Graduate Fellowships, Awards, and Prizes
(Compiled by Colin Church, Ph.D. candidate, U.S. History, and amended by Marcia Yonemoto,
Director of Graduate Studies. Last updated: Spring, 2011)
This is a list of potential funding sources for research and travel by graduate students. It is not
comprehensive, but is intended to get eligible applicants started on the process of identifying and
securing sources of funding, most of them external to the University of Colorado. Applying for
external funding is a very important aspect of professional development, and all grad students are
highly encouraged to pursue avenues of funding outside the university. Even if your application
is not successful, applicants sometimes can, upon request, receive copies of reviewers’
comments, which are very helpful in refining your research goals and procedures. You should
also apply repeatedly, if you are initially unsuccessful but remain eligible. While the compilers
of this list have attempted to cover the various subfields of history, you should consult your
adviser about field-specific grants and fellowships for graduate students.
University of Colorado, Boulder
Research:
The Department of History and the College of Arts and Sciences offer several
dissertation writing fellowships. For Department of History dissertation fellowships, see
Scott Miller.
Conference travel:
The Department of History offers funding for conference travel up to $500 per individual
per academic year. Guidelines are distributed to all students each year, and are also
available from Scott Miller.
The United Government of Graduate Students (UGGS) also offers travel grants.
Center of the American West
The Center offers an outstanding writing award and internships. For details, see the website at
http://www.centerwest.org/academics/index.php.
University of Colorado Boulder Provost’s Library Fellowship
The Provost's Fellowship introduces participants to careers in academic librarianship. It
illustrates the benefits of combining a graduate degree with a master's degree in library
science, resulting in a challenging and rewarding career filled with mobility and
advancement potential. The need for academic librarians with subject, language, and
technical specialties is increasing dramatically as the volume of information available
continues to grow, and access to quality information becomes more difficult.
In conjunction with the Graduate Teacher Program, the University Libraries will
be offering Provost's Fellowships to outstanding graduate students for the spring
semester. Applicants must be currently enrolled graduate students who have not
previously earned a graduate degree in library science. Fellows are awarded $2500 to
offset 150 hours of participation in this program that pairs them with a Library Faculty
Mentor. Funding for this program was generously provided by the Graduate Teacher
Program, the Provost and the Dean of the Graduate School. Contact: Thea Lindquist
(Thea.Lindquist@colorado.edu)
British and Irish Studies
Ogilvy Travel Fellowship
Fellowships are awarded up to $4500 to support travel to Britain or Ireland for graduate
research and study in any aspect of British and/or Irish Studies. Graduate students in all
departments and colleges at CU-Boulder may apply. Preference will be given to students
who need to go to Britain or Ireland to work on a M.A. thesis or Ph.D. dissertation, but
others may apply as well. The proposed travel must be taken before the formal granting
of the graduate degree and should be for academic purposes only.
Graduate Student Travel Grants
Travel grants, up to $500, may be awarded to students who have presented or will be
presenting a paper at a conference. Awards will not be given to someone who has simply
attended a conference. The paper must be related in some way to the study of British,
Scottish, or Irish Studies. Generally speaking, the awarding committee will tend to give
preference to students presenting at major national or international conferences (as
opposed to local or regional ones), and/or to those whose presentation is related to work
on their thesis or dissertation.
Societies and Associations
This is a list of some of the more prominent scholarly organizations. For other organizations that
are applicable to your research, ask your advisor. Please note that membership in the society or
association is usually required to apply for fellowships and/or awards.
Phi Alpha Theta (History Honors Society)
Phi Alpha Theta offers the following annual doctoral scholarship grants for advanced
study by graduate student members who are working on a Ph.D.
The Phi Alpha Theta Scholarship of $1,000
The John Pine Memorial Award of $1,000
Two additional awards of $750 each
Organization of American Historians (OAH)
OAH/IEHS John Higham Travel Grants
OAH and the Immigration and Ethnic History Society (IEHS) have created a fund to
award travel grants in memory of John Higham (1920-2003), past president of both
organizations, and a towering figure in immigration, ethnic, and intellectual history.
Travel grants of $500 are awarded to three (3) graduate students each year. Funds are to
be used by graduate students toward costs of attending the OAH/IEHS annual meeting.
The successful candidates will have a preferred area of concentration in American
Immigration and/or American Ethnic and/or American Intellectual history.
OAH Louis Pelzer Memorial Award
The Louis Pelzer Memorial Award Committee of the Organization of American
Historians invites candidates for graduate degrees to submit essays for the Louis Pelzer
Memorial Award competition. Essays may deal with any period or topic in the history of
the United States. The winning essay will be published in The Journal of American
History, and the winner will receive $500. Essays should not exceed 7,000 words
(including endnotes). Significance of the subject matter, literary craftsmanship and
competence in the handling of evidence are some of the factors that will be considered in
judging the essays.
Deadline: November
American Historical Association
(See also the various branches of the AHA; for example, the Pacific Coast Branch)
The Bernadotte E. Schmitt Grants for Research in European, African, or Asian History
Competition
The Association is pleased to announce the availability of modest grants to support
research in the history of Europe, Africa, and Asia. The funds for this program come
from the earnings of a bequest from Bernadotte E. Schmitt, president of the Association
in 1960. Only members of the Association are eligible to apply. The grants are intended
to further research in progress and may be used for travel to a library or archive, for
microfilms, photographs, or photocopying-a list of purposes that is meant to be merely
illustrative, not exhaustive (other expenses, such as child care, can be included).
Preference will be given to those with specific research needs, such as the completion of
a project or completion of a discrete segment thereof. Preference will be given to Ph.D.
candidates and junior scholars.
