American Dissertation Fellowship

• Applicants must identify as a woman.
• Applicants must have completed all coursework, passed all preliminary exams, have a prior-approved research proposal, or plan and be engaged in completing the final year of their dissertation writing on a full-time basis from July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027.  
• Applicants must be completing their first doctoral degree.
• Applicants must be enrolled at an institution: 
  • Accredited in the United States, or 
  • An international institution recognized as eligible to participate in U.S. federal student aid programs, as listed on the Federal Student Aid Participating Schools list. 

Citizenship & Immigration Status

Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

The following are not eligible for consideration:

• Members of the AAUW Board of Directors
• Employees of AAUW, including paid or unpaid, part-time or temporary employees, consultants, interns and contract employees
• Review Panelists
• Immediate families (i.e., spouses and dependent children) of individuals described in the points above
• Applicants for another national AAUW fellowship or grant, in the same year
• Previous national AAUW fellowship or grant recipients (excluding Community Action Grants or branch or local AAUW awards)
• Applicants cannot be working on a Master’s degree during their fellowship year

• Scholarly excellence, as demonstrated by academic records and achievements, recognition from peers, professors, and/or institutions, and other forms of distinction
• Research that demonstrates originality in its design and has the potential to make significant contributions to the relevant academic or professional field
• Active commitment to helping women and girls through service in their communities, professions, or fields of research
• Feasibility of the research plans, the funding of those plans and the proposed timeline for their completion
• Applicants pursuing doctoral studies in science, technology, engineering, or math fields; or those researching gender issues (Preferred)
• Applicants who have demonstrated resilience in overcoming life challenges beyond their control, such as socioeconomic status, discrimination, limited academic resources or opportunities, or other adverse circumstances (Preferred) 
• Applicants who were the first in their family to attain a bachelor’s degree (Preferred) 
• Applicants who lead or hail from single parent households (Preferred) 

AAUW is currently transitioning to a new awards management system to better serve our applicants.  At this time, instructions for applying are not yet available.  

What You Can Do Now 

While the application portal is not yet open, here’s how you can prepare: 

1. Stay Informed
   We recommend regularly checking AAUW’s Fellowships & Grant page for updates.  
2. Review Program Information
   In the meantime, review AAUW’s program eligibility criteria, funding priorities, and previous awardees. This will help you prepare a strong application when the time comes. 
3. Prepare Materials in Advance
   Review the Application Requirements Section for supplemental documentation that is required for submission along with your application.  
4. Contact Us with Questions
   If you have immediate questions or concerns, please contact our team at awards@aauw.org. 

We are committed to delivering a fair, accessible, and streamlined process. Our new awards system is part of this commitment. While we finalize setup and instructions, we appreciate your patience and understanding. 

Information Coming Soon

In addition to a narrative application, all applicants are required to submit the following:

• Letters of Recommendation: Applicants must provide two letters of recommendation. One must be from the applicant’s dissertation advisor, and the second may be from a professor, colleague, or others who are professionally familiar with the applicant, their scholarly work, teaching, professional, and/or academic background. Note: AAUW does not accept references from dossier services, such as Parment or Interfolio, and standardized or form-letter recommendations are discouraged.  
  • Please provide a professional email address for their recommenders, rather than a personal one.  
  • It is the applicants’ responsibility to remind their recommender of the application deadline in order for the application to be completed on time. An application will not be considered complete until the recommendations have been submitted. 
• Proof of Degree: Copy of all degrees earned to date
  • Applicants must upload copies of all diplomas/degree certificates for programs from which they have received a degree. 
  • The documents provided must correspond to the programs and institutions listed in the application and must include the applicant’s full name, the institution’s name, and the degree conferred.  
  • If the original is not in English, applicants are required to submit certified translation.   
• Transcripts: Official transcripts confirming conferral of all degrees received 
  • Applicants must upload copies of all official academic transcripts from all programs from which you have received a degree.
  • The transcripts provided must correspond to the programs and institutions listed in your application.  
  • All transcripts must include the applicant’s full name, the institution’s name, the degree conferred, and the list of courses taken, and grades received. Transcripts must also include the name of coursework and grades from transfer courses, if applicable. If transcripts reflect transfer courses without grades, a transcript from the institution where courses were taken is required.  
  • If a transcript is not written in English, you must provide a certified translation.
  • Applicants who studied at an institution that does not provide a transcript, or a list of courses taken, and grades received, or the degree did not require coursework, must provide an institutional letter affirming the same as well as the degree completion date.
• Dissertation Certification Form: This form can be found in AAUW’s application portal and must be signed by an institutional officer to confirm completion of all required coursework, qualifying examinations, and approval of your dissertation research proposal. No substitutions for this form are accepted.

