applicants of all American Fellowships must meet the following criteria:  

• Members of the AAUW Board of Directors, committees, panels, task forces and staff, including current interns, are not eligible to apply for AAUW’s fellowships and grants. A person holding a current award is eligible for election or appointment to boards, committees, panels and task forces.  
• American Fellowship candidates must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.  
• Fellowships are open to women, including people who identify as women, in all fields of study at an accredited institution of higher education. AAUW will make final decisions about what constitutes eligible institutions.  
• Applicants may not apply for another AAUW national fellowship or grant in the same year.  
• Distance learning/online programs: Fellowships support traditional classroom-based courses of study at colleges or universities. This fellowship program does not provide funding for distance learning or online programs or for degrees heavily dependent on distance learning components. Final decisions about what constitutes distance learning under these fellowships will be made by AAUW. AAUW will accept applications from applicants who are temporarily studying remotely due to COVID-19 precautions at their institution.  
• American Fellowships are not open to previous recipients of any AAUW national fellowship or grant (not including branch or local awards or Community Action Grants).

A pplicants of Dissertation Fellowships must also meet the following criteria :  

• The American Dissertation Fellowship must be used for the final year of writing the dissertation. Applicants must have completed all coursework, passed all preliminary exams, and had the dissertation research proposal or plan approved by November 1, 2023 . The doctoral degree/dissertation must be completed between April 1 and June 30, 2025 . Degree conferral must be between April 1 and September 15, 2025 .  
• Dissertation Fellows are not required to study in the U.S.  
• Students already holding a fellowship or grant for the purpose of supporting their final year of writing or completing the dissertation the year before the fellowship year are not eligible to apply for the American Dissertation Fellowship.  
• The Dissertation Fellowship is intended for applicants who are completing their first doctoral degree.  
• Applicants may apply up to two times for a fellowship for the same dissertation project.  

A pplicants of Postdoctoral Fellowships must also meet the following criteria :  

• American Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowship applicants must hold a Ph.D., Ed.D., D.B.A., M.F.A., J.D., M.D., D.M.D., D.V.M., D.S.W., or M.P.H. at the time of application.  
• Tenured professors are not eligible.  

Applicants of Publication Grants must also meet the following criteria :  

• American Short-Term Research Publication Grant applicants must hold a Ph.D., Ed.D., D.B.A., M.F.A., J.D., M.D., D.M.D., D.V.M., D.S.W., or M.P.H. at the time of application.  
• Tenured professors are not eligible.
• American Short-Term Research Publication Grants are for tenure-track, part-time, and temporary faculty, as well as new and established researchers at universities. Scholars with strong publication records should seek funding elsewhere. Applicants must have time available for eight consecutive weeks of final manuscript preparation. While many recipients, especially full-time faculty members, will use the award s during the summer, recipients may use the funds at any time during the award year. Applicants must demonstrate that the support will result in a reduction of their ongoing work-related activities during the eight-week period .  
• American Short-Term Research Publication Grants are not for preliminary research. Activities undertaken during the grant period can include drafting, editing, or modifying manuscripts; replicating research components; responding to issues raised through critical review; and other initiatives to increase the likelihood of publication.  
• The grantee must be listed as the sole author, senior author, first author, or an author of equivalent significance.  

Selection Criteria and Application Review

The panel meets once a year to review applications for funding. Awards are based on the criteria outlined here. The panel’s recommendations are subject to final approval by AAUW. Fellowships are awarded on a competitive basis according to funds available in a given fiscal year.  

To ensure a fair review process, AAUW does not comment on the deliberations of the award panels. AAUW does not provide evaluations of applications. No provisions exist for reconsidering fellowship proposals.

Applications and supporting documents become the sole property of AAUW and will not be returned or held for another year.  

In selecting fellowship recipients, the following criteria will be considered:  

• Applicant’s scholarly excellence.  
• Quality of project design.  
• Originality of project.  
• Scholarly significance of project to the discipline.  
• Feasibility of project and proposed schedule.  
• Qualifications of applicant.  
• Applicant’s commitment to women’s issues in the profession/community.  
• Applicant’s mentoring of other women.  
• Applicant’s teaching experience.  
• Potential of applicant to make a significant contribution to the field.  
• Applicant is from an underrepresented racial/ethnic background.  
• Applicant will be in an underrepresented area of the country and/or type of university other than a top-level research institution during the award year.  
• Financial need.  

The primary criterion for fellowship awards is scholarly excellence. Applications are reviewed by distinguished scholars and should be prepared accordingly.  

American Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowship and American Short-Term Research Publication Grant: When comparing proposals of equal merit, the review panel will give special consideration to women holding junior academic appointments who are seeking research leave, women who have held the doctorate for at least three years, and women whose educational careers have been interrupted. Preference will also be given to projects that are not simply a revision of the applicant’s doctoral dissertation and applicants whose work supports the vision of AAUW: to break through educational and economic barriers so that all women have a fair chance.  

Regulations

American Fellowships funds are available for:  

• Educational expenses (American Dissertation Fellowship and American Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowship only).  
• Living expenses.  
• Dependent child care.  
• Travel to professional meetings, conferences, or seminars that does not exceed 10 percent of the fellowship total (American Dissertation Fellowship and American Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowship only).  

Additionally, American Short-Term Publication Grant funds are available for:  

• Clerical and technical support.  
• Research assistance related to verification (not basic research).  
• Office supplies, postage, copying and related expenses.  
• Journal fees.  

American Fellowships funds are not available for:  

• Purchase of equipment.  
• Indirect costs.  
• Research assistants.  
• Previous expenditures, deficits, or repayment of loans.  
• Publication costs (except for American Short-Term Publication Grants).  
• Institutional (overhead) costs.  
• Tuition for dependent’s education.  
• Tuition for coursework that is in addition to credits required for maintaining full-time status while completing a dissertation.  
• Extended field research (applicable to American Dissertation Fellowships only).  

Additionally, American Short-Term Research Publication Grants funds are not available for:  

• Salary increase.  
• Doctoral dissertation research or writing.  

AAUW regards the acceptance of a fellowship as a contract requiring fulfillment of the following terms:  

• All American Fellowship recipients are required to sign a contract as acceptance of the award. Retain these instructions as they will become part of the fellowship contract if the applicant is awarded a fellowship.  
• An AAUW American Fellow is expected to pursue their project full time during the funding period (July 1–June 30). No partial fellowships are awarded. Fellowships may not be deferred.  
• American Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellows and American Short-Term Research Publication Grantees cannot pursue a degree during the award period.  
• Any major changes in plans for the award year must have prior written approval from AAUW.  
• AAUW must be notified promptly of any change in the status of an application resulting from acceptance of another award.  
• Stipends are made payable to fellows, not to institutions.  
• The determination of whether there is a tax obligation associated with the receipt of an AAUW award is the sole responsibility of the applicant. Specific questions regarding income tax matters should be addressed with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, the applicant’s financial aid office or a personal tax adviser. AAUW cannot provide tax advice. AAUW is a nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) public charity founded for educational purposes.  

Required Components*

Start the application process by clicking the Apply Now button below to access the application and create an account through our vendor site. Complete all required components in the following tabs.  

• Recommendations: Standardized or form-letter recommendations are discouraged. AAUW does not accept references from dossier services such as Parment or Interfolio.
• Dissertation Fellowship applicants: Applicant must provide two recommendations from the applicant’s advisers, colleagues or others well acquainted with the applicant, their project and their teaching. One of the two recommendations must be from the applicant’s dissertation advisor.
• Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowship applicants: Provide two recommendations from the applicant’s advisers, colleagues or others well acquainted with their project or work.
• Short-Term Research Publication Grant applicants: Provide two recommendations from the applicant’s advisers, colleagues or others well acquainted with the applicant, their project/work and their teaching.
• Dissertation Fellowship applicants: Submit transcripts for all graduate work and courses listed in the application. Transcripts must show grades for coursework transferred in. If the transcript shows transfer courses and credits without grades, a transcript from the institution where the courses were taken is required. If you studied at an institution that does not require coursework or provide transcripts, an institutional letter stating that is required.
• Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowship and Short-Term Publication Grant applicants: Proof of degree: Submit transcript(s)** or original letter showing proof of a Ph.D., Ed.D., M.F.A., J.D., M.D., D.M.D., D.V.M., D.B.A., D.S.W., or M.P.H. degree.
• Dissertation Fellowship applicants: Dissertation certification form: Submit the form verifying the completion of all required coursework and qualifying examinations for the doctorate and approval of your dissertation research proposal (plan of research) signed by an institutional officer. No substitutions for this form will be accepted.
• Dissertation applicants: If you will conduct your project at an institution other than your own during the fellowship year, submit the form that indicates you have approval from the institution and the authority with whom the work will be done to conduct the research, laboratory or office space, and library privileges during the fellowship year. No substitutions for this form will be accepted. If you will conduct your project at your home institution, no project institution form is needed.
• Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowship and Short-Term Publication Grant applicants: Submit the form that indicates you have approval from the proposed institution and the authority with whom the work will be done to conduct the research and have institutional affiliation, laboratory or office space, and library privileges during the fellowship year. No substitutions for this form will be accepted.

*A certified English translation is required for all components provided in a foreign language. Translations must bear a mark of certification or official signature that the translation is true and complete.

**All transcripts provided must include the applicant’s full name, the school’s name, all courses and all grades, as well as any other information requested in in the application instructions.  

See More Fellowship and Grant Opportunities

For questions or technical support from ISTS, our technical consultant, please email [email protected] . Enter AAUW-AF if the website prompts you for a program key. We encourage applicants not to opt out of communications from ISTS, to ensure you receive important communications from AAUW.  

Meet a Recent American Fellow

Sarah Biscarra Dilley ’s research is focused on matrifocal and gender-expansive governance from northern villages of yak titʸu titʸu yak tiłhini to Mokupuni o Hawai‘i, rooted in shared land and kinship-based epistemology. Her written, visual and material practice is grounded in collaboration across experiences, peoples and place, connecting extractive industries, absent treaties and enclosure to emphasize movement, embodied protocol and possibility. Her aspirations are toward cultural resurgence and the return of land to her families’ stewardship.

Our Alumnae

Ayana Johnson

2010–11 American Fellow and marine biologist, policy expert and conservation strategist. She is the founder and CEO of Ocean Collectiv and founder of Urban Ocean Lab.

Melissa Harris-Perry

2001-02 AAUW American Fellow and Maya Angelou Presidential Chair at Wake Forest University, a columnist for the Nation, editor-at-large for ZORA, author of Sister Citizen: Shame, Stereotypes, and Black Women in America , and former host of The Melissa Harris-Perry Show on MSNBC.

Kimberly Ennico-Smith

1997-98 AAUW American Fellow and staff scientist with NASA who served as deputy project scientist for NASA’s New Horizons Mission, the historic project responsible for capturing unprecedented photos of Pluto.

Subscribe to our newsletter

You must enable JavaScript to sign up.

Dissertation Completion Fellowships

Dissertation completion fellowships provide advanced doctoral students in the humanities and social sciences with an academic year of support to write and complete their dissertation.

• Dissertation
• External Fellowships
• Instructions for Dissertation Completion Fellowships
• Fellowships from Harvard Research Centers
• Jens Aubrey Westengard Fund
• Research Fellowships
• Summer Fellowships
• Maximizing Your Degree
• Before You Arrive
• First Weeks at Harvard
• Harvard Speak
• Pre-Arrival Resources for New International Students
• Alumni Council
• Student Engagement
• Applying to Degree Programs
• Applying to the Visiting Students Program
• Admissions Policies
• Cost of Attendance
• Express Interest
• Commencement
• Diversity & Inclusion Fellows
• Student Affinity Groups
• Recruitment and Outreach
• Find Your Financial Aid Officer
• Funding and Aid
• Financial Wellness
• Consumer Information
• Life Sciences
• Policies (Student Handbook)
• Student Center
• Title IX and Gender Equity

Eligible students in the humanities and social sciences are guaranteed a dissertation completion fellowship (DCF) between the G4 and G7 years and must apply for the DCF in advance of the dissertation completion year.

Before applying, students should:

• review DCF opportunities offered by Harvard research centers (see below) and search the CARAT database for DCFs offered by non-Harvard agencies
• review dissertation completion fellowships policy
• follow the instructions for dissertation completion fellowships and apply by February 9, 2024, at 11:59 p.m.

Award description and confirmation typically occurs in early May.

While there is no guarantee of a DCF beyond the G7 year, requests will be considered upon recommendation of the faculty advisor.

Instructions for departments can be found on the instructions for dissertation completion fellowships page.

Harvard Research Centers

Other dissertation completion fellowships are available through the Harvard research centers.

• Charles Warren Center for Studies in American History Dissertation Completion Grants
• Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies Dissertation Completion Fellowships
• Edmond J. Safra Graduate Fellowships in Ethics
• Mahindra Humanities Center Mellon Interdisciplinary Dissertation Completion Fellowship
• Center for European Study Dissertation Completion Fellowship
• Radcliffe Dissertation Completion Fellowships
• Weatherhead Center for International Affairs Canada Program Dissertation Research and Writing Fellowships
• Weatherhead Center for International Affairs Dissertation-Writing Grants

External Dissertation Completion Fellowships 

Search the CARAT database for dissertation completion fellowships offered by non-Harvard agencies.​ Here are a couple of examples:

• American Association of University Women Dissertation Fellowship
• Charlotte W. Newcombe Fellowship

Please contact the Academic Programs office with any questions.

Fellowships & Writing Center

Academic programs, share this page, explore events, related news.

Notes From a Writer's Desk: The Genius of a Problem and Solution Framework

Imagine you are writing an article and there is a paragraph that just keeps getting longer and longer despite all your attempts to stop it. What would it look like to pause and think about the paragraph in terms of the problem and solution? 

Notes From a Writer's Desk: Finding Focus

Spring is in the air. The birds are chirping, the sun is out longer, and we’re getting more and more days of 50+ degree weather. For academics in the Northeast, this can be rejuvenating, but it can also be distracting.

Notes From a Writer's Desk: Demystifying the Dissertation Finish Line

As a doctoral candidate in your final year, you’re likely juggling various responsibilities—finishing the dissertation, navigating the job market, completing lab work, possibly teaching, and trying to maintain some semblance of a personal life. 

Notes From a Writer's Desk: Collecting Your Own Mid-Term Feedback

Just as teaching evaluations can help you to reflect on the choices you make in the classroom, a writing evaluation—conducted by you, for you—can help you to reflect on how you are organizing and spending your time. 

Stanford Humanities Today

Arcade: a digital salon.

Stanford Dissertation Fellowships

The Stanford Humanities Center and the School of Humanities and Sciences collaborate to administer two Stanford humanities dissertation fellowships: the Stanford Humanities Center Dissertation Prize and Mellon Foundation Dissertation Fellowships. Stanford students submit one application to be considered for one or both of these fellowships. Applicants for these fellowships are typically in the 5th or 6th year of their doctoral program.

(You can find more information about the Stanford Humanities Center Next Generation Scholar fellowships, which are open to students in year 7 or above only,  linked here .)

Applications for 2024–2025 fellowships are now closed.

Eligible applicants may apply to the SHC Dissertation Prize/Mellon Dissertation fellowships  or  Next Generation Scholar fellowship, but not  both  NGS and DP/Mellon in the same application cycle. 

Fellowship Opportunities

The SHC Dissertation Prize Fellowships, endowed by Theodore and Frances Geballe, are awarded to doctoral students whose work is of the highest distinction and promise. The fellowship stipend includes three academic quarters of funding (fall/winter/spring). In 2023-24 the funding amount was $38,700; the exact amount for 2024-25 will be announced pending final budget confirmation by January 2024. The recipients of these fellowships have offices at the Humanities Center and take part with other graduate as well as undergraduate and faculty fellows in the Center's programs, promoting humanistic research and education at Stanford. The SHC Dissertation Prize Fellowships also provide an additional $2,000 in research funding.

The Mellon Dissertation Fellowships, which are generously funded by the Mellon Foundation, are awarded to advanced doctoral students whose work is of the highest quality and whose academic record to date indicates a timely progression toward completion of the degree. The fellowship stipend includes three academic quarters of funding (fall/winter/spring). In 2023-24 the funding amount was $38,700; the exact amount for 2024-25 will be announced pending budget confirmation in January 2024.

Frequently Asked Questions

The SHC Dissertation Prize and Mellon Dissertation Fellowships are awarded to advanced graduate students, based on accomplished work of the highest distinction, and on the promise of further outstanding achievements in the humanities. Applicants must have:

• advanced to candidacy;
• completed all requirements for the doctoral degree with the exception of the dissertation and the University Oral Examination (when a defense of the dissertation);
• an approved dissertation reading committee;
• a dissertation proposal approved by their committee;
• a strong likelihood of completing the degree within the tenure of the fellowship;
• reached TGR status by the beginning of autumn quarter of the fellowship year;
• completed supervised teaching, if required by their department, before the tenure of the fellowship.
• Outside employment must be aligned with university policy and approved by the home department (including the Humanities Center for SHC fellowships). Please be in close contact with your home department, H&S office, and/or the SHC before confirming any teaching assistantships or accepting other employment or fellowships.
• SHC DP fellows are expected to take part in the daily life of the Center for the duration of their fellowship (i.e. attend lunches and weekly seminars). Next Generation fellows are encouraged but not required to be in regular physical residence at the Center.
• Mellon fellowship: there is no on-campus requirement akin to the expectations for SHC fellows. However, Mellon dissertation fellows are subject to University residency expectations and departmental residency requirements—i.e., having a Mellon does not exempt a student from these residency expectations.
• Applicants who have previously held one of these fellowships are not eligible to reapply for that same fellowship.
• Applicants who have not previously held a Stanford dissertation fellowship will be given the most serious consideration.
• SHC Dissertation Prize Fellowships are open to applicants from the School of Education.
• The fellowships provides tuition support at the TGR rate regardless of whether a student has moved to TGR status. If the student is not yet TGR at the start of the fellowship, the department may provide supplemental funds to cover tuition shortfall.
• Students who are TGR or in a graduation quarter status must enroll in the appropriate zero unit TGR course.
• These fellowships awards are not deferrable to future years or to the summer quarter  

Applications must be submitted via our online application system and must be in English. Access to the system opens in the fall quarter and closes on February 4, 2024, 11:59 PM Pacific time. We discourage the submission of additional materials with the application and cannot circulate these to the committee or return such materials.

Applicants will be notified when their applications have been received, and will be notified of the fellowship competition outcome in late March/early April.

• Contact and biographical information about the applicant
• A curriculum vitae (C.V.)
• Current unofficial transcript (download from AXESS)
• Detailed timetable for the completion of the degree (e.g. dissertation outline detailing status of each chapter)
• Statement of the dissertation’s scholarly significance: Provide a concise explanation of the ways in which the project is a significant contribution to its area of study. Assume the audience to be academics who are not specialists in the field. (250 word maximum)
• A brief description (no more than 1,000 words) of the dissertation
• Two reference letters - one should be from the applicant’s advisor: Please ensure that faculty recommenders have reviewed the proposal and timetable (including status of chapters) in advance and are well prepared to discuss this in their letters. Referees are encouraged to submit letters through our online application system. Referees who wish to submit their letter of reference via email may send them to  [email protected] . Reference letters must be received at the Center by the application deadline - consideration of letters received after that date cannot be guaranteed.

A selection committee representing humanities departments and programs will review and rank the applications on the basis of the following criteria:

• the evidence of intellectual distinction;
• the quality and precision of the dissertation proposal;
• the applicant's timely progress toward the degree;
• the likelihood of completing the degree within the tenure of the fellowship;
• in the case of SHC applicants, the likelihood of the applicant contributing to, as well as benefiting from, the programs of the Humanities Center.

For more information contact  Kelda Jamison , the Humanities Center fellowship program manager.

The application deadline for 2024-25 will be 11:59 pm Pacific time, February 4, 2024.

For more frequently asked questions, click  here .

Discovering Humanities Research at Stanford

Stanford Humanities Center

Advancing Research in the Humanities

Humanities Research for a Digital Future

The Humanities in the World

• Annual Reports
• Humanitrees
• Humanities Center Fellows
• Advisory Council
• Director's Alumni Cabinet
• Honorary Fellows
• Hume Honors Fellows
• International Visitors
• Workshop Coordinators
• Why Humanities Matter
• Fellowships for External Faculty
• Fellowships for Stanford Faculty
• Mellon Fellowship of Scholars in the Humanities
• Dissertation Fellowships FAQs
• Career Launch Fellowships
• Fellowships for Stanford Undergraduates
• International Visitors Program
• FAQ Mellon Fellowship
• Faculty Fellowships FAQ
• Events Archive
• Public Lectures
• Checklist for Event Coordinators
• Facilities Guidelines
• co-sponsorship from the Stanford Humanities Center
• Call for Proposals
• Manuscript Workshops
• Past Workshops
• Research Workshops

Dissertation Fellowships

American Academy in Rome Dissertation Fellowships (link is external)

The Academy offers 11-month and two-year pre-doctoral fellowships in Ancient Studies, Medieval Studies, Renaissance/Early Modern Studies, and Modern Italian Studies. Pre-doctoral fellowships are meant to provide scholars with the necessary time to research and complete their doctoral dissertations.

American Council of Learned Societies  (link is external)

Dissertation fellowships of up to $25,000 for writing dissertations in Southeast European Studies. Also provides Southeast European language training grants.

Charlotte W. Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship (link is external) The Charlotte W. Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellowships encourage original and significant study of ethical or religious values in all fields of the humanities and social sciences, and particularly to help Ph.D. candidates in these fields complete their dissertation work in a timely manner.

Council on Library and Information Resources (link is external) The Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) is pleased to offer fellowships generously funded by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for dissertation research in the humanities in original sources. The program offers about fifteen competitively awarded fellowships a year. Each provides a stipend of $2,000 per month for periods ranging from nine to 12 months. Each fellow will receive an additional $1,000 upon participating in a symposium on research in original sources and submitting a report acceptable to CLIR on the research experience. Thus the maximum award will be $25,000.

DePauw University Consortium for Faculty Diversity in Liberal Arts Colleges (link is external) The Consortium invites applications for dissertation fellowships and post-doctoral fellowships from U.S. citizens or permanent residents who will contribute to increasing the diversity of member colleges by increasing their ethnic and racial diversity, maximizing the educational benefits of diversity and/or increasing the number of professors who can and will use diversity as a resource for enriching the education of students.

Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) (link is external) This program provides academic year and summer fellowships to institutions of higher education to assist graduate students in foreign language and either area or international studies. Students can use the Summer FLAS internationally or domestically. Apply through UC Berkeley.

Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad (link is external) Provides grants to colleges and universities to fund individual doctoral students to conduct research in other countries in modern foreign languages and area studies for periods of six to 12 months. Proposals focusing on Western Europe are not eligible.

Gaius Charles Bolin Dissertation Fellowship (link is external) The Gaius Charles Bolin Fellowships at Williams College are designed to promote diversity on college faculties by encouraging students from underrepresented groups to complete a terminal graduate degree and to pursue careers in college teaching.

Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation Dissertation Fellowships  - Now HFG Emerging Scholars Awarded to scholars whose work can increase understanding and amelioration of urgent problems of violence, aggression, and dominance in the modern world. Particular questions that interest the foundation concern violence, aggression, and dominance in relation to social change, the socialization of children, intergroup conflict, drug trafficking and use, family relationships, and investigations of the control of aggression and violence.

Huntington Library Fellowships (link is external) Short-term residencies (up to $2300/month) at the library are available for Ph.D. students at the dissertation stage.

IHR Mellon Fellowships for Dissertation Research in the Humanities (link is external) $5,000 for pre-doctoral fellows and $25,000 for doctoral fellows will be awarded for archival history research in the United Kingdom.

International Dissertation Research Fellowship (IDRF) (link is external) The International Dissertation Research Fellowship (IDRF) offers nine to 12 months of support to graduate students in the humanities and social sciences who are enrolled in doctoral programs in the United States and conducting dissertation research outside of the United States. IDRF promotes research that is situated in a specific discipline and geographical region but is also informed by interdisciplinary and cross-regional perspectives. 

Mabelle McLeod Lewis Fellowships (link is external) Provides grants to advanced doctoral candidates in the humanities for completion of a scholarly dissertation project on which significant progress has already been made.

National Gallery of Art Dissertation Fellowships (link is external) The Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Artshosts an annual program of support for advanced graduate research in the history, theory, and criticism of art, architecture, and urbanism. Each of the nine fellowships have specific requirements and intents, including support for the advancement and completion of a doctoral dissertation, for residency and travel during the period of dissertation research, and for post-doctoral research.

Samuel H. Kress Dissertation Fellowships in Art History (link is external) Competitive Kress Fellowships administered by the Kress Foundation are awarded to art historians and art conservators in the final stages of their preparation for professional careers, as well as to art museum curators and educators.

Spencer Foundation Dissertation Fellowships (link is external) Offers approximately 30 fellowships of $20,000 to support dissertations bringing "fresh and constructive perspectives to the history, theory, or practice of formal or informal education anywhere in the world."

Soroptimist International Founder Region Women’s Fellowship (link is external) The mission of the Founder Region Fellowship is to advance the status of women. This will be accomplished through financial support to women in the last year of their doctoral degree. Competition is open to any outstanding graduate woman who is working toward a doctoral degree, preferably in the last year of study but permissibly during the last two years. She must be enrolled in a graduate school within Founder Region, Northern California.

Templeton Dissertation Fellowship at University of Notre Dame (link is external)   “The Problem of Evil in Modern and Contemporary Thought.”   The Center for Philosophy of Religion at University of Notre Dame invites doctoral candidates working in the areas of early modern philosophy of religion and/or theology to apply for a one-year fellowship. The program aims at encouraging Ph.D. students to pursue research in this area while in residence as dissertation fellows in the Center for Philosophy of Religion. 

The Erksine A. Peters Dissertation Year Fellowship at Notre Dame (link is external) The Peters Fellowship will enable two outstanding African American doctoral candidates (at the ABD level) to devote their full energies to the completion of the dissertation, and to provide an opportunity for African American scholars at the beginning of their academic careers to experience life at a major Catholic research university. Administered by both the Office of the Provost and the Department of Africana Studies at the University of Notre Dame, the Peters Fellowship invites applications from African-American doctoral candidates in the arts, humanities, social sciences, and theological disciplines who have completed all degree requirements with the exception of the dissertation.

United States Institute of Peace Dissertation Fellowships (link is external) One-year stipend ($17,000) supports students who have completed all requirements for their degree, except the dissertation, by the start of the fellowship. Dissertation must advance the state of knowledge about international peace and conflict management. 

• Fellowships

Fellowship and Travel Grant Opportunities

The Science History Institute offers a variety of fellowships and travel grants as described below.

Applications for fellowships open each fall with a mid-January due date. Travel grant applications are accepted year-round .

For further information contact [email protected] or [email protected] .

Library Travel Grants

The Othmer Library offers travel grants for periods of up to two weeks for research and scholarly exploration of our primary materials which include rare and modern books, manuscripts, archival collections, oral histories, fine art, artifacts, and instruments. Travel grants are $750 per week and are intended to help defray the costs of travel and accommodation. Applicants must currently reside more than 75 miles from Philadelphia to be eligible. Applications and research visits are accepted and approved on a rolling basis.

Please contact [email protected] with any questions.

Curatorial Fellowships (2 years)

These two-year positions integrate fellows as members of staff across the Institute, assisting with specific curatorial and interpretive projects (learn more about the focus of the next curatorial fellowship by clicking “Apply Now” below). Curatorial fellows will enjoy multiple career training, portfolio building, networking, and mentorship opportunities in either the library or museum field. Twenty percent of the fellows’ time is reserved for independent research with the aim of producing a publication appropriate for their professional goals. 

These fellowships are intended for individuals with advanced degrees who are seeking professional opportunities outside of academia. Graduate, early career, and career-changing researchers are encouraged to apply. Scholars from any relevant field with a demonstrated interest in the history of science will be considered. Applicants for curatorial fellowships must hold an advanced degree in their field (MA or MS required, but PhD preferred) by July 2024. Applicants to the curatorial fellowship program must be authorized to work in the United States. This is a benefits-eligible staff position with a salary of US$50,000 per year and an annual US$1,000 stipend for travel and professional development. All applicants must submit a cover letter, CV, short writing sample for a non-specialist audience, and contact information for three professional references. 

NEH Postdoctoral Fellowships (12 months)

Our new NEH postdoctoral fellowship is open to researchers who have earned a doctoral degree or who have completed all requirements of the doctoral degree, including the defense, by the application deadline (January 15, 2024). These fellowships are intended to support 12 months of full-time research and writing that will make use of the Institute’s collections. NEH Postdoctoral Fellows will participate in Beckman Center scholarly programs, including the Works in Progress writing group and Fellows’ Talks lecture series. Applicants for the NEH fellowship must be United States citizens or foreign nationals who have lived in the United States for the three years immediately preceding the application deadline. Postdoctoral fellowship stipends are US$60,000, paid in monthly installments, with an annual US$1,000 stipend for travel and professional development and an additional available reimbursement of up to US$2,500 for health insurance. Candidates should apply via the postdoctoral research fellowship application and may opt for their project to be considered within both categories.

Postdoctoral Research Fellowships (12 months)

Postdoctoral research fellowships are open to researchers who have earned a doctoral degree and graduate students who will have defended their dissertations by the end of July 2024. These fellowships are intended to support 12 months of full-time research and writing in residence that will make use of our collections. Fellows will participate in Beckman Center scholarly programs, including the Works in Progress writing group and Fellows’ Talks lecture series. Applicants may be citizens of any country. Postdoctoral fellowship stipends are US$50,000, paid in monthly installments, with an annual US$1,000 stipend for travel and professional development and an additional available reimbursement of up to US$2,500 for health insurance.

Dissertation Fellowships (9 months)

These fellowships are open to graduate students whose PhD dissertation proposals have been accepted by their respective university departments by the application deadline. Dissertation fellowships are intended to support nine months of full-time research and writing that will make use of our collections. Fellows will participate in Beckman Center scholarly programs, including the Works in Progress writing group and Fellows’ Talks lecture series. Applicants may be citizens of any country. The stipend is US$27,500, with an additional available reimbursement of up to US$2,500 for health insurance.

Distinguished Fellowships (4 months)

These four-month fellowships are open to established scholars who are able to spend a semester or equivalent period in residence at the Institute. Distinguished Fellows work closely with the Institute’s collections on an independent research project addressing the history of chemical or molecular science, broadly construed. They also participate in Beckman Center scholarly programs and contribute to the fellowship community in a mentorship capacity. For this fellowship, eligibility extends to tenured professors and academics at the rank of senior lecturer or above, established scholars in independent research libraries or museums, and independent scholars with a commensurate record of scholarly achievement. Applicants may be citizens of any country. The stipend is US$20,000, paid in monthly installments. Candidates should apply via the short-term fellowship application and may opt for their project to be considered within both categories.

Short-Term Fellowships (1–4 months)

These fellowships are open to all scholars and researchers, irrespective of career stage or educational credentials, who plan to work closely with the Institute’s collections on an independent research project. Applicants may be citizens of any country. Short-term fellowship stipends are US$3,000 per month, intended to defray the costs of travel, accommodation, and living expenses in Philadelphia.

Beckman Center Fellowships

Researchers travel from all over the world to use our collections and take part in our vibrant scholarly community.

How to Apply

Access application forms and instructions for our fellowships and library travel grants.

Meet the Fellows

Our scholars study a range of topics in the history and social studies of chemistry, chemical engineering, and the life sciences.

Application Guide

Optimize your fellowship application with this guide to candidate selection criteria and much more.

Get answers to common questions, including international visas and daily life at the Institute.

Named Fellowships

Learn about our named fellowships, their recipients, and the generous gifts that made them possible.

Copy the above HTML to republish this content. We have formatted the material to follow our guidelines, which include our credit requirements. Please review our full list of guidelines for more information. By republishing this content, you agree to our republication requirements.

Graduate College

T. anne cleary international dissertation research fellowship.

This fellowship program provides support for UI Ph.D. candidates to conduct dissertation research outside of North America, and is available to all disciplinary areas. The fellowship is named in honor of Professor T. Anne Cleary, former Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs and Professor in the College of Education, Division of Psychological and Quantitative Foundations. Dr. Cleary was strongly committed to the ideals of international education in its many forms.

Awards of up to $5,000 per proposal will be made. Proposed budgets should be as specific as possible, with as much supporting information as possible. If appropriate, relevant approval documents from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) must be provided before travel begins and funding to awardees can be released. Students will also need to contact International Programs to clear travel plans in advance of departure. Be sure you start this process well-ahead of travel since international research can also require additional in-country approval. Please contact the IRB or IACUC for assistance as soon as possible.

The T. Anne Cleary Fellowship is intended to support travel, subsistence, and/or minimal research expenses. Travel costs will be prioritized and those awarded may receive less funds than proposed. Tuition and fees are not covered by this award.

Restrictions

Fellowship money may not be used for:

• Tuition and fees
• Language study
• In-country expenses for advisor(s)
• Salaries (except for honoraria for in-country data collectors, research assistants, or interviewers)
• Publication costs
• Transportation or maintenance for dependents
• Purchase of equipment

Ph.D. candidates must have completed all pre-dissertation requirements, including the comprehensive examination and approval of a dissertation topic by the application deadline. Past recipients of this award are not eligible. DMA students taking the essay option are not eligible.

Students who have not met pre-dissertation requirements by the application deadline should consider applying for the Stanley Graduate Award for Pre-Dissertation International Research , which is coordinated through International Programs.

Application Requirements

Online applications must include the following items as separate PDF files:

Student materials:

• Please fill out the fillable pdf application form  (if you are unable to access the fields in this form, open it in Adobe Reader ). The form requires information about your dissertation including a list of proposed research sites/countries, a description of previous research experience in the geographic areas proposed (300 words), a statement of formal study and practical experience in languages necessary for research (300 words), a list of names of contacts and institutional affiliations in proposed research sites, a series of questions related to budget expenditures, and a description of other sources of financial assistance available or pending.
• A statement of proposed research activities (500 words)
• A one-page CV of educational and professional experience, honors and awards and publications

Letters of recommendation:

• A letter of support from the student’s advisor
• A signed statement from the DGS or DEO confirming the student has completed all approved dissertation requirements and that the dissertation topic is approved
• A transcript (unofficial is acceptable)

Applications must be submitted online . Students must submit their part of the application materials to their department at least two weeks prior to the Graduate College deadline. Students should check with their department as soon as possible for departmental deadlines as well as inform them they intend to apply. Applications submitted by the student (and not someone in the department such as the DGS , DEO or grad coordinator) will be voided and not considered.

The application deadline is rolling. Applications will be reviewed as they come in. Once all money is allocated for a given year, applications will no longer be accepted. Check the website for updates. All applications must be submitted at least 10 weeks before travel would begin . Approved funds will not be issued until the International Programs' review of the international travel request is completed. Read more information about this process.

Please direct any questions to Graduate Administrative Affairs Coordinator Katie Bottorff (467-4307) or Associate Dean Shelly Campo (335-2136) or via email at [email protected] (link sends e-mail) ).

Dissertation Research Fellowships on the Study of the American Republic

Dissertation Fellowships On  The Study Of The American Republic Guidelines

APPLICATION DEADLINE:  FEBRUARY 9, 2024

The Center for American Political Studies offers  Dissertation Research Fellowships on the Study of the American Republic , made possible by a challenge grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities matched by generous Harvard University Alumni. Eligible applications must contain dissertation topics with a direct engagement with the history, principles, and politics of the American Republic. These fellowships are inclusive to students inside the field of political science as well as History, English and American Literature, Philosophy, American Civilization, Sociology, Economics, Anthropology, and others – whose presence would enrich the collective discussion of enduring political, historical, and philosophical themes of the American Republic. Relevant themes include (but are not restricted to) the politics, history and philosophy of the American Founding and the Early Republic, the political philosophy of republicanism (particularly as applied to the United States), the Civil War and its legacies, the politics of slavery and abolition, and political institutions in the United States.

The Terms of the Awards

Dissertation Research Fellowships will be awarded for academic year 2024-2025. Dissertation Research Fellowships provide a monthly stipend (one term) in an amount set annually by GSAS and are awarded in either the Fall or Spring term, depending on the Fellow’s preference. A desk in a shared CAPS office is offered for the full 2024-25 academic year. Fellowship winners will be expected to share their work at CAPS-sponsored occasions during the award year.

Eligibility

• Any Harvard Ph.D. candidate in a relevant graduate program may apply if they are doing a dissertation about some aspect of the American Republic. Comparisons across nations are eligible if the study of the American Republic is the major focus of the project. Projects in normative political theory are also eligible, provided that empirical patterns are a major aspect of the study. 
• Any student entering year G-5 and below may apply for a research fellowship.
• If you are planning to take a completion fellowship in 2024-25, please do not apply for this research fellowship. 
• Research fellowship awardees may do a small amount of teaching/thesis advising equivalent to .2 FTE or less during the term they receive their stipend, but such supplementary work must not conflict with the Ph.D. research plan and CAPS must be consulted prior to acceptance.  

Application Guidelines

• A signed cover letter with the following information: a one-paragraph synopsis of your dissertation research; the names of two recommenders; your planned teaching responsibilities during the fellowship term if applicable; and any other information you consider pertinent. 
• Statement of purpose (two to four pages, double spaced) clearly describing the dissertation topic’s direct engagement with the history, principles, and politics of the American Republic. There should be a brief indication of your progress to date and timetable for completion.
• A bibliography identifying major primary and secondary sources.
• Current resume, not to exceed two pages.
• Current transcript.
• Two letters of recommendation, one of which must be from the dissertation adviser. CARAT will generate a request to your recommenders once you input their information. The deadline for receipt of letters of recommendation is the same as the application.

Application Submission and Deadline

• Submit your application via  CARAT  /  carat.fas.harvard.edu/ .
• Application deadline:  February 9, 2024
• No applications will be accepted after this deadline. 

Lake Institute on Faith and Giving

Lake Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship

This one-year grant is given annually to support a graduate student whose research engages issues at the intersection of religion and philanthropy or faith and giving. It is intended to support the final year of dissertation writing for a doctoral candidate at a U.S. graduate school.

Required criteria for applicants

• Be a candidate for a Ph.D. degree at a graduate school in the United States
• Fulfill all pre-dissertation requirements by December 31 of the year applying, including approval of the dissertation proposal with the expectation that the dissertation will be completed no later than July of the year following the fellowship grant year
• Must not have received a similar grant or fellowship for the writing of the dissertation. Fellows may not accept other awards that provide similar benefits in the same academic year. We anticipate that with funding from Lake Institute, you will be able to complete and defend your dissertation during the fellowship year. If you are receiving a full stipend from your school, we ask that you bank or postpone it to accept the Lake Fellowship. Smaller awards and/or those involving limited opportunities to teach may be permitted, at the discretion of the Research Advisory Committee of Lake Institute on Faith & Giving.
• Submit application and other requested documents by January 31.

Fellowship benefits

• Receive three award payments totaling $25,000
• Be invited to special research-focused Lake Institute engagements
• Have the opportunity to take advantage of the Lake Institute’s resources and expertise
• Share your research through our website and citations in our seminars

How to apply

To apply, please fill out the online form, upload the required documents, have your letters of recommendation uploaded and send an official transcript (unofficial transcripts are also accepted). All application materials must be received by January 31. Applications must include the following:

• Application form
• Fellowship Proposal: In your proposal of no more than 7 pages (double-spaced, 12-point font), articulate the thesis of your dissertation, summarizing the argument, methodology, and current findings. In addition, discuss the relevance and contribution of your topic for the understanding of an important question(s) or issue(s) related to religion and philanthropy/faith and giving. Please write this executive summary so that scholars outside of your discipline would not have difficulty comprehending your proposal.
• Copy of the approved dissertation proposal.
• A selected bibliography: Compile a curated Bibliography (2-3 pages, double-spaced) indicating the major theoretical, practical and critical works that bear on your dissertation. This means you should include those works that most clearly demonstrate your command of the scholarship necessary to write the proposed dissertation. In most cases this will already be part of your proposal.
• A timetable: Detailing your chapter outline, your progress to date, and your schedule for the fellowship year. It should be no longer than one page, double-spaced.
• Two letters of recommendation: One from your dissertation director and another from a faculty member familiar with your work. Share this link  with recommenders to upload letters.
• Official or Unofficial Transcript from the graduate school which will award the Ph.D. degree. Transcripts must be uploaded along with the other documents.

“The Lake Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship was a tremendous boost to my studies. Their financial support allowed me to do field research in Africa and write a much stronger dissertation than I otherwise could have done. And my association with the institute has introduced me to a new network of practitioners and scholars. I’m very grateful for the Lake Institute’s support of my work.”

2023 Lake Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship Recipient

Salwa Tareen

Salwa Tareen   is a Ph.D. candidate in Anthropology at Boston University. She holds a B.A. from Kalamazoo College and an M.T.S. from Harvard Divinity School. Salwa’s research broadly explores the interplay between religion, ethics, and the politics of care in Muslim South Asia. Her dissertation, “Of the City and the Soul: Urban Disaster and an Islamic Ethics of Care in Karachi,” examines how city residents utilize charitable giving to address the challenges of their urban environment. In addition to her academic work, Salwa is an arts organizer, poet, and essayist.

Dissertation Abstract: Of the City and the Soul: Urban Disaster and an Islamic Ethics of Care in Karachi

Salwa’s dissertation explores how residents of Karachi, Pakistan, one of the world’s megacities and arguably its largest Muslim city, utilize charitable giving to address everyday disasters of infrastructure and governance. In the absence of formal avenues of grievance and redress, charitable organizations and individuals provide a vital safety net for Karachiites, as well as a platform for their indignation. Charitable workers across the city repair roads, clear garbage heaps, drain sewage, and provide rescue services through mechanisms of religious giving. Building upon 15-months of ethnographic fieldwork, the present project considers the material and ethical dimensions of such giving as a means to care for one another and the city itself.

Past Recipients

2022 – Feyza Akova 2021 – Esra Tunc 2020 – Marie Stettler Kleine 2019 – Timothy M. Rainey II 2018 – Katie Merriman 2017 – Andrew Jungclaus 2016 – Kimberly Pendleton 2015 – Shai Dromi 2014 – Chris Taylor 2013 – Moshe Kornfeld 2012 – Allison Schnable 2011 – David King 2010 – Jared Peifer 2009 – Sarah Hammond 2008 – Bradley Koch

Insights , a bi-weekly e-newsletter, is a resource for the religious community and fundraisers of faith-based organizations that provides:

• Reflections on important developments in the field of faith and giving
• Recommended books, studies and articles
• Upcoming Lake Institute events

Home > Fellowships and Grants > Mellon Fellowships for Dissertation Research in Original Sources

Mellon Fellowships for Dissertation Research in Original Sources

Adventure, inquiry, discovery: clir mellon fellows and the archives.

NOTE: The final fellowships through this program were awarded in 2019, and CLIR is no longer accepting new applications.

With generous funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, between 2002-2019 the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) awarded over  250 fellowships to scholars  to support dissertation research in the humanities or related social sciences using original sources.