The Albert J. Beveridge Grant for Research in the History of the Western Hemisphere
Competition
The Association is pleased to announce the availability of modest grants to support
research in the history of the Western hemisphere (United States, Canada, and Latin
America). The funds for this program come from the earnings of the Albert J. Beveridge
Memorial Fund. Only members of the Association are eligible. The grants are intended to
further research in progress and may be used for travel to a library or archive, for
microfilms, photographs, or photocopying-a list of purposes that is meant to be merely
illustrative, not exhaustive (other expenses, such as child care, can be included).
Preference will be given to those with specific research needs, such as the completion of
a project or completion of a discrete segment thereof. Preference will be given to Ph.D.
candidates and junior scholars.
American Studies Association
Gene Wise - Warren Susman Prize
Student members of the American Studies Association who have had papers accepted for
the 2009 annual meeting may compete for a student paper award. The prize winner will
be announced at the annual meeting of the American Studies Association, to be held in
Washington, DC, November 5-8, 2009. The prize includes a certificate and $500.00 in
cash awarded for the best paper presented by a graduate student at the meeting. The
winning paper may deal with any aspect of American history, literature, or culture, but
should reflect the breadth, the critical imagination, the intellectual boldness, and the
cross-disciplinary perspective so strongly a part of the scholarship of both Gene Wise and
Warren Susman. The winning author must be a member of the Association.
Deadline: September
American Philosophical Society
John Hope Franklin Dissertation Fellowship
The John Hope Franklin Dissertation Fellowship is intended to help remedy the serious
shortage of faculty of color in core fields in the arts and sciences, by supporting the Ph.D.
projects of minority students of great promise (particularly African-Americans, HispanicAmericans and Native Americans) as well as other talented students who have a
demonstrated commitment to eradicating racial disparities and enlarging minority
representation in academia. The John Hope Franklin Fellow is expected to spend a
significant amount of time in residence at the APS Library and therefore all applicants
should be pursuing dissertation topics in which the holdings of the Library are especially
strong, such as quantum mechanics, nuclear physics, computer development, the history
of genetics and eugenics, the history of medicine, Early American political and cultural
history, natural history in the 18th and 19th centuries, the development of cultural
anthropology, or American Indian linguistics and culture.
Candidates must have completed all course work and examinations preliminary to
the doctoral dissertation and be prepared to devote full time for twelve months—with no
teaching obligations—to research on their dissertation projects or the writing of their
dissertations. The John Hope Franklin Fellow will also be expected to spend a minimum
of three months in Philadelphia, in residence at the APS Library with full encouragement
to conduct research at other libraries and archives in and around the city. Attractive office
space will be provided for the Fellow.
The stipend for this fellowship is $25,000 for a twelve-month period, plus $5,000
to support the cost of residency in Philadelphia, for a total award of $30,000. The twelvemonth period is flexible: for example, June 1, 2009-May 31, 2010; or September 1, 2009August 31, 2010; or the calendar year 2010. The John Hope Franklin Fellowship may be
held in conjunction with other stipendiary awards but may not be combined with
payments for teaching or administration.
Deadline: April
Phillips Fund Grant for Native American Research
The Phillips Fund of the American Philosophical Society provides grants for research in
Native American linguistics, ethnohistory, and the history of studies of Native
Americans, in the continental United States and Canada. Grants are not made for projects
in archaeology, ethnography, psycholinguistics, or for the preparation of pedagogical
materials. The committee distinguishes ethnohistory from contemporary ethnography as
the study of cultures and culture change through time. The grants are intended for such
costs as travel, tapes, films, and consultants' fees but not for the purchase of books or
permanent equipment.
The committee prefers to support the work of younger scholars who have received
the doctorate. Applications are also accepted from graduate students for research on
masters theses or doctoral dissertations. The average award is about $2,500; grants do not
exceed $3,500. Grants are given for one year following the date of the award. Grants are
taxable income, but the Society is not required to report payments. It is recommended
that grant recipients discuss their reporting obligations with their tax advisors.
Deadline: March
Western Society for French History
Edward T. Gargan Prize
The prize is given in recognition of Gargan’s contributions and carries his vision and
hope for our work into the future. It celebrates the best paper presented by a graduate
student at the annual conference.
Millstone Fellowship
The Millstone Fellowship provides $2,500 for research in France. Eligibility is restricted
to doctoral students, untenured and adjunct faculty members, and independent scholars
who reside in North America and whose research related to French history and culture
requires work in archives, libraries, or other repositories in France. Preference is given to
doctoral students and scholars in the early stages of their academic careers. Applications
should include the following: a curriculum vitae, including current contact information; a
description of the project not to exceed five double-spaced pages, explaining its purpose
and significance, its contribution to scholarship on France, and where and when the
research is to be carried out; and two letters of recommendation. All materials should be
submitted in electronic format as email attachments in Microsoft Word. Candidates are
responsible for seeing that letters of recommendation arrive in a timely fashion. Proposals
will be reviewed by a four-member committee chaired by the Vice-President of the
Western Society for French History.
Society for French Historical Studies
John B. and Theta H. Wolf Travel Fellowship
The John B. and Theta H. Wolf Travel Fellowship is a memorial to John B. Wolf,
distinguished historian and teacher and onetime president of the Society for French
Historical Studies, and to his wife, Theta H. Wolf, professor of psychology and author of
the well-received biography of Alfred Binet, a French pioneer in the development of IQ
tests. Fully as significant as their scholarly achievements were the warm hospitality,
advice, and encouragement John and Theta Wolf provided to countless graduate students
over the course of five decades. Their generous bequest makes possible an award of
$2,000 to be given annually to a doctoral student at a university in the United States or
Canada for dissertation research in French history (any period) that reflects the Wolfs'
interest in and contributions to the study of European history. The award is administered
by the Society for French Historical Studies and the Western Society for French History.
The winner will be announced at the annual meeting of the Society for French Historical
Studies.
Deadline: January 1
Marjorie M. Farrar Memorial Award
This fellowship is a memorial to Marjorie Milbank Farrar, esteemed historian of modern
France, author of Principled Pragmatist: The Political Career of Alexandre Millerand
(1991) and Conflict and Compromise: The Strategy, Politics, and Diplomacy of the
French Blockade, 1914-18 (1974). The generous bequest of the family makes possible an
award of $2,750 to a doctoral student in French history at a North American university to
support work on an outstanding dissertation in progress. The prize, which is administered
by the Society for French Historical Studies, will be announced at the Society's annual
meeting.
Deadline: January 1
Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations (SHAFR)
The Stuart L. Bernath Dissertation Grant
The Bernath Dissertation Grant of $4,000 is intended to help doctoral candidates defray
expenses encountered in the writing of their dissertations. The grant is awarded annually
at the SHAFR luncheon held during the annual meeting of the American Historical
Association. Applicants must be actively working on dissertations dealing with some
aspect of U.S. foreign relations history. Applicants must have satisfactorily completed all
requirements for the doctoral degree except the dissertation. Membership in SHAFR is
required.
Deadline: October 15.
SHAFR Dissertation Completion Fellowship
SHAFR invites applications for its dissertation completion fellowship. SHAFR will
make two, year-long awards, in the amount of $20,000 each, to support the writing and
completion of the doctoral dissertation in the academic year 2008-09. These highly
competitive fellowships will support the most promising doctoral candidates in the final
phase of completing their dissertations. Applicants should be candidates for the PhD in a
humanities or social science doctoral program (most likely history), must have been
admitted to candidacy, and must be at the writing stage, with all substantial research
completed by the time of the award. Applicants should be working on a topic in the field
of U.S. foreign relations history or international history, broadly defined, and must be
current members of SHAFR. Because successful applicants are expected to finish
writing the dissertation during the tenure of the fellowship, they should not engage in
teaching opportunities or extensive paid work, except at the discretion of the Fellowship
Committee. At the termination of the award period, recipients must provide a one page
(250-word) report to the SHAFR Council on the use of the fellowship, to be considered
for publication in Passport, the society newsletter.
Deadline: April 1.
The Myrna F. Bernath Fellowship
The Myrna F. Bernath Fellowship was established by the Bernath family to promote
scholarship in U.S. foreign relations history by women. The Myrna Bernath Fellowship
of $5,000 is intended to defray the costs of scholarly research by women. It is awarded
biannually (in odd years) and announced at the SHAFR luncheon held during the annual
meeting of the Organization of American Historians. Applications are welcomed from
women at U.S. universities as well as women abroad who wish to do research in the
United States. Preference will be given to graduate students and those within five years of
completion of their Ph.D.s.
Deadline: December 1
The Michael J. Hogan Fellowship
The Michael J. Hogan Fellowship was established to honor Michael J. Hogan, long-time
editor of Diplomatic History. The Hogan Fellowship of $4,000 is intended to promote
research in foreign language sources by graduate students. The fellowship is intended to
defray the costs of studying foreign languages needed for research. It is announced at the
SHAFR luncheon held during the annual meeting of the Organization of American
Historians. Applicants must be graduate students researching some aspect of U.S. foreign
relations history. Membership in SHAFR is required.
Deadline: February 1.
The W. Stull Holt Dissertation Fellowship
The W. Stull Holt Dissertation Fellowship of $4,000 is intended to defray the costs of
travel, preferably foreign travel, necessary to conduct research on a significant
dissertation project. The fellowship is awarded annually at the SHAFR luncheon held
during the annual meeting of the Organization of American Historians. Applicants must
be actively working on dissertations dealing with some aspect of U.S. foreign relations
history. Applicants must have satisfactorily completed all requirements for the doctoral
degree except the dissertation. Membership in SHAFR is required.
Deadline: February 1.
Samuel Flagg Bemis Research Grants
The Samuel F. Bemis Research Grants are intended to promote research by doctoral
candidates, by untenured faculty members, and by those within six years of the Ph.D. and
working as professional historians. A limited number of grants of varying amounts
(generally, up to $2,000) will be awarded annually to help defray the costs of domestic or
international travel necessary to conduct research on significant scholarly projects.
Applicants must be actively working on dissertations or post-doctoral research projects
dealing with some aspect of U.S. foreign relations history. Applicants must have
satisfactorily completed all requirements for the doctoral degree except the dissertation or
must hold the Ph.D. Membership in SHAFR is required.
Deadline: February 1.
The Betty M. Unterberger Dissertation Prize
The Betty M. Unterberger Prize is intended to recognize and encourage distinguished
research and writing by graduate students in the field of diplomatic history. The Prize of
$1,000 is awarded biannually (in odd years) to the author of a dissertation, completed
during the previous two calendar years, on any topic in United States foreign relations
history. The Prize is announced at the annual SHAFR conference.
Deadline: February 28.
The Lawrence Gelfand - Armin Rappaport Fellowship
The Gelfand-Rappaport Fellowship of $4,000 is intended to defray the costs of
dissertation research travel. The fellowship is awarded annually at SHAFR luncheon held
during the annual meeting of the American Historical Association. Applicants must be
actively working on dissertations dealing with some aspect of United States foreign
relations history. Applicants must have satisfactorily completed all requirements for the
doctoral degree except the dissertation. Membership in SHAFR is required.
Deadline: October 15
Robert A. and Barbara Divine Graduate Student Travel Fund
The Divine Fund supports the travel of graduate students who are presenting papers at the
annual meetings of SHAFR.
