Selected Professions Fellowship Program

Fellowships are available for Master of Architecture (M.Arch) and Master of Science in Architecture (MS) programs only.

Fellowships are available for Master of Science (MS) programs in a range of science disciplines, including Agriculture, Biology, Biomedical Science, Chemistry, Geology, Earth and Environmental Science, Materials Science, Physics, and Zoology.

Fellowships are available for Master of Science (MS) programs in a range of technological disciplines, including Artificial Intelligence, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Data Analytics, Data Science, Information Science, Machine Learning, Robotics, and Software Engineering.

Fellowships are available for Master of Science (MS) and Master of Engineering (M.Eng) programs in a range of engineering disciplines, including Aerospace, Chemical, Civil, Electrical, Geotechnical, and Mechanical Engineering.

Fellowships are available for Master of Science (MS) programs in a range of math disciplines, including Applied Mathematics, Applied Economics/Econometrics, Statistics, and Actuarial Science.

Fellowships are available for professional degree programs for Doctor of Medicine (MD), Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO), Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS), Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry (DMD), Doctor of Optometry (OD), Doctor of Chiropractic (DC), and Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) only.

• Applicants must identify as a woman.   

• Applicants must be pursuing a full-time program 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. 

• Applicants must have an academic degree (earned in the U.S. or abroad) that is equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree. Applicants enrolled in a joint-degree program may apply for support if they plan to pursue full-time coursework during the entire fellowship year in one of the approved degree programs below. Coursework in other fields, even if part of a joint-degree program, is not supported. 

• Applicants must apply for a fellowship in a single specific discipline (e.g., Architecture, Natural and Physical Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or Medicine). 

• Applicants must not already hold a master’s or professional degree. 

• Applicants must begin their program on or before September 1, 2026, and complete it on or after April 30, 2027. 

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)

• Academic excellence, as demonstrated by academic records and achievements, recognition from peers, professors, and/or institutions, and other forms of distinction

• Well-defined career goals in a STEM field and demonstrated passion and commitment to a career in the chosen profession

• Demonstrated passion and commitment to STEM through sustained academic focus, active participation in STEM-related extracurricular activities, and potential to apply knowledge and experience to improve equity or contribute to societal advancement in STEM

• Demonstrated commitment to supporting other women and girls through service in their communities or professions

• Special consideration will be given to applicants who demonstrate their intent to professionally serve under resourced populations and communities or to pursue public interest areas

• 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 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 the AAUW Fellowships & Grants 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. 

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

• Letters of Recommendation: Applicants must provide two letters of recommendation from advisors, professors, colleagues, or others who are academically or professionally familiar with the applicant, their work, professional qualifications, and academic background.  
  • Please provide a professional email address for the 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.

Note: AAUW does not accept references from dossier services, such as Parment or Interfolio, and standardized or form-letter recommendations are discouraged.  

• Proof of Degree: Copy of all degrees earned to date. 
  • Applicants must hold a degree equivalent to at least a U.S. bachelor’s degree. 
  • Applicants must upload copies of all diplomas/degree certificates for programs from which they have received a degree.  
  • Applicants with an equivalent of a bachelor’s degree (particularly if the transcript or degree certification does not explicitly state it is a bachelor’s degree) must provide an official explanation from the academic institution or governing body, or submit a credential evaluation report form service like WES or ECE that clarifies the equivalency of your qualification to a bachelor’s 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 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 they have received a degree.  
  • The transcripts provided must correspond to the programs and institutions listed in the 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, a certified translation must be provided by applicant. 
  •  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.  

• Design Projects (Architecture Students Only): 4-6 reproductions of applicant’s design projects, no larger than 8 X 10” in size, demonstrating applicant’s range of architectural design work. Applicants should ensure their name appears on all pages.  

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.  

Fellowships are awarded on a competitive basis according to 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 Selected Professions Fellowship Program are reviewed by panels of distinguished scholars and practitioners. Panel funding recommendations are subject to final approval by AAUW. 

Review Process  

Prior to the Selected Professions 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.

Selected Professions Fellows are required to pursue their studies full time.

Applicants recommended for an award, but whose discipline, program, 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.

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 Fellows’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 

I am currently pursuing a master’s degree, which I will complete by September 2026, or I already hold a master’s or professional degree. I am planning to apply for another master’s or professional degree and use the AAUW fellowship to support it. Am I eligible to apply for the Selected Professions Fellowship?   

No. The Selected Professions Fellowship is intended for students working towards their first master’s or professional degree.  

I am enrolled/ plan to enroll in a part-time program. Am I eligible to apply for the Selected Professions Fellowship? 

No. Only applicants who intend to enroll or are enrolled in a full-time program are eligible for the Selected Professions Fellowship. 

I have applied or been admitted to several programs but have not yet decided which one to pursue. Can I list more than one program in my application? 

Yes. Applicants may list up to five programs and institutions in their application. However, please note that if you are awarded a fellowship, you must enroll in one of the programs and institutions listed in your application. If you choose to pursue a program at an institution not included in your application, you will be disqualified from receiving the fellowship. 

Can I apply to multiple programs in different academic fields? 

No. Applicants must apply to one program type in a single field of study. For example, you may apply to a master’s program within the broad field of biology — such as biochemistry, biotechnology, or bioengineering — but you may not apply for both a master’s program in biology and a medical degree (M.D.), or a master’s program in biology and a master’s program in physics. 

I am not pursuing a degree in Architecture, Natural and Physical Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, or Medicine, can I still apply?  

No. Only applicants pursuing master’s or professional degrees in the following fields may apply:  

• Architecture  

• Natural and Physical Science  

• Technology  

• Engineering  

• Mathematics 

• Medicine 

I am pursuing a degree in one of the approved fields, but I don’t see my specific degree listed in the program description. Can I still apply? 

Applicants in the fields of natural and physical sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics may apply, provided their program falls within the broader discipline areas listed. When completing your application, please select the field that most closely aligns with your area of study. Applicants in the fields of Architecture and Medicine must apply for one of the programs listed in the eligibility description.  

Award Details 

What types of expenses are considered prohibited under the Selected Professions Fellowships? 

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

• Research assistants  
• Previous expenditures, deficits or repayment of personal loans 
• Publication costs  
• Institutional (overhead) costs  
• Tuition for dependents’ education