Fundings and Fellowships at the American Association of University Women (AAUW)

21 September 2022

In its 100-year history, the American Association of University Women (AAUW) has promoted equity and education for women in the United States through research, public education, and advocacy. Fastepo experts have compiled a list of all Funding and Fellowship opportunities available through the American Association of University Women (AAUW) below with details and deadlines.

American Association of University Women (AAUW)

Since over 100 years ago, the American Association of University Women (AAUW) has been a non-profit organization that has had a presence in the academic community. Through conducting research, educating the public, and advocating within communities, they are able to promote equity and education for women in the United States. There are 170,000 members and supporters in AAUW, 1,000 local branches, and 800 college and university partners nationwide. Its headquarters are in Washington, D.C. Its CEO is Gloria L. Blackwell.

American Association of University Women (AAUW) Fundings and Fellowships

Here you will find all Funding and Fellowship opportunities at the American Association of University Women (AAUW) along with their details and application deadlines.

Title: American Fellowships

Funding: $8,000–$50,000
Opens: August 1 every year
Deadline: November 1 every year

Award Amount:

Dissertation Fellowship: $25,000

Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowship: $50,000

Short-Term Research Publication Grant: $8,000

Summary:

The American Fellowship program began in 1888, a time when women were discouraged from pursuing an education. It is AAUW’s largest fellowship program and the oldest non-institutional source of graduate funding for women in the United States.

AAUW American Fellowships support women scholars who are pursuing full-time study to complete dissertations, conducting postdoctoral research full time, or preparing research for publication for eight consecutive weeks. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Candidates are evaluated on the basis of scholarly excellence; quality and originality of project design; and active commitment to helping women and girls through service in their communities, professions, or fields of research.

Postdoctoral: The primary purpose of the American Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowship is to increase the number of women in tenure-track faculty positions and to promote equity for women in higher education. This fellowship is designed to assist the candidate in obtaining tenure and further promotions by enabling them to spend a year pursuing independent research. Tenured professors are not eligible. Open to applicants in all fields of study. Scholars engaged in science, technology, engineering and math fields or those researching gender issues are especially encouraged to apply.

Eligibility:

For all American Fellowships, applicants must meet the following criteria:

  • American Fellowships are not open to previous recipients of any AAUW national fellowship or grant (not including branch or local awards or Community Action Grants).
  • Members of the AAUW Board of Directors, committees, panels, task forces and staff, including current interns, are not eligible to apply for AAUW’s fellowships and grants. A person holding a current award is eligible for election or appointment to boards, committees, panels and task forces.
  • American Fellowship candidates must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
  • American Fellowships are open to women, including people who identify as women, in all fields of study at an accredited institution of higher education. AAUW will make final decisions about what constitutes eligible institutions.
  • Applicants may not apply for another AAUW national fellowship or grant in the same year.
  • Distance learning/online programs: Fellowships support traditional classroom-based courses of study at colleges or universities. This fellowship program does not provide funding for distance learning or online programs or for degrees heavily dependent on distance learning components. Final decisions about what constitutes distance learning under these fellowships will be made by AAUW. AAUW will accept applications from applicants who are temporarily studying remotely due to COVID-19 precautions at their institution.

Dissertation Fellowships:

  • The American Dissertation Fellowship must be used for the final year of writing the dissertation. Applicants must have completed all coursework, passed all preliminary exams, and had the dissertation research proposal or plan approved by November 1, 2022. The doctoral degree/dissertation must be completed between April 1 and June 30, 2024. Degree conferral must be between April 1 and September 15, 2024.
  • Dissertation Fellows are not required to study in the U.S.
  • Students already holding a fellowship or grant for the purpose of supporting their final year of writing or completing the dissertation the year before the fellowship year are not eligible to apply for the American Dissertation Fellowship.
  • The Dissertation Fellowship is intended for applicants who are completing their first doctoral degree.
  • Applicants may apply up to two times for a fellowship for the same dissertation project.

Postdoctoral Fellowships:

  • American Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowship applicants must hold a Ph.D., Ed.D., D.B.A., M.F.A., J.D., M.D., D.M.D., D.V.M., D.S.W., or M.P.H. at the time of application.
  • Tenured professors are not eligible.

Publication Grants:

  • American Short-Term Research Publication Grant applicants must hold a Ph.D., Ed.D., D.B.A., M.F.A., J.D., M.D., D.M.D., D.V.M., D.S.W., or M.P.H. at the time of application.
  • Tenured professors are not eligible.
  • American Short-Term Research Publication Grants are for tenure-track, part-time, and temporary faculty, as well as new and established researchers at universities. Scholars with strong publication records should seek funding elsewhere. Applicants must have time available for eight consecutive weeks of final manuscript preparation. While many recipients, especially full-time faculty members, will use the awards during the summer, recipients may use the funds at any time during the fellowship year. Applicants must demonstrate that the support will result in a reduction of their ongoing work-related activities.
  • American Short-Term Research Publication Grants are not for preliminary research. Activities undertaken during the grant period can include drafting, editing, or modifying manuscripts; replicating research components; responding to issues raised through critical review; and other initiatives to increase the likelihood of publication.
  • The grantee must be listed as the sole author, senior author, first author, or an author of equivalent significance.

More Details and Apply.

Title: Career Development Grants

Funding: $2,000–$20,000
Opens: August 1 every year
Deadline: November 15 every year

Summary:

Career Development Grants provide funding to women who hold a bachelor’s degree and are preparing to advance or change careers or re-enter the workforce in education; health and medical sciences; science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM); or social sciences. Primary consideration is given to women of color and women pursuing their first advanced degree or credentials in nontraditional fields.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents whose last degree was received before June 30, 2015. Funds are available for tuition, fees, books, supplies, local transportation and dependent care.

AAUW originally designed Career Development Grants in 1972 to offer “encouragement” funding to AAUW members seeking to renew or resume academic work for credit toward career or employment advancement.

Today, grants support course work beyond a bachelor’s degree, including a master’s degree, second bachelor’s degree, certification program or specialized training in technical or professional fields. Course work must be taken at an accredited two- or four-year college or university in the United States or at a technical school that is fully licensed or accredited by the U.S. Department of Education. Funds are not available for doctorate-level work.

Eligibility:

Career Development Grants are open to women, including people who identify as women, who:

  • are U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
  • hold an earned (not honorary) bachelor’s degree.
  • received their bachelor’s degree on or before June 30, 2015.
  • do not hold an earned (not honorary) graduate or professional degree.
  • plan to enroll or are enrolled in courses/activities that are required for professional employment or advancement.
  • plan to enroll or are enrolled in one of the following program types:
    • Bachelor’s or associate degree program that is different from the field of study of the previously earned bachelor’s degree.
    • Master’s degree program.
    • Certification program.
    • Technical school.
  • plan to enroll or are enrolled in one of the following fields of study:
    • Education.
    • Health and Medical Sciences.
    • Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM).
    • Social Sciences.

All courses of study must occur at a regionally accredited two- or four-year college or university in the United States or at a technical school that is fully licensed and/or accredited by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants must reside within the United States during the grant period.

Distance or online learning programs will be funded only if they are conducted through an accredited institution appearing on the U.S. Department of Education’s list of approved online/distance learning programs. Final decisions about what constitutes distance learning under these grants will be made by AAUW.

Applicants are required to indicate their matriculation status within the application. While applicants are not required to already be enrolled or accepted into their preferred institution of study in order to apply, preference is given to those who are able to demonstrate strong commitment or intent in following the proposed plan of study. Awardees must be able to show proof of admission when submitting their acceptance materials.

Career Development Grant funding is not available for the programs below:

  • Prerequisite coursework.
  • Professional degree in law (JD), business (MBA) or medicine (MD, DO).
  • Doctoral coursework or dissertations.

More Details and Apply.

Title: Community Action Grants

Funding: $3,000-$10,000
Opens: August 1 every year
Deadline: December 1 every year

Summary:

Community Action Grants provide funding to individuals, AAUW branches and AