American Doctoral Fellowship 2027

AAUW’s proud tradition of funding women pursuing higher education is anchored in its American Fellowship – AAUW’s flagship initiative. The American Doctoral Fellowship, in particular, offsets scholars’ expenses during one year of their doctoral program and deepens AAUW’s impact by accelerating diversity, equity, and inclusion in academia. The American Doctoral Fellowship is open to women in all fields of study, though those engaged in science, technology, engineering, and math fields, or those researching gender issues, are especially encouraged to apply. Established in 1888, AAUW American Fellowships are the oldest non-institutional source of graduate funding for women in the United States.

Table of Content

• Summary
• Benefits
• Requirements
• Application Deadline
• How To Apply

Summary

• Application DeadlineSeptember 30, 2026
• ValueFully Funded
• Study LevelPostdoctoral Fellowships
• SponsorAmerican Association of University Women (AAUW)
• Eligible CountryAll Countries

Benefits

• American Doctoral Fellowships carry a stipend of $25,000.
• Stipends are payable to fellows only and are disbursed in two equal payments at the beginning and the midpoint of the fellowship term.

 

American Doctoral Fellowship Fellowship Courses

• Business Administration
• Education
• Engineering
• Juridical Science
• Public Health
• Science

Requirements

• Applicants must identify as a woman.
• Applicants must begin their program on or before September 30, 2027.
• Applicants must be completing their first doctoral degree.
• Applicants must be enrolled at an institution: 
  • Recognized as accredited by the US Department of Education, 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 American Doctoral Fellowship is available for the following degree programs: 

• Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)  
• Doctor of Science (D.Sc./Sc.D.) 
• Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) 
• Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D./J.S.D.),  
• Doctor of Engineering (D.Eng.)  
• Doctor of Public Health (Dr.P.H.) 
• Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)

? Before You Submit: Check These Scholarship-Winning Essays Templates

Interview date, Process and Venue for American Doctoral Fellowship Fellowship

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 will be considered. It is the sole responsibility of the applicant to confirm that all materials are accurate and complete prior to submission. 

Review Panels?? 

Applications to the American Doctoral 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.

Selection Criteria

• 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 must demonstrate financial need, including any confirmed or pending sources of financial support and identify remaining funding gaps
• 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) 
• Applicants who are parenting students (Preferred) 
• Applicants pursuing their studies at R2 institutions or at institutions with limited research resources are encouraged to apply, and institutional context will be considered as part of the holistic review process.

Timeline

Applications Open	August 17, 2026, at 9:00am ET
Applications Close	September 30, 2026, at 5:00pm ET
Award Notification	April 2027
First Stipend Dispersed	July - September 2027
Mid-Year Report Due	December 2027
Second Stipend Dispersed	December 2027 / January 2028
Final Report Due	July 31, 2028

Application Deadline

September 30, 2026

How To Apply

• Applications for American Doctoral Fellowship open on August 17, 2026, at 9:00am ET.
• To begin your application, visit the AAUW Fellowships & Grants Application Portal to create an account or log in.

For more information, kindly visit AAUW scholarship webpage.