The purposes of this fellowship program were to:

• help junior scholars in the humanities and related social sciences gain skill and creativity in developing knowledge from original sources;
• enable dissertation writers to do research wherever relevant sources may be, rather than just where financial support is available;
• encourage more extensive and innovative uses of original sources in libraries, archives, museums, historical societies, and related repositories in the U.S. and abroad; and
• capture insights into how scholarly resources can be developed for access most helpfully in the future.

Former fellows share reflections on their experiences with this program in the video below:

Council on Library and Information Resources 1800 Diagonal Road, Suite 600 Alexandria, VA 22314 [email protected]

CLIR is an independent, nonprofit organization that forges strategies to enhance research, teaching, and learning environments in collaboration with libraries, cultural institutions, and communities of higher learning.

Sign up for news from CLIR.

Unless otherwise indicated, content on this site is available for re-use under CC BY-SA 4.0 License

• OU Homepage
• The University of Oklahoma

Graduate Student Fellowships

Funding Sources

To facilitate doctoral dissertation completion, the Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences will award up to 10 Dissertation Completion Fellowships for the 2024-25 Academic year to doctoral students in the final year of their studies—but no later than their 6th year in the program. Applicants must have a current TA appointment within the Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences, should be in good standing in their programs and must have defended their dissertation proposals or completed any equivalent processes existing in their departments. Students with grant funded GRA appointments may be nominated if their thesis advisor is experiencing or is anticipating a temporary disruption of external funding that will have a substantial adverse impact on the long-term viability of their research program.  In such circumstances, applications can be submitted for student funding support for the gap period between the grant expiration date and the start of a confirmed new grant award.

In place of receiving a stipend, the fellowship will provide student funding equivalent to a semester’s pay at their normal rate. This will allow them to focus on dissertation research and writing without loss of revenue for a semester during their last year of study.

For the Dissertation Completion Fellowship awards, the application should include the following information:

•  A current copy of the applicant’s curriculum vitae including information about research, service, and outreach activities if applicable (maximum 2 single-spaced pages-or the application will be returned without review).
•  A short abstract of the dissertation (maximum 2 single-spaced pages) that explains the significance and impact of the work in terms accessible to those outside the discipline.
• A bibliography containing a list of references that does not exceed one page
•  A one-page plan for completion which explains which elements of the dissertation are complete and offers a plan and schedule for completing the remaining elements during the academic year this award is made.
•  A letter of reference from the applicant’s major professor describing the scholarly significance and potential impact of the work. The letter should summarize the status of the project and provide a clear assessment of the applicant’s potential for completing the dissertation during the following academic year. The letter should also provide an estimate regarding the quality of the applicant’s project relative to their peers’ in the program. 
• An endorsement letter of the applicant’s graduate liaison or academic unit chair with the following content for GTA applications: On behalf of the Department of ________________I endorse ____________’s  application for the Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences Dissertation Finishing Fellowship. Should _____________ receive the fellowship, the department will relieve them of their instructional duties as a graduate teaching assistant for the____________ semester.)
• For GRA applications – A brief statement addressing the timing and cause of interruption of funding for the GRA as well as information on funding continuation. 

Applications should be submitted in one PDF document through the online portal by the student's dissertation advisor or the Graduate liaison. The deadline for submissions is March 15, 2024. 

Note that the selection committee consists of faculty who are not in the applicant’s department. The student and department must ensure that the application is written for a broader audience. The selection criteria used by the committee to evaluate these applications are as follows:

Basic criteria to consider regarding quality of application

Intellectual merit of proposed project/thesis  o   Potential to advance knowledge and understanding within a discipline or across disciplines;  o   Quality and appropriateness of the goals of the project. 

Broader impact of the proposed activity  o   Benefits to society;  o   Potential for impact on the student (potential to accelerate time to completion, enhanced career development opportunities, potential to enhance quality of research);  o   Value to other scholars, general audiences, or both.

Apply here for the DFCAS Dissertation Completion Fellowship

In addition, to facilitate doctoral dissertation completion, the Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences will award up to 15 Dissertation Research Fellowships to Ph.D. students in their 3rd, 4th, or 5th year of studies for the 2024-2025 Academic Year. These awards up to $5,000 can be used to support travel and accommodation expenses to conduct research, and purchases of data sets, software and other materials to facilitate research outcomes. Conference travel support is a low priority for this program and any requests should not exceed $1,000..

For the Dissertation Research Fellowships nomination materials must include:

• A current copy of the Ph.D. candidate's curriculum vitae (maximum 2 single-spaced pages).
•  A one-to-two-page research statement prepared by the applicant. This statement should include a detailed description of the applicant's research plan. It should clearly identify the scholarly issues to be addressed and outline the tasks that will be performed to complete the research project as part of their dissertation. If applicable, it should include any early conclusions or preliminary findings.
• A brief budget/financial statement indicating the proposed use of the professional development funds. The budget justification should provide clear information on how the resources will help facilitate the proposed research, and cost estimates for each necessary component of the budget.
• A reference letter prepared by the applicant’s major professor. This letter should speak to the ability of the student to complete the proposed research and the current status of the project. It should also describe the scholarly significance and potential impact of the proposed project, as well as the expected time frame for the applicant to complete their Ph.D. degree.

Applications that exceed the page allocation described in the guidelines will be returned without review. Applications should be submitted in one PDF document through the online portal by the student or the student's dissertation advisor. The deadline for submissions is March 15, 2024..

Note that the selection committee consists of faculty who are not in the applicant’s department. The student and the department must ensure that the application is written for a broader audience. The selection criteria used by the committee to evaluate these applications are as follows:

·       Intellectual merit of proposed project/thesis 

o   Potential to advance knowledge and understanding within a discipline or across disciplines;  o   Quality and appropriateness of the goals of the project. 

·       Broader impact of the proposed activity 

o   Benefits to society;  o   Potential for impact on the student (potential to accelerate time to completion, enhanced career development opportunities, potential to enhance quality of research);  o   Value to other scholars, general audiences, or both.

·       Other criteria o   Appropriateness of budget and justification of resources requested.

Apply for the DFCAS Dissertation Research Fellowship

To facilitate the recruitment of an excellent and diverse cohort of new graduate students, the Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences will make about 20 fellowship awards to prospective doctoral students during the 2024 recruitment season. These awards will be in the amount of $5,000 per year per awardee and recipients will hold the title Dodge Family Graduate Fellow. This fellowship will be renewable for up to 5 years, contingent upon satisfactory performance and degree progress. The fellowship must accompany a 0.5 FTE GA position. 

For the Recruitment Fellowships nomination materials must include:

1. A 200-250-word statement about the recruiting fellowship nominee that addresses potential for success in your program (based on student performance,  research interests and faculty expertise). 

2. The student's GPA (undergraduate and postgraduate if the student has completed a Master's degree);

3. A copy of the applicant’s curriculum vitae.

Applications should be submitted by the graduate liaison in one PDF document through the online portal below. The program has four deadlines: February 1 st , February 15 th , February 29 th , March 14 th

Apply for DFCAS Recruitment Fellowship

• Accessibility
• Sustainability
• OU Job Search
• Legal Notices
• Resources and Offices
• OU Report It!

Skip to Content

Other ways to search:

• Events Calendar
• The Center for African and African American Studies Dissertation Completion Fellowship

The Center for African & African American Studies (CAAAS) Dissertation Completion Fellowship provides one semester of full funding during either the Fall or Spring semester. Support will consist of a stipend equal to a 50% GPTI appointment paid out in monthly increments. Up to five dissertation hours of tuition, mandatory fees, and coverage under the student gold health plan are also included. All CU Boulder doctoral students with demonstrable research and creative work in African studies, African American studies, and/or African diaspora studies are eligible to apply.

Meet Our Current CAAAS Dissertation Completion Fellow

Call for Applications: Opens February 15, 2024, and Closes April 1, 2024.

Deadline: April 1, 2024. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

Award: A stipend equal to a 50% GPTI appointment paid out in monthly increments. Up to five dissertation hours of tuition, mandatory fees, and coverage under the student gold health plan are also included.

Eligibility

Doctoral students from any campus-wide department or college who have advanced to candidacy (D status) and whose work demonstrably and significantly contributes to African studies, African American studies, and/or the African diaspora studies. Any eligible student may submit an application with the exception of recipients of other major fellowships in the current or next academic year.

Selection Criteria

The selection committee will base their decisions on the following criteria:

1. The quality of the applicant's research project.

2. The quality of the applicant’s CV (presentations, publications, awards, creative work, etc.).

3. Probability of completing the dissertation within the award period (the higher, the better).

4. Other teaching-free fellowships the applicant has already received (the fewer, the better).

Application Procedures

Applicants must submit #s 1-7 in a single .pdf by the deadline April 1, 2024 to the CAAAS Director, Reiland Rabaka, at [email protected] . Item #8 should be submitted directly by its author. Make “CAAAS Dissertation Completion Fellowship Application” the email subject line when submitting application materials. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

1. Cover Letter (Please indicate which degree program you are currently in, note where you are in your program requirements, and why this fellowship would be timely.)

3. A copy of CU Boulder transcript (official or unofficial)

4. Proof of admission to Ph.D. candidacy (e.g., letter of admission to candidacy)

5. A synopsis of the dissertation (750 words maximum)

6. A timeline of the dissertation completion (one page)

7. A list of other research grants (internal or external) to which the applicant has applied and all other forms of financial support you have received since you have become ABD— specifically any internal and external fellowships you received or will be expected to receive to aid you in your dissertation research and writing.

8. Letter of support including an evaluation statement of the dissertation and the likelihood it will be completed within the fellowship period. This should be written by a dissertation advisor or another key member of the dissertation committee and be submitted directly by its author to [email protected] . (750 words maximum)

Expectations

1. Recipients will be asked to submit a letter notifying the CAAAS upon completion of their dissertation. In addition, by May 1, please email [email protected] a 300-600 word summary (double spaced, 12-point font) of how the fellowship year aided in furthering your dissertation research.

2. Acknowledgment of the Center for African & African American Studies (CAAAS) is required on all promotional/published materials for projects funded by the CAAAS. Use this language for credit: “This project was supported, in part, by a grant from the Center for African & African American Studies at the University of Colorado Boulder.”

• Faculty Opportunities
• The Center for African & African American Studies Graduate Student Summer Fellowships
• The Center for African & African American Studies Graduate Student Research & Creative Work Awards
• The Center for African and African American Studies’ Alice Cleora Reeves Endowed Dissertation Award

Gaius Charles Bolin Dissertation and Post-MFA Fellowships

The Gaius Charles Bolin Fellowships at Williams College promote diversity on college faculties by encouraging graduate students from underrepresented groups to complete a terminal graduate degree and pursue careers in college teaching. The fellowship was established in 1985 to address the shortage of faculty of color in US colleges and universities.

Gaius Charles Bolin was the first Black graduate of Williams, in 1889. He was an active and influential member of his class who went on to a successful career as a lawyer in Poughkeepsie, NY. Bolin also was a founding member of the local branch of the NAACP, and was the first African-American president of the Dutchess County Bar Association. In 1969, eighty years after Gaius Bolin graduated, Joseph E. Harris, the first Black tenure-line faculty member, was hired at Williams.