Western History Association
Sara Jackson Award
In recognition of Sara Jackson's commitment to minority students and graduate research,
an annual award of $500 will be given in support of student (M.A. or Ph.D.) research in
the field of Western history. Preference will be given to African American or other
minority students.
Deadline: July 31.
Walter Rundell Graduate Student Award
In recognition of the late Walter Rundell, Jr.'s commitment to graduate education in the
field of Western history, the Western History Association offers a graduate student award
in the field of Western history for $1,500. The applicant should be a doctoral candidate
who has completed comprehensive examinations for their dissertation subject.
Deadline: July 31.
Libraries and Museums
The Newberry Library (University of Chicago)
Newberry Short-term Fellowships (Deadline: March 2)
Short-term fellowships are generally restricted to post-doctoral scholars, Ph.D.
candidates, or holders of other terminal degrees from outside of the Chicago area who
have a specific need for Newberry collections; some fellowships, however, are open to
other categories of applicants and Chicago residents. The tenure of short-term fellowships
varies from one week to two months, unless otherwise noted under the award description.
A majority of fellowships will be for one month or less. Unless otherwise noted, the
amount of the award is $1600 per month, pro-rated for shorter periods.
American Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies Fellowship
This short-term fellowship is for Ph.D. candidates or post-doctoral scholars wishing to
use the Newberry's collections to study the period 1660-1815; applicants must be
members of the ASECS at the time of the award.
Lester J. Cappon Fellowship in Documentary Editing
This award for postdoctoral scholars provides up to $5000 to support historical editing
projects based on Newberry sources. It supports residential research in the Newberry's
collections in preparation of the edition, and also can defray other costs related to its
preparation and publication, including travel, photocopying, digitization, copyright fees,
publication subventions, and so forth.
Short-Term Fellowship in the History of Cartography
This short-term fellowship for Ph.D. candidates or post-doctoral scholars supports work
in residence at the Newberry on projects related to the history of cartography and focused
on cartographic materials in the Library's collection.
Short-Term Fellowships in Irish and Irish-American Studies
This short-term fellowship for Ph.D. candidates or post-doctoral scholars supports work
in residence at the Newberry on projects in the field of Irish and/or Irish American
Studies focused on materials in the Library's collection.
Institute for the International Education of Students Faculty Fellowships
Midwest Modern Language Association (MMLA) Fellowship
This short-term fellowship for Ph.D. candidates or post-doctoral scholars offers up to a
month's support for work in residence at the Newberry. MMLA membership must be
current at the time of application and through the period of the fellowship.
Northeast Modern Language Association (NEMLA) Fellowship
This short-term fellowship for Ph.D. candidates or post-doctoral scholars offers up to one
month's support for work in residence at the Newberry. NEMLA membership must be
current at the time of application and through the period of the fellowship. Preference
will be given to projects focusing on materials written in French, German, Italian, or
Spanish.
Newberry Library Short-Term Resident Fellowships for Individual Research
These short-term fellowships provide access to the Newberry's collections for Ph.D.
candidates or post-doctoral scholars who live and work outside the Chicago area.
Poetry Foundation/Newberry Library Fellowship in American Poetry
This short-term fellowship is for working poets and scholars of American poetry.
Preference will be given to poets who want to draw upon the Newberry's collections as
part of the creative process. The tenure of the fellowship may be one or two months.
Eligibility for scholars working poetry history or criticism is the same as other Newberry
short-term fellowships. Any working poet with a record of publication, however, is
eligible to apply.
Susan Kelly Power and Helen Hornbeck Tanner Fellowship
This fellowship for Ph.D. candidates and post-doctoral scholars of American Indian
heritage supports up to two months of residential research in any field in the humanities,
using the collections of the Newberry Library, and provides a stipend of $1600 per
month. Applicants for this fellowship need not be from outside the Chicago area.
South Central Modern Language Association (SCMLA) Fellowship
This one-month fellowship for Ph.D. candidates or post-doctoral scholars supports work
in residence at the Newberry Library by a member of the South Central Modern
Language Association with a $2000 stipend. SCMLA membership must be current at the
time of application and through the period of the fellowship. Graduate students must have
been SCMLA members for one year before applying. All other applicants must have been
SCMLA members for two years before applying.
Newberry Special Awards and Fellowships
Frances C. Allen Fellowships
This fellowship is for women of Native American heritage. While candidates for this
award may be working in any graduate or pre-professional field, the particular goal of the
Allen Fellowship is to encourage Native American women in their studies of the
humanities and social sciences. Financial support varies according to need and may
include travel expenses. Allen Fellows are expected to spend a significant part of their
tenure in residence at the Newberry's D'Arcy McNickle Center for American Indian
History. The tenure of the fellowship is from one month to one year; the fellowship
provides up to $8,000 in approved expenses.
Deadline: March 2.
École des Chartes Exchange Fellowship
This fellowship provides a monthly stipend and free tuition for an American or Canadian
graduate student to study at the École Nationale des Chartes in Paris for a period of three
months during 2009-2010. The École des Chartes is the oldest institution in Europe
specializing in the archival sciences, including paleography, bibliography, textual editing,
and the history of the book. Preference will be given to students attending institutions that
are members of the Center for Renaissance Studies Consortium. Applications are
especially encouraged from students who are in the early stages of preparing their
dissertations.
Deadline: January 12.
Herzog August Bibliothek Wolfenbüttel Fellowship
Applicants for long- and short-term fellowships at the Newberry may also ask to be
considered for this joint fellowship providing an additional two-month fellowship in
Wolfenbüttel, Germany. The proposed project should link the collections of both
libraries; applicants should plan to hold both fellowships sequentially to ensure continuity
of research. The award will pay 1,050 EUR per month plus up to 600 EUR for travel
expenses. For more information on the Herzog August Bibliothek Wolfenbüttel, see their
Web page at www.hab.de.
Deadline: January 12
Deadline for linked long-term fellowship; March 2.
Smithsonian Institution and National Museum of American History
Graduate Student Fellowships
These fellowships allow students to conduct research for ten-week periods in association
with Smithsonian research staff members. Applicants must be formally enrolled in a
graduate program of study, must have completed at least one semester, and must not yet
have been advanced to candidacy in a doctoral program. Stipend: $6,000.
Deadline: January 15 for awards to begin on or after June 1.
Predoctoral Fellowships
These fellowships allow students to conduct research for periods of three to twelve
months. Applicants must have completed coursework and preliminary examinations for
the doctoral degree, and must be engaged in dissertation research. In addition, candidates
must have the approval of their universities to conduct their doctoral research at the
Smithsonian. Stipend: $27,000 per year.
Deadline: January 15 for awards to begin on or after June 1.
Postdoctoral Fellowships
Postdoctoral Fellowships of three to twelve months are available for scholars who have
held the doctoral degree or equivalent for fewer than seven years as of the application
deadline. Stipend: $42,000 per year.
Deadline: January 15 for awards to begin on or after June 1.
Latino Studies Fellowship Program
The Latino Studies Fellowship Program provides opportunities to US Latino/a
predoctoral students and postdoctoral and senior scholars to pursue research topics that
relate to Latino art, culture, and history. Interdisciplinary subjects are encouraged and can
be undertaken at more than one of the Smithsonian museums and/or research units, and
advised by one or more of the Smithsonian research staff members. This program is
intended to broaden and increase the body of Latino related research that is being
conducted at the Smithsonian Institution. While not a condition of the award, fellows are
invited to pursue a portion of their project in the field: at other museums or research
facilities, as well as in communities where primary data can be collected. A research and
travel allowance will be made available to cover additional costs of spending up to one
third of the fellowship tenure away from the Smithsonian, if appropriate and necessary,
but not at the fellow's home institution. Fellowships are available for 3 to 12 months.
Postdoctoral stipend: $42,000 per year. Predoctoral stipend: $27,000 per year.
Deadline: January 15th for awards to begin on or after June 1.
Minority Visiting Students
Through the Minority Student Awards Program, the Office of Fellowships offers
internships and visiting student awards to increase participation of U.S. minority groups
who are underrepresented in Smithsonian scholarly programs, in the disciplines of
research conducted at the Institution, and in the museum field. Visiting Student Awards
are available for currently enrolled advanced graduate students. Visiting Students pursue
independently designed research projects in association with Smithsonian staff. Students
should contact the Office of Fellowships for application information. Term: 10 weeks.
Stipend: $500 per week.
Deadline(s): February 1 for Summer (to begin after June 1) and for Fall (to begin
after October 1) and October 1 for Spring (to begin after January 1).
Native American Visiting Student Awards
Appointments are available for currently enrolled advanced Native American graduate
students who are formally or informally related to a Native American community.
Visiting Students pursue independent research in association with Smithsonian staff.
Stipend: $150 per day for up to 21 days and $400 per week for 3 to 10 weeks, a travel
allowance and a small research allowance.
Deadlines: February 1st (to start after June 1st) and October 1st (to start after
January 1st).
NMAH Lemelson Center Fellowships
The Lemelson Center Fellows Program supports projects that present creative approaches
to the study of invention and innovation in American society. These include, but are not
limited to, historical research and documentation projects, resulting in publications,
exhibitions, educational initiatives, and multimedia products. The fellowship program
provides access to the Smithsonian's vast artifact and archival collections, as well as the
expertise of the institution's research staff. The Center offers fellowships to scholars and
professionals who are pre- or postdoctoral candidates or who have completed advanced
professional training. Fellowships are awarded for a maximum of ten weeks and carry a
prorated stipend. Fellows are expected to reside in the Washington, D.C. area, to
participate in the Center's activities, and to make presentations on their work to
colleagues at the museum.
Deadline: January 15.
NMAH Lemelson Center Travel to Collections Award
The Travel to Collections Awards Program supports research on the history of invention
and innovation based on the holdings of the Museum's Archives Center and curatorial
divisions. The Archives Center holds more than 14,000 feet of archival materials. The
collections are particularly strong in personal papers and business records documenting
the history of American enterprise and technology. Since 1995 the Lemelson Center has
supported oral and video documentation of contemporary inventors and inventions such
as the SmartLevel, a high-tech electronic level, the Gerber Cutter, a computer controlled
fabric cutter invented by H. Joseph Gerber, the Sendzimir "Z" Mill for cold rolling steel
invented by Tadeusz Sendzimir, and the windsurfer invented by S. Newman Darby.
To encourage use of its invention-related collections, the Lemelson Center offers
awards up to $100 a day for a maximum of 21 days. The travel award may be used to
cover transportation and living expenses, and copying pertinent archival resources.
Scholars, graduate students, and independent researchers not residing or attending school
within commuting distance of the National Museum of American History may apply for
this program. Awards may not be used to extend other Smithsonian appointments. Only
one award can be offered to a visitor within a twelve-month period. Decisions are made
on the basis of recommendation and review by the Smithsonian staff. Term(s): Maximum
of 21 days. Stipend: Up to $100 per day.
Deadline: Applications accepted year-round.
U.S. Government
Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Program
This program provides funds for academic year and summer fellowships to IHEs in order
to assist graduate students in acquiring foreign language and either area or international
studies competencies. Students apply directly to IHEs that have received fellowship
allocations from the Department of Education. Applicants must meet eligibility criteria in
order to receive fellowships. ELIGIBLE STUDENTS A student is eligible to receive a
fellowship if he or she is a graduate student; is a citizen, national, or permanent resident
of the United States; is accepted for enrollment or is enrolled in a program that combines
modern foreign language training with area or international studies; and shows potential
for high academic achievement based on grade point average, class ranking, or similar
measures determined by the institution.
Fulbright-Hays—Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad
This program provides grants to colleges and universities to fund individual doctoral
students who conduct research in other countries, in modern foreign languages and area
studies for periods of six to 12 months. Graduate students in doctoral programs in the
fields of foreign languages and area studies must apply through the institutions in which
they are enrolled. A student is eligible to receive a fellowship if he or she: is a citizen or
national of the United States or is a permanent resident of the United States; is a graduate
student in good standing at an institution of higher education in the United States who,
when the fellowship begins, is admitted to candidacy in a doctoral program in modern
foreign languages and area studies at that institution; is planning a teaching career in the
United States upon graduation; and possesses adequate skills in the language(s) necessary
to carry out the dissertation project.
Students may propose research for 6 to 12 months. The fellowship may not be
renewed. Expenses Covered by the Award: 1) Travel expenses, including excess baggage
to and from the residence of the fellow to the host country of research; 2) Maintenance
and dependents allowances based on the cost of living in country(ies) of research for the
fellow and his or her dependent(s); 3) Project allowance for research related expenses
such as books, copying, tuition and affiliation fees, local travel and other incidental
expenses; 4) Health and accident insurance premiums; and 5) $100.00 administrative fee
to applicant institution.
Library of Congress
Student Academic Intern Program
Under this program, undergraduate and graduate students may apply for work experience
throughout the Library of Congress on a volunteer basis. By combining academic training
with on-the-job experience, the program assists students in reaching their goals and
exploring career options. Students may earn course credit for their work experience.
Volunteer internship opportunities are available throughout the year and may last from
one month to one year according to the needs and schedule of the participant and the
supervisor. Interns generally work on specific projects supplementing but not replacing
the work of regular staff.
Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) Internship Program
Under this program, Hispanic (and others) undergraduate and graduate students
participate in internships (Spring- 15 weeks; Summer-10 weeks; Fall-15 weeks) in
various sections throughout the Library including (but not limited to) Human Resources,
the Office of Workforce Diversity and the Copyright Divisions. HACU interns are not
official Library employees during the internship but may be extended at the end of the
internship period and/or given a temporary appointment and possibly a permanent
position. Applicants must contact the HACU program directly to become an intern. Go to
www.hnip.net for an online application and more information. If accepted, you will
participate in this program for 1 semester(s).
Deadline: after September 1 until November 5.
Asian Division Florence Tan Moeson Fellowship
The purpose of the fellowship is to provide individuals with the opportunity to pursue
research on East, Southeast, and/or South Asia (including the overseas Asian
communities), using the unparalleled collections of the Library of Congress in
Washington, DC. The grants are for a minimum of five business days of research and are
to be used to cover travel to and from Washington, overnight accommodations, and
photocopying; or, to cover expenses incurred while traveling to the Library of Congress
to engage in scholastic research in the area of Asian studies. Up to 15 awards are
available from $300 to $2,500. Graduate students, independent scholars, community
college teachers, researchers without regular teaching appointments, and librarians with a
need for fellowship support are especially encouraged to apply. Awards are announced in
December. If accepted, you will participate in this program for 5 days.
Deadline: After June 1 until September 30.
Foundations and Institutes
The Getty
Research Grants for Pre- and Postdoctoral Fellowships
Predoctoral and Postdoctoral Fellowships provide support for emerging scholars to
complete work on projects related to the Getty Research Institute's annual theme. The
theme for 2009-2010 is The Display of Art. Recipients are in residence at the Getty
Research Institute, where they pursue research to complete their dissertations or to
expand them for publication. Fellows make use of the Getty collections, join in a weekly
meeting devoted to the annual theme, and participate in the intellectual life of the Getty
Center.
Villa Predoctoral and Postdoctoral Fellowships
Villa Predoctoral and Postdoctoral Fellowships provide support for emerging scholars to
complete work on projects related to the Getty Villa's annual theme. The theme for 2009-
2010 is The Display of Art. Recipients are in residence at the Getty Villa in Malibu,
where they pursue research to complete their dissertations or to expand them for
publication. Fellows make use of the Getty collections, join in periodic meetings devoted
to the annual theme, and participate in the intellectual life of the Getty. Applications are
welcome from scholars of all nationalities who are working in the arts, humanities, or
social sciences. Predoctoral fellowship applicants must have advanced to candidacy by
the time of the fellowship start date and expect to complete their dissertations during the
fellowship period. (Predoctoral fellows who receive their doctorate while in residence
automatically become Postdoctoral fellows.) Postdoctoral fellowship applicants must
have received their degree no earlier than 2003.
Library Research Grants
Library Research Grants provide partial, short-term support for costs relating to travel
and living expenses to scholars whose research requires use of specific collections housed
in the Research Library at the Getty Research Institute. A Library Research Grant is not a
prerequisite for obtaining access to the Research Library. Library Research Grants are
intended for scholars of all nationalities and at any level who demonstrate a compelling
need to use materials housed in the Research Library, and whose place of residence is
more than eighty miles from the Getty Center. Projects must relate to specific items in the
library collection.
Graduate Internships
Getty Graduate Internships are offered in the four programs of the J. Paul Getty Trust—
the Getty Museum, Getty Research Institute, Getty Conservation Institute, and Getty
Foundation—for students of all nationalities who intend to pursue careers in fields related
to the visual arts. Training and work experience are available in areas such as curatorial,
education, conservation, research, information management, public programs, and
grantmaking. Please see the list of internship areas and host departments participating in
2009-2010. Approximately 20 graduate internship positions are funded each year.
Internships are open to students of all nationalities. Applicants must be:
Students currently enrolled in a graduate program leading to an advanced degree in a
field relevant to the internship(s) for which they are applying, or individuals who have
completed a relevant graduate degree on or after January 1, 2006, with post-graduate
activities in their field, paid or unpaid.
Spencer Foundation
Dissertation Fellowship Program
The Dissertation Fellowship Program seeks to encourage a new generation of scholars
from a wide range of disciplines and professional fields to undertake research relevant to
the improvement of education. These $25,000 fellowships support individuals whose
dissertations show potential for bringing fresh and constructive perspectives to the
history, theory, or practice of formal or informal education anywhere in the world.
Although the dissertation topic must concern education, graduate study may be in
any academic discipline or professional field. In the past, fellowships have been awarded
to candidates in anthropology, architecture, art history, economics, education, history,
linguistics, literature, philosophy, political science, psychology, public health, religion,
and sociology, but eligibility is not restricted to these academic areas. Candidates should
be interested in pursuing further research in education once the doctorate is attained.
Applicants must be candidates for the doctoral degree at a graduate school within
the United States. These fellowships are not intended to finance data collection or the
completion of doctoral coursework, but rather to support the final analysis of the research
topic and the writing of the dissertation. For this reason, all applicants must document
that they will have completed all pre-dissertation requirements by June 1, 2009 and must
provide a clear and specific plan for completing the dissertation within a one or two-year
time frame.
Fellows' stipends are to support completion of their dissertations and are to be
expended within one or two years and in accordance with the work plan provided by the
candidate in his/her application. Fellows may not accept employment other than as
described in the application, nor may they accept other awards providing duplicate
benefits without the written permission of the Spencer Foundation.
Deadline: November 4.
The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
Scholarly Fellowships
The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History invites applications for short-term
fellowships in several categories: Research Fellowships for post-doctoral scholars at
every faculty rank, Dissertation Fellowships for doctoral candidates who have completed
exams and begun dissertation reading and writing, and Research Fellowships for
journalists and independent scholars. The Gilder Lehrman Fellowships support work in
one of five archives: 1) The Gilder Lehrman Collection, on deposit at the New-York
Historical Society; 2) The Library of the New-York Historical Society; 3) The Columbia
University Rare Book and Manuscript Library; 4) The New York Public Library
Humanities and Social Sciences Library; 5) The Schomburg Center for Research in Black
Culture (NYPL). Fellowships range in duration from a week to two months. Fellowship
stipends range from $1,500 to $4,000. Research must be completed within a year of
notification of the award.
Deadlines: December 1 and May 1.
Andrew W. Mellon Foundation/ACLS Early Career Fellowship Program
Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Completion Fellowships
These fellowships are to assist graduate students in the humanities and related social
sciences in the last year of Ph.D. dissertation writing. The Fellowship tenure may be
carried out in residence at the Fellow's home institution, abroad, or at another appropriate
site for the research. The total award of up to $33,000 includes a stipend plus additional
funds for university fees and research support. These Fellowships may not be held
concurrently with any other major fellowship or grants. Applicants must: be Ph.D.
candidates in a humanities or social science department in the United States; have all
requirements for the Ph.D. except the dissertation completed before beginning fellowship
tenure; and be no more than six years in the degree program.
Deadline: November 12.
The Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture
NEH Postdoctoral Fellowship
The Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture offers annually a twoyear postdoctoral fellowship in any area of early American studies. A principal criterion
for selection is that the candidate’s dissertation or other manuscript have significant
potential as a distinguished, book-length contribution to scholarship. Applicants may not
have previously published or have under contract a scholarly monograph, and they must
have met all requirements for the doctorate before commencing the fellowship. Those
who have earned the Ph.D. and begun careers are also encouraged to apply.
Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Research Fellowship
The Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture offers a one-year
Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in any area of early American
studies. The principal criterion for selection is that the candidate's manuscript have
significant potential for publication as a distinguished, book-length contribution to
scholarship. Applicants must submit a completed manuscript and may not have another
scholarly monograph under contract. They must have met all requirements for the
doctorate at least twelve months prior to commencing the fellowship.
American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS)
Dissertation Fellowships in Eastern European Studies
Funding is offered for: 1) Research Fellowships for use in Eastern Europe to conduct
fieldwork or archival investigations; and 2) Writing Fellowships for use in the United
States, after all research is complete, to write the dissertation. Applications should be for
work on Eastern Europe: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech
Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Kosovo/a, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Montenegro,
Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, and Slovenia. Applicants may propose comparative
work considering more than one country of Eastern Europe or relating East European
societies of those of other parts of the world.
Fellowships will be granted on the basis of the scholarly potential of the applicant,
the quality and scholarly importance of the proposed work, and its importance to the
development of scholarship on Eastern Europe. Funds awarded may not be used in
Western Europe. The stipend will be up to $18,000. As a condition of the award, the
applicant's home university will be required (consistent with its policies and regulations)
to provide or to waive normal academic year tuition payments or to provide alternative
cost-sharing support.
Research and Writing Fellowships are intended as sequenced support for
completion of a dissertation. Recipients are therefore invited to apply the following year
for the next level of funding. Eligibility: currently enrolled graduate students who will
have completed all requirements for the doctorate except the dissertation by June 2009
may apply for one-year, non-renewable support to complete the dissertation. Applicants
must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States and must be enrolled in a
doctoral program at an institution in the United States. Award: up to $18,000,
Deadline: November 12.
Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Completion Fellowships:
ACLS invites applications for the fifth annual competition for the Mellon/ACLS
Dissertation Completion Fellowships. This is the first stage of the Andrew W. Mellon
Foundation/ACLS Early Career Fellowship Program, a significant new fellowship
program providing support for young scholars. The first part of this program—the
Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Completion Fellowships—makes possible a year of
supported research and writing, to help students complete their dissertation. The
second part of the program provides support for a year, following the completion of
the doctorate, for new scholars to advance their research. A grant from The Andrew
W. Mellon Foundation supports this program. The Mellon/ACLS Dissertation
Completion Fellowships are to assist graduate students in the humanities and related
social sciences in the last year of Ph.D. dissertation writing. This program aims to
encourage timely completion of the Ph.D. Applicants must be prepared to complete
their dissertations within the period of their fellowship tenure and no later than
August 31, 2012.
For details and application, see: http://www.acls.org/programs/dcf/
See also the affiliated program: http://www.acls.org/programs/rdr/
Social Science Research Council (SSRC):
International Dissertation Research Fellowship (IDRF):
The International Dissertation Research Fellowship (IDRF) offers nine to twelve 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. Research topics may address all periods in history, but applicants should be
alert to the broader implications of their research as it relates to contemporary issues and
debates. Seventy-five fellowships are awarded annually. Fellowship amounts vary
depending on the research plan, with a per-fellowship average of $18,750. The fellowship
includes participation in an interdisciplinary workshop upon the completion of IDRFfunded research.
The program is open to graduate students in the humanities and social sciences -regardless of citizenship -- enrolled in doctoral programs in the United States. Applicants
to the 2011 IDRF competition must complete all Ph.D. requirements except on-site
research by the time the fellowship begins or by December 2011, whichever comes first.
The program invites proposals for empirical and site-specific dissertation research outside
the United States. It will consider applications for dissertation research grounded in a
single site, informed by broader cross-regional and interdisciplinary perspectives, as well
as applications for multi-sited, comparative, and transregional research. Proposals that
identify the U.S. as a case for comparative inquiry are welcome; however, proposals
which focus predominantly or exclusively on the United States are not eligible. Proposals
may cover all periods in history, but must address topics that have relevance to
contemporary issues and debates.
Students enrolled in Ph.D. programs in public policy, public health, and education, may
be eligible to apply if their research projects engage directly with broader theoretical and
analytical issues in the humanities and social sciences. The program does not accept
applications from Ph.D. programs in law, business, medicine, nursing or journalism.
Students who will have undertaken nine or more months of funded dissertation research
in one country by July 2011 are not eligible to apply to the IDRF to extend the research
time in the same country. The IDRF program will not support study at home institutions,
foreign universities, conference participation, short research trips abroad, or projects
relying primarily on labwork.
Deadline: early November. See website: http://www.ssrc.org/fellowships/idrf-fellowship/
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Fellowship:
The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Fellowship Program provides
recent PhD recipients and ABDs (please see program eligibility requirements) with
opportunities to conduct research in Japan under the leadership of a host researcher.
Fellows are encouraged to advance their own research and at the same time closely
collaborate with young Japanese researchers and contribute to Japanese research
communities. Fellows are selected by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
(JSPS) based on nominations made by the SSRC Japan Advisory Board. The SSRC Japan
Advisory Board recommends to JSPS up to 20 candidates annually from the social
sciences and humanities. Award offers are made by JSPS in early-summer for
fellowships that must commence between April 1 and September 30 (long-term) or April
1 and March 31 (short-term). Applications are welcome from all social science and
humanities disciplines and need not be explicitly related to the study of Japan. Projects
must include work with colleagues and resources in Japan and propose a single,
continuous stay in Japan from 1 to 12 months (short-term) or 1 to 2 years (long-term).
Council on Library and Information Resources
Mellon Fellowships for Dissertation Research in Original Sources
The program offers about fifteen competitively awarded fellowships. Each provides a
stipend of $2,000 per month for 9–12 months. Each fellow will receive an additional
$1,000 upon participating in a symposium on research in original sources and submitting
an acceptable report to CLIR on the research experience. Thus the maximum award will
be $25,000. Fellowships begin between June 1 and September 1, and end within 12
months of commencing. Fellowships will not be renewed or extended. Fellows are
expected to devote full time to their dissertation research without holding teaching or
research assistantships or undertaking other paid work. Applicants may apply
simultaneously for other fellowships, including Mellon awards, but fellows may not hold
other fellowships simultaneously with CLIR's. Fellows may use stipends to meet living
expenses, travel costs, and other expenses that enable dissertation research to be carried
out, but not to defray tuition.
To be eligible, an applicant will: 1) be enrolled in a doctoral program in a
graduate school in the United States (master's thesis research is not eligible); 2) complete
all doctoral requirements except the dissertation and be ready to start research for it as
early as June 1 and no later than September 1, with approval of the dissertation proposal
no later than April 1; 3) plan to do dissertation research primarily in original source
material in the holdings of archives, libraries, historical societies, museums, related
repositories, or a combination; 4) write the dissertation and receive the Ph.D. degree in a
field of the humanities or in a related element of the social sciences (candidates for the
Ed.D, J.D., or D.D. degrees are not eligible).
Deadline: November 14.
Grants to support research in Asian Studies:
For information on grants and fellowships available to scholars of Asia (East, South, and
Southeast Asia), see the “Grants and Fellowships” section of the website of the
Association for Asian Studies:
http://www.aasianst.org/grants/main.htm
Fellowship Search Engines
For more fellowships, grants, and prizes, the following Internet search engines can be very
useful.
Cornell University Fellowship Database
http://www.gradschool.cornell.edu/?p=132
Michigan State University Library Search
http://www.lib.msu.edu/harris23/grants/3history.htm#d
UCLA
http://www.gdnet.ucla.edu/asis/grapes/search.asp
Francisco Alberto Tomei Torres, Ph.D website
http://scholarships.fatomei.com/history.html
Grants.Gov
http://www.grants.gov/