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

If the name differs from the one provided in the application, an explanation must be provided – such as a marriage certificate or a court-issued name change document.   

Applicants are responsible for the submission of all required documents. Incomplete applications will be considered at the discretion of AAUW.    

Fellowships are awarded on a competitive basis based on recommendations by AAUW’s independent review panels and funds available in a given fiscal year. To ensure fairness and consistency in the review process, only complete applications that meet all eligibility criteria and include all required documentation will be considered. Applications are reviewed as submitted, and it is the sole responsibility of the applicant to confirm that all materials are accurate and complete prior to submission.  

Please keep the following in mind:  

• Incomplete or incorrect applications will not be reviewed.  

• AAUW does not provide feedback on missing or incorrect materials.  

• Once submitted, applications cannot be edited or updated.  

• Additional documentation will not be accepted after the deadline.  

• Requests for deadline extensions will not be accommodated.  

Review Panels   

Applications to the American Dissertation Fellowships are reviewed by panels of distinguished scholars and experts in the Arts and Humanities, Natural and Physical Sciences, and Social Sciences fields. Review panels meet once a year to review applications for funding. Panel funding recommendations are subject to final approval by AAUW.      

Review Process   

Prior to the American Fellowships Panel Review, AAUW’s Fellowships & Grants Team reviews applications for completeness and ensures compliance with eligibility requirements. Each eligible and complete application is then reviewed by a panel of reviewers, who evaluate applications based on the selection criteria outlined above.   

Applicants selected as awardees must complete the full award acceptance process, including submission of all required materials as outlined by AAUW. Award status is not considered final until all acceptance materials have been received, reviewed, and approved. 

American Dissertation Fellows are required to devote 100% of their working time and intellectual effort to the completion of their dissertation.

Applicants recommended for an award, but whose discipline or institution of study is different than envisioned at the time of application will be disqualified.

Fellowship awards may be used for tuition, fees, and course-required expenses like books and supplies, as well as housing, food, and other living expenses (including childcare). Awarded funds may not be expended on costs incurred prior to the fellowship term start date or after the fellowship term end date. 

Fellows are expected to begin their programs, or continue them if already enrolled, by September 1, 2026. Fellows must complete/defend their dissertation no earlier than April 1, 2027. Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate any exceptions.

Fellowship funds may be considered taxable income, depending on how they are used and the recipient’s individual circumstances. In many cases, funds used for purposes of non-tuition-related costs or living expenses are subject to taxation under U.S. tax law. 

It is the Fellow’s responsibility to understand and fulfill any tax obligations associated with their award. AAUW does not provide tax advice, issue tax forms, or report grants to the IRS. Fellows are strongly encouraged to consult a personal tax advisor or the IRS for guidance specific to their situation. 

Eligibility and Application Guidelines 

Can I still apply if I am not pursuing doctoral studies in STEM or if I do not meet one of the preferred selection criteria? 

Yes. We encourage applicants from all backgrounds who are pursuing doctoral studies in all fields to apply. 

What if I am enrolled in a joint masters and Ph.D. program and do not have proof of a completed master’s program? 

You must submit an official copy of your transcript showing all master’s work completed. You must also complete the dissertation certification form which can be found in AAUW’s application portal and must be signed by an institutional officer (i.e. faculty, department head, academic advisor, dissertation advisor) to confirm completion of all required coursework, qualifying examinations and approval of your dissertation research proposal. 

Award Details 

Can I work on my dissertation part-time? 

No. American Dissertation Fellows must work on their dissertation writing on a full-time basis. 

Can I work during my fellowship year?  

American Dissertation Fellows are expected to devote full-time effort to finalizing their dissertation. While part-time employment, either within or outside their academic institutions, is permitted, it must not interfere with steady progress toward completing the dissertation.

Fellows may engage in full-time employment during the summer months, if it does not hinder their dissertation work. Any full-time roles must end or be reduced to part-time by September 1 of the fellowship year to ensure compliance with the fellowship’s full-time commitment to dissertation work.      

What types of expenses are considered prohibited under the American Dissertation Fellowship?  

Under the American Dissertation Fellowship, certain expenses are classified as prohibited and therefore may not be covered using fellowship funds. These include: 

• Purchase of research equipment 
• Research assistants 
• Previous expenditures, deficits or repayment of personal loans 
• Publication costs 
• Institutional (overhead) costs 
• Tuition for dependents’ education 
• Tuition for coursework that is in addition to credits required for maintaining full-time status while completing a dissertation 
• Extended field work