These fellowships, which honor Gaius Bolin’s legacy, are two-year residencies at Williams. Two scholars or artists are appointed each year. Fellows devote the bulk of the first year to the completion of dissertation work—or in the case of MFA applicants, building their professional portfolios—while also teaching one course as a faculty member in one of the College’s academic departments or programs. The second year of residency (ideally with degree in hand) is spent on academic career development while again teaching just one course.

Deadline: Nov. 15, 2023

The Bolin Fellowships are awarded to applicants from groups underrepresented in academia and/or in a particular field of scholarship, who show exceptional promise as scholars, who have an interest in and capacity for teaching students from groups that have been underrepresented in higher education, and who are pursuing a career in higher education in the United States. Eligible applicants include all U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, and U.S. permanent residents (holders of a Permanent Resident Card); individuals granted deferred action status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program; Indigenous individuals exercising rights associated with the Jay Treaty of 1794; individuals granted Temporary Protected Status; asylees; and refugees. Ph.D. candidates must have completed all doctoral work except the dissertation by the end of the current academic year. MFA candidates must be recent recipients of the degree; only those with degrees granted in 2022, or to be granted in 2023, are eligible to apply.

The annual stipend for the position is $55,000. The College will also provide health and dental benefits, relocation and housing assistance, academic support including office space and a computer, and an annual allowance of $4,000 for research-related expenses.

Anthropology

Anthropology doctoral student ebenezer adeyemi was awarded a t. anne cleary international dissertation research fellowship from the ui graduate college.

Anthropology doctoral student Ebenezer Adeyemi was awarded a T. Anne Cleary International Dissertation Research Fellowship from the UI Graduate College. Ebenezer’s research interests center around medical anthropology, infrastructure, the intersection of urban landscape and public health, African studies, and survival strategies in marginalized urban communities. For his ongoing doctoral research, Ebenezer is exploring strategies that residents of Makoko, a large informal settlement in Lagos State, Nigeria, use to access healthcare to treat malaria, the most prominent health issue in their community.   

NOTICE: The University of Iowa Center for Advancement is an operational name for the State University of Iowa Foundation, an independent, Iowa nonprofit corporation organized as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, publicly supported charitable entity working to advance the University of Iowa. Please review its full disclosure statement.

Search form

(From left) Kama Svoboda, Rhea Carlson, Avery White and Uddav Ghimire are among the engineering students receiving 2023-2024 graduate fellowships and advancing high-profile research at the University of Arizona.

Graduate Student Fellowships Boost Contributions to Life-Changing Research

Fellowships are key to graduate student involvement in breakthrough research at the University of Arizona in the College of Engineering.

“The recipients of our graduate fellowships are some of the most outstanding applicants to our graduate programs,” said Kelly Simmons-Potter, the college’s associate dean for academic affairs. “The ability to provide research fellowships to these students can be a critical factor that enables them to pursue their graduate educational and research goals, to the benefit of both their careers and the broader fields of engineering.”

Meet just a few talented engineering students who received fellowships in 2023-2024 and see the full list of fellows.

Human-Inspired Computing

University Fellow Kama Svoboda’s work in brain-inspired computing to advance AI is impressive on its own. And her objectives stretch well beyond the lab.

“As a research scientist, my goal is to be a positive role model and mentor, especially for other women in STEM,” said the electrical and computer engineering doctoral student.

Svoboda, who earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering at UA, specializes in a type of artificial intelligence – called Spiking Neural Networks, or SNNs – that mimics the human brain.

“SNNs represent an exciting advancement in AI, offering a more brain-like approach to computing,” she said. “My research is focused on creating and optimizing biologically inspired neural networks in hardware. This makes them more efficient and capable of handling information in a way that is similar to how our brains process sensory data like sights and sounds.”

University Fellows make up a cohort of the highest-ranking incoming graduate students. The fellowships provide not only multiple-year financial support but also professional development and opportunities to collaborate with PhD students across disciplines.

“The fellowship itself has helped me identify and apply to sources for future funding and better communicate my research to lay people and those from other disciplines,” said Svoboda.

Tracking Brain Toxins

PhD biomedical engineering student Rhea Carlson is delving deep into how the brain works, too, but from a dramatically different perspective. The Herbold Fellow is contributing to imaging research aimed at diagnosing and treating brain disorders.

“This research has implications for understanding diseases that are characterized by the accumulation of proteins in the brain, such as Alzheimer’s Disease or Parkinson’s Disease,” said Carlson.

Using MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, in the Multi-Scale Brain Imaging Lab , she is tracking the movement of molecular waste, a normal byproduct of neuron activity that can build up in the aging brain.

The lab is investigating possible connections between a slowdown in the recently discovered glymphatic system – thought to clear the naturally occurring waste as it moves cerebrospinal fluid through brain tissue and around blood vessels – and the buildup of toxic proteins that increase the risk of neurodegenerative diseases.

“I hope that it can help build the foundation to better understand these diseases,” said Carlson, one of five students at UA to receive an annual Herbold Fellowship.

Select universities across the country receive Herbold Fellowships for graduate students applying data science and computation in their studies and research.

Salty Solutions

Engineering Dean’s Fellow Uddav Ghimire dreamed of becoming a doctoral student in the United States from a young age. Hailing from Nepal, the civil and architectural engineering student’s research aspirations became a reality at the College of Engineering with multi-year funding from the Dean’s Fellowship.

Becoming a UA student has afforded more access to technology and resources including research funding, said Ghimire.

Ghimire is probing a relatively new area of research designed to understand how soil – altered by climate change – will impact infrastructure.

Climate change is known to cause extended flooding and droughts, which upsets water resources and increases the likelihood of soil salinization. Soil salinization – the accumulation of salt on top of soil – is widely considered a threat to arid land regions. High salt concentrations stunt plant growth and cause soil deterioration.

Ghimire is zeroing in on what this means for public works.

“In terms of geotechnical engineering, I’m asking how the strength of the soil increases or decreases and how that affects the dams and all the infrastructure that is built on the soil,” said Ghimire.

With the mentorship of adviser Tejo V. Bheemasetti, assistant professor of civil engineering and engineering mechanics, Ghimire is analyzing soil samples taken from an area in South Dakota with excessive salt deposits to answer some of those questions.

“Uddav is investigating the role of salinity on the behavior of soils and developing risk assessment tools that can be helpful to stakeholders including the Bureau of Land Management, NRCS and dam safety officers,” said Bheemasetti.

Hypersonic Aspirations

Every step PhD student Avery White has taken on her academic journey has propelled her toward a career with NASA.

Drawn to space for as long as she can remember, the Engineering Dean’s Fellow is in her first year as a graduate research assistant with the UA Computational Hypersonics and Nonequilibrium Laboratory , which investigates flow phenomena of hypersonic flight.

“This type of research takes fluid dynamics to the extremes,” said the Tucson native, who is analyzing fluid behavior in flight vehicles such as re-entry space capsules and ramjet engines.

As a UA aerospace engineering undergraduate, White did research for a NASA-funded project in the university’s ASTEROIDS Laboratory , worked as an Arizona Space Grant intern , and interned at Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley.

“I am constantly learning new things, and the work I do for my lab doesn't feel like work,” said White, who is among five early PhD students receiving annual support from David W. Hahn, the Craige M. Berge Dean of the College of Engineering.

She is grateful not only for the stipend but also for the job and salary that came with the distinction.

“Not having to worry about how I'm going to pay tuition and not having to pick up another job outside of class has taken a huge weight off my shoulders,” she said.

23-24 Engineering Graduate Fellows

Herbold Fellowships

The Herbold Foundation provides scholarship funds for master’s and early career doctoral students studying engineering, computer science and data science at select universities throughout the United States. Robert J. (Bob) Herbold is president of The Herbold Foundation and former COO of Microsoft. Each year a handful of outstanding students at the UA receive significant funding in their first year of study.

• Muhtasim Chowdhury, electrical and computer engineering, MS
• Gabriel Geffen, civil and architectural engineering, PhD
• Chenyi Wang, electrical and computer engineering, PhD

Engineering Dean’s Fellowship Program

David W. Hahn, the Craig M. Berge Dean of the college, funds the Engineering Dean's Fellowship with the help of the Craig M. Berge Deanship along with donor support through the annual Dean's Fund for Excellence. The fellowships expand the college’s doctoral program by providing multi-year salary and stipends to exceptional early-career PhD students.

• Mehri Aghdamigargari, mining and geological engineering, PhD
• Hanieh Totonchi Asl, electrical and computer engineering, PhD
• Uddav Ghimire, civil and architectural engineering and mechanics, PhD
• Amra Rey Mendoza, biomedical engineering, PhD
• Jeb Shingler, chemical and environmental engineering, PhD

Graduate College Fellowships

The UA Graduate College provides stipends for one year to high-achieving first-year engineering students. Graduate students from the United States are highly encouraged to apply for GCF funding.

• Madeline Dailey, materials science and engineering, PhD
• Sara Sezavar Dokhtfaroughi, electrical and computer engineering, PhD
• Emmanuel Ewuzie, aerospace and mechanical engineering, PhD

Related Content

Money Names UA Engineering a Top-Value Grad Program

Biomedical Engineering PhD Student Earns 2023 UA Centennial Award

University Privacy Statement

© 2024 Arizona Board of Regents | The University of Arizona College of Engineering | 1209 East 2nd Street, Room 100 | Tucson, Arizona 85721 | Home

• GradPost Blog

Don't miss our Spring 2024 Funding Forecast

Spring Quarter usually marks the end of the academic year, but finding funding is a continuous process! Check out this sample of upcoming deadlines of funding opportunities for postdoctoral, doctoral, graduate, research, and other short-term awards or travel grants. Various deadlines listed. Consult websites for current details and application information.

Spring quarter usually marks the end of the academic year, but finding funding is a continuous process! So, if you are looking for financial support for the coming year or next, remember to routinely look at funding postings so you get an idea of what topics or issues are getting funded. Spring and summer are also great times to prepare your fellowship application materials - personal statement, research statement, and academic CV.

Below is a sample list of upcoming deadlines. Regularly inform your faculty adviser about your current research ideas and progress as this is very important when requesting letters of recommendation. Also, be sure to check the program websites regularly for the most updated information on important dates and submission details. Good luck!

NOTE: Please report any broken links to Funding Peer Liliana Garcia

Jump to information about: Postdoctoral Fellowships Dissertation Support Graduate and Doctoral Support Research Support Other (Travel, Short-Term, Award, Summer, etc.)  

POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS

Mar 15  The Hindle Postdoctoral Fellowship (history of technology)

Apr 1 German Historical Institute Doctoral and Postdoctoral Fellowships

Apr 1 SHOT- NASA Postdoctoral Fellowship (history of space technology)

Apr 1 Postdoctoral Fellowship in Aerospace History

Apr 1 American Cancer Society Postdoctoral Fellowships

Jul 15 David B. Larson Postdoctoral Fellowship in Health and Spirituality

Sep 15 Fulbright Postdoctoral Fellowships in Israel for U.S. Citizens 2020/2021

Sep TBD American Heart Association Postdoctoral Fellowships

Oct 1 National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) International Program INVEST Drug Abuse Postdoctoral Research Fellowship

Oct 15 American Cancer Society Postdoctoral Fellowships

Oct 18 NSF Mathematical Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowships

On-going Incorporating Benefits & Costs of Environmental Regulation in Computable General Equilibrium Models Research with the US Environmental Protection Agency

Various deadlines Funding Opportunities for Postdoctoral Scholars - list via Harvard website

Various deadlines Postdoctoral opportunities in medical research - via Stanford website

Various deadlines Minority Postdoctoral Opportunities List

Various deadlines Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Postdoctoral Fellowships

Various deadlines Special Programs for Postdoctoral Fellows - via National Science Foundation

Various deadlines Post-doctoral Opportunities List - from the National Institute of Health

Various deadlines - Postdoctoral Positions at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory  

DISSERTATION SUPPORT

Feb 25  Melvin Kranzberg Dissertation Fellowship (history of technology)

April 1 Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations Marilyn Blatt Young Dissertation Completion Fellowship

Apr 1 Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies (ASEEES) Dissertation Research Grants

May 1 North American Conference on British Studies Dissertation Research Fellowship

May 1 Grants for Health Services Dissertation Program (R36)

Jul 17 Linguistics Program Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement - grant application must be submitted with your advisor and through Office of Research

Jul 20 Biological Anthropology Program Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement - grant application must be submitted with your advisor and through Office of Research

Aug 1 Grants for Health Services Dissertation Program (R36)

Aug 15 Cultural Anthropology Program Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement - grant application must be submitted with your advisor and through Office of Research

On-going Research Opportunities at the US Forest Service Research and Development (R&D)

On-going Archaeology Program Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Awards (Arch-DDRI) - grant application must be submitted with your advisor and through Office of Research

On-going Documenting Endangered Languages Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants - grant application must be submitted with your advisor and through Office of Research

On-going Geography and Spatial Sciences Program Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants (GSS-DDRI) , National Science Foundation (NSF)

Various Deadlines Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Research Opportunities  

GRADUATE & DOCTORAL SUPPORT

Apr 1 Batten, First Union, and Peter Nicolaisen International Fellowships

Apr 1 SHOT- NASA Predoctoral Fellowship (history of space technology)

Apr 10  National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Fellowships

Apr 15 Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society Graduate Fellowship (National Deadline; local chapter deadline is usually 2 weeks earlier)

Apr 15 BHW Group Women in STEM Scholarship

Apr 30 Government of the Slovak Republic approved the establishment of the National Scholarship Programme

May 8  Google India PhD Fellowships

May 8  Google China/Hong Kong/Japan/South Korea Phd Fellowship Program

May 11 American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation (ASHFoundation) New Century Scholars Doctoral Scholarship

Jun 15  American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) Fellowship for Minority Doctoral Students

Sep 7 American Heart Association Predoctoral Fellowships

TBD American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation (ASHFoundation) Graduate Student Scholarship

TBD PEO International Peace Scholarship (IPS) - also open to international students studying in the US

Various Deadlines Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations Fellowships and Grants  

On-going Gerda Henkel Foundation Ph.D. Scholarships in the Historical Humanities   

RESEARCH SUPPORT

Apr 1 Research Fellowships in Aerospace History

Apr 1 Harry S. Truman Library Institute Research Grants Program Apr 10  National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowships Apr 12 Horton Hydrology Research Grant from American Geophysical Union

Apr 13 Project Management Institute's Research Grant Program for the study of project, program or portfolio management

Apr 15 Emerging Crises Oral History Research Fund

Apr 19 American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation Student Research Grant in Early Childhood Language Development

Apr 19 American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation Student Research Grant in Audiology

Apr 24  Japan-US Friendship Commission and the National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowships for Advanced Social Science Research on Japan

Apr 30 International Foundation for Ethical Research (IFER) - Graduate Fellowship Program

Apr TBD Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship Program

May 1 NRC Research Associateship Programs (RAP)

May 1  US Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science (SC) Graduate Student Research Program

May 2 National Institute of Justice Graduate Fellowships in STEM

May 15 Deutsches Akademisches Austaauschdienst (DAAD) Short-Term Research Grants (for research in Germany)

Jul 15 The Leakey Foundation Grants for Research Related to Human Origins

Aug 1 NRC Research Associateship Programs (RAP)

Sep 15 Fulbright Canada-American Scholars Awards

Sep 15 Kluge Fellowships (humanities and social science research)

Oct 15  Harry S. Truman Library Institute Research Grants Program

TBD UCHRI Grants and Fellowships

TBD Graduate Fellowship for Research in Japan

TBD Merck KGaA Research Grant Competition

Various Opportunities New York Public Library Research Fellowships

Various Deadlines Smithsonian Institute Fellowships

Various Deadlines Metropolitan Museum of Art Research Fellowships

Various Deadlines Center for Disease Control (CDC) Fellowships

On-going Dirksen Congressional Research Grant

On-going The Spalding Trust Grants for the Comparative Study of Religions

On-going Statistics Fellowship with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

On-going OCS ORISE Fellowship with the Food and Drug Administration

On-going Digital/New Media Fellowships with Dept of Health and Human Services

On-going Dept of Energy Opportunity in Fuel Cell Research

On-going National Institute of Health Individual Graduate Partnerships Program

On-going Title VIII Research Scholar Program American Councils - in-country, independent research for three consecutive months to nine consecutive months in Russia, Eurasia, and Eastern Europe  

OTHER (Travel, Short-Term, Award, Summer etc.)

Mar 31 Sara Finney-Johnson Scholarship - Delta Sigma Theta Sorority

Apr 1 Digital Archaeological Archive of Comparative Slavery

Apr 7 Short-Term Carter Center Graduate Assistantships in Atlanta

Apr 8 Charles Koch Institute Summer Internship

Apr 10  National Endowment for the Arts Fellowships

Apr 28 Mary Murphy Graduate Scholarship - Delta Sigma Theta Sorority

Apr TBD Interfaces Graduate Training Program at UCSD - in biological, engineering, physical and health sciences

Apr TBD Lupus Foundation of America Summer Fellowships

May 1  Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting (no citizenship requirements)

May 1 James P. Danky Fellowship in Print and Digital Culture

May 15 Catherine Prelinger Award (women's history)

May 31 PSA/Journal of Postcolonial Writing Postgraduate Essay Competition

Jun 5  SACNAS Travel Fellowships

Jun 26  LGBT Studies One-Month Research Fellowship at Yale University

July TBA  National Air and Space Administration (NASA) Internships *NOTE: Select opportunities are also open to citizens from countries participating in the NASA International Internship Program.

Sep 1 Samuel H. Kress Foundation Conservation Grants Programs

Sep 1 Samuel H. Kress Foundation Art History Digital Art History Grant Programs

Fall TBD Presidential Management Fellows Program US Office of Personnel Management

Rolling Deadline - Veteran Research Supplement with the Center for Integrated Access Networks

International Dissertation Research Fellowship International Dissertation Research Fellowship Competition Tips and FAQ

• Applications go through a multi-tiered review process and will be evaluated by a panel of scholars with a range of disciplinary and regional perspectives. We suggest you ask someone outside of your discipline to read your proposal before submitting it. Write in clear, intelligible prose. Strive for clarity on both topic and methodology and minimize disciplinary jargon.
• You are permitted ten double-spaced pages to write about your project and research goals. We suggest you do not submit a proposal that is significantly shorter than ten pages.
• Adhere to the application guidelines.
• Read through the selection criteria posted on our website and in the application portal and take these criteria seriously.
• Be sure to allow yourself enough time to write carefully considered responses to each of the three research relevance questions in the application. These questions, along with your project abstract, will be the criteria by which your application is evaluated in the first round of review.
• Submit your application in advance of the deadline.

Eligibility

Am i eligible to apply for the idrf grant if i am not a citizen or permanent resident of the united states.

Yes. The IDRF welcomes proposals from full-time graduate students in the humanities and humanistic social sciences who are enrolled in PhD programs in the United States, regardless of citizenship.

If I have not yet obtained ABD status at the time of application, can I still apply?

Yes. Applicants for the 2022 competition must achieve All But Dissertation status (completed coursework and passed qualifying exams) by the time the proposed research begins or by December 2022, whichever comes first. They must also fulfill all other eligibility requirements.

Am I eligible for IDRF funding if I am a student in a discipline such as art history, literature, or philosophy?

The IDRF accepts proposals from all disciplines within the humanities and humanistic social sciences. All applicants should specify why site-specific research is critical to the successful completion of the proposed doctoral dissertation. If you have any questions about whether your discipline or topic is eligible for IDRF funding, please contact us.

Are doctoral students enrolled in professional degree programs (EdD, PsyD, etc.) eligible to apply to the IDRF program?

No. The IDRF program accepts applications from students enrolled in PhD programs only.

What do you mean by on-site, site-specific research? Does this apply to applicants from disciplines in the targeted humanities list?

“On-site, site-specific” research means that the researcher must be at the specified location for an extended period of time. Research that can be done at any location, either online or via interlibrary loan, will not be funded by the IDRF program. This requirement applies to all applicants from all disciplines, regardless of whether or not they are conducting US based research. The IDRF program will not fund research at an applicant’s home institution unless that research is specific to an archive or other collection located at that institution or city. In addition, the IDRF program will not support dissertation write-up either at the home institution or elsewhere.

Does the IDRF program have any geographical restrictions?

No. The IDRF program has funded research in all areas of the world. Your proposal should address any potential challenges to security, access to information, or visa support, as necessary.

Will the IDRF fund applications that propose research on the United States?

Proposals within Native American studies or those that identify the United States as a case for comparative inquiry are welcome; however, proposals which focus predominantly or exclusively on the United States are not eligible.

Will the IDRF fund applications that propose research within the United States?

Yes. The required minimum research outside the United States is dependent upon your discipline. For select humanities disciplines (Art History, Architectural History, Classics, Drama/Theater, Film Studies, Literature, Musicology, Performance Studies, Philosophy, Political Theory, and Religion), that minimum is three months. For all other disciplines (including Anthropology, History, and Political Science), applicants must conduct at least six months of research at a non-US site. All research, including research within the US, must be site-specific.

Does the IDRF fund research on topics within US Indigenous studies, even if that means all research will be conducted within the United States?

Yes, IDRF funds dissertation research on topics within Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander studies, including Native lands, places, and spaces that are located within US and territorial jurisdictions.

Do I need to be enrolled as a full-time student in order to be eligible for an IDRF grant?

Applicants are expected to be affiliated with a university and progressing toward a PhD and in good standing. They do not need to be paying semester fees.

I am already conducting research overseas. Can I use an IDRF to extend my research?

Applicants who will have completed significant funded dissertation research after receiving post-ABD status in one country by the start of their proposed IDRF research are not eligible to apply to the IDRF to extend research time in the same country. Applicant eligibility will be determined at the discretion of the program. Applicants who have undertaken unfunded research in the same country, funded research prior to obtaining ABD status, or research in a different country are eligible to apply. Please contact the program if you are unsure of your eligibility status.

What is the minimum length of research?

Fellowships provide support for six to twelve months of on-site, site-specific dissertation research. No awards will be made for proposals requiring less than six months of research. The IDRF-funded research must take place in a single continuous period of 6-12 months within the eighteen months between July 2022 and December 2023.

Application Process

I am a phd student at a university in a us territory. am i eligible to apply for the idrf award.

Yes, PhD candidates at universities in US territories are eligible to apply. However, your project must be about a non-US topic and cannot primarily focus on the territory in which you are attending your PhD program.

My dissertation project is about a US territory. Is it eligible for the IDRF award?

Yes. As long as you are not completing your PhD at a university in that territory, you may use the IDRF award to conduct research in a US territory.

How do I apply for the IDRF award?

The IDRF application must be filled out online and can be accessed through the  Online Application Portal . You will also use this portal to contact your language evaluator(s), complete the research relevance section, enter your personal statement, upload your research proposal and bibliography, and send reminders to language evaluators.

When is the deadline for the 2022 IDRF application?

Applications must be complete and submitted online before 9:00pm (ET) on November 2, 2021. The language evaluation(s) must also be submitted online by the same deadline.

I applied last year. Can I edit my old application and resubmit it?

No. You will need to start over with a new online application and request new language evaluation(s).

Where do I find the language evaluation forms?

There are no forms. You must use “Language Evaluations” section of the online application to contact language evaluators. Once you have entered your evaluator’s contact information, they will receive an email with instructions on how to submit the language evaluation online. The submitted material will be automatically added to your application.

Do I need to complete the application all at once?

No. You may return to the application as many times as necessary until the application deadline. Be sure to save your work after you finish each section of the application. Once the application has been submitted, you will no longer be able to alter the information.

Do you have examples of proposals that have been awarded fellowships?

No. The IDRF program does not provide examples of proposals that have been awarded fellowships. However, you may visit our website to learn more about the research that current fellows are conducting. For suggestions on proposal writing, we encourage you to consult  The Art of Writing Proposals .

What is IDRF’s review process? 

The IDRF program has a three-tier review process to evaluate applications. Evaluators at every level of review are US-based faculty from a range of institutions and disciplines. Applications will be read by evaluators who are outside of both the region and discipline of the applicant, as well as evaluators within the applicant’s region and discipline. In the first tier, screeners will read the project abstract and answers to the three research relevance questions. In the second tier, reviewers will read the entire application and evaluate it based on the originality of the research topic, the appropriateness of the methodology, the attention paid to disciplinary discussions, the interdisciplinarity and cross-regional perspectives of the project, its ability to speak to a broad scholarly audience, the justification of the proposed on-site research plan, the applicant’s academic preparation, and their relevant language ability. In the third tier, selection committee members will assess the overall quality of the proposal, the preparedness of the applicant to undertake the research, and the potential scholarly contributions of the project. The selection committee members meet in person to discuss the applications and select the IDRF cohort.

Can I submit my online application even if my language evaluation(s) have not been received?

Yes. You are strongly encouraged to submit your online application well in advance of the deadline. There is no need to wait for your evaluation(s) to be received in order to submit your application – they will be automatically added to your application. You may continue to check the status of your language evaluation(s) and send language evaluators a reminder by logging into the application portal and selecting your application in the left-hand sidebar.

Application Components

Do i need letters of reference.

The IDRF program does not ask for letters of reference, but it does request language evaluation(s) if applicable.

Do I need to submit a language evaluation?

You do not need to submit a language evaluation form if you will be conducting research in English or your native language(s). Applicants conducting research in another language are strongly suggested to submit a language evaluation with their application.

Language evaluators should be qualified individuals who are able to test your proficiency in the language(s) needed for your on-site research at the time of your application. Ideally, your evaluator will be a language instructor at a university, in the United States or abroad; however, exceptions can be made for less commonly taught languages.  Departmental language exams will not be accepted as proof of language proficiency.  A sample language evaluation can be found  here .

Does my language evaluator have to be at my institution?

No. Ideally your language evaluator will be someone at your institution who is qualified to assess your language capabilities; however, it is not a requirement that this person is from your institution.

Does my language evaluator have to hold a PhD?

No. It is not a requirement that your language evaluator holds a PhD; however, the evaluator must have the appropriate language qualifications required to conduct this particular language evaluation.

I think the language I am using would be considered a less commonly taught language. How do I know if an exception can be made for who conducts my language evaluation?

It is not a requirement that the language evaluation come from an instructor at your institution. If no one at your institution can conduct the evaluation, the next step would be to reach out to a language instructor at another institution. If geographical limitations present a problem, keep in mind that it is possible to conduct the evaluation over Skype or Zoom. Please refer to the  sample language evaluation form  for a sense of what the evaluation entails. If you still do not think you can find a language instructor to conduct the evaluation, please  contact us .

Should I include a budget in the proposal?

No. Do not include a budget in your proposal. If you are selected as an IDRF fellow, we will work with you to make budget determinations.

Are there formatting requirements for the research proposal and bibliography?

Yes. Your research proposal and bibliography should be collated as two separate .pdf files. Research proposals must be double-spaced and not exceed ten pages in length (including any appendices, footnotes, or end notes). The bibliography must not exceed two pages and must be in standard bibliographic format.

The proposal and bibliography must be in Times New Roman 11-point font type with at least one inch margins on all sides. Proposals must be formatted with double-spacing. Footnotes and endnotes may be single-spaced but must be included within the ten pages. The bibliography may be single-spaced. Proposals not adhering to these guidelines will not be considered.

Can I submit photographs or charts with my application?

Yes, but any non-textual material must be included within the ten-page limit.

Do I need to submit transcripts with my application?

No. Transcripts are not required at the time of application. Relevant coursework and grades should be listed in the course report section of the online application. However, you should be prepared to submit one official transcript for each graduate-level school you have attended (including any degree certificates from graduate institutions outside the United States) upon request of the program.

Do I need to send letters of affiliation with my application?

No. Do not submit letters of affiliation with your application.

How will I know that my application is complete?

After you have successfully submitted your application, you will receive a confirmation email from the SSRC. You may continue to check the status of your language evaluation(s) and send language evaluators a reminder by logging into the application portal and selecting your application in the left-hand sidebar.

Technical Support – Proposal and Bibliography Document

My proposal and bibliography documents were exactly the correct length in my word processing program, but when i convert it to a .pdf file, it exceeds the page limit. is that acceptable.

No. Your proposal may not exceed ten pages in total as a .pdf file and your bibliography may not exceed two pages.

I added page numbers to my proposal document, but when I converted it to a .pdf file, the formatting changed.

We recommend that you use the footer function for page numbering, rather than the header function.

Fellowship Awards

When will award announcements be made.

Incomplete and ineligible applicants will be informed of their status by December 2021. All other applicants will be contacted by the program via email about their status in February 2022. Fellows and alternates will be named in April 2022.

What happens if my project is selected for funding?

You will be asked to submit an estimated budget outlining the funds you will need to complete your project. This will be taken under consideration, along with any other funds you may have received, when your final award amount is determined.

When can I begin my IDRF research if I am selected for funding?

IDRF-funded research may begin in July 2022 (research conducted prior to July 2022 will not be supported by IDRF). All 2022 fellows must commence fieldwork by January 2023.

What is the IDRF grant amount?

Fellowship award amounts will vary depending on the research plan. The 2022 per-fellowship average award amount is $23,000.

What does the IDRF grant cover? Conversely, what doesn’t the IDRF grant cover?

The IDRF grant will cover fellows’ travel, research, and living expenses for six to twelve months of dissertation research. The IDRF grant will not cover tuition costs, dependent living expenses, taxes, or dissertation write-up.

I am applying for multiple grants. Should I be awarded an IDRF grant, can I also accept funding from other sources?

Yes, but fellows cannot accept funding from IDRF and another organization for the same expenses at the same time. The IDRF program will work with fellows to construct a budget that is acceptable to IDRF and to other funding organizations.

Do IDRF awards go directly to the fellows or are they channeled through a university?

All awards are paid directly to the IDRF fellows.

Does the IDRF offer support for visas and IRB clearances?

No. Fellows are responsible for their own travel arrangements and research clearances.

Privacy Overview

Three PhD Students Awarded Three-Year Graduate Research Fellowships from the NSF

Biochemistry PhD students Violet Beaty, Porter Ellis and Celeste Marin have been awarded prestigious three-year Graduate Research Fellowships from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and join classmate, Dalal Azzam, who matriculated to Duke Biochemistry with an NSF Graduate Fellowship in 2022.  This award financially supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported STEM disciplines.  Past recipients have contributed to research, teaching, and innovation in their areas of expertise; whilst the fellowship recognition has helped them become successful leaders in their academic and professional careers.  Provided below are brief descriptions of the projects and potential outcomes on which each of these students is working.  

Dalal Azzam, a second-year graduate student in the laboratory of Lorena Beese: Appreciating the mechanistic underlays of protein-DNA interactions helps us understand the complex mechanisms that govern biological function.  The interdisciplinary approach combining biochemistry with structural biology provides a multi-dimensional look into the science at the core of all life.  Through this project, I am excited to expand our collective understanding of DNA-protein interactions, contribute high-resolution structures of key regulatory complexes, and elucidate how faults in these interactions promote catastrophic downstream misregulations.   

Violet Beaty, a second-year graduate student in the laboratory of Shuo Han: The human microbiota contains diverse bacterial phyla, encompassing remarkable genetic and metabolic diversity.  While the gut microbiota contributes to age-associated physiology in its host organisms, we do not yet understand which gut bacterial species within the community promote healthy aging.  Furthermore, it is unknown how these bacterial and host metabolic pathways play a role in longevity.  My work aims to understand gut bacterial signals which modulate host aging and physiology.  

Porter Ellis, a second-year graduate student in the laboratory of Maria Schumacher: In prokaryotes, i.e., bacteria, nucleoid associated proteins, or NAPs, support the compaction and organization of genomic DNA.  Emerging evidence highlights the importance of NAPs in fundamental biological processes, including gene regulation, virulence, and stress responses.  However, there is currently little information available on the mechanisms by which many NAPs interact with DNA and function in regulatory processes.  Thus, to better understand these NAP functions, my research focusses on the structural interrogation of a novel NAP and its interactions with key biological partners.  

Celeste Marin, a second-year graduate student in the laboratory of Christopher Nicchitta: Routine transcriptional and post-transcriptional processes are altered significantly under stress conditions, and how these events unfold is critical for cell survival.  However, it remains unknown how the regulatory processes coupled to mRNA export are influenced under stress.  Through my research I shall leverage optical imaging techniques to probe mRNA trafficking dynamics under stress and further our understanding of these fundamental regulatory process