American Dissertation Fellowship

• Applicants must be or 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, 2025 – June 30, 2026.
• Applicants must be completing their first doctoral degree.
• Applicants must be enrolled at an institution accredited by the U.S. Department of Education.
• 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 hail from or lead single parent households (preferred).
• Applicants who hail from or intend to study in any of the following geographies: Arkansas, West Virginia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Alabama, Tennessee or Indiana (preferred).

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
• Dissertations that are original in design and will make significant contributions to the relevant field
• Feasibility of dissertation plan and the proposed timeline
• Applicant’s teaching experience
• Demonstrated commitment to helping women and girls through service in their communities, professions or fields of research
• Financial need

International Scholarship & Tuition Services (ISTS) serves as the application portal for AAUW American Dissertation Fellowship. Please follow the steps below to start the application process:

1. Review the eligibility criteria to ensure you are eligible.
2. Click the Apply Now button below to access the application and create an ISTS account. If a program key is requested, please use the following program key: AAUW-ADF
3. Follow the instructions provided in the Applicant Guide.

For any inquiries related to the application process or if you encounter technical issues, please contact AAUW@applyists.com or call (866) 795-4892.

Apply Now

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 an individual of the applicant’s choosing, provided they are well acquainted with the applicant, their scholarly work and their teaching. Note: AAUW does not accept references from dossier services, such as Parment or Interfolio, and standardized or form-letter recommendations are discouraged.
• Transcripts: Transcripts for all graduate, credit coursework. All transcripts must include the applicant’s full name, the school’s name, and all graduate credit coursework and grades. 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. Applicants who studied at an institution that does not require coursework or provide transcripts must provide an institutional letter affirming the same.
• 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 components provided in a foreign language. Translations must bear a mark of certification or official signature that the translation is true and complete.

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

Review Panels

Applications to the American Dissertation Fellowship Program are reviewed by sub-panels of distinguished scholars in the following broad discipline fields:

• Arts & Humanities
• Natural & Physical Sciences
• Social Sciences

Review Process

Review panels meet 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 awards panels. AAUW does not provide written or oral evaluations of applicants. No provisions exist for reconsideration of fellowship proposals. Applications and supporting documents become the sole property of AAUW and will not be returned or held for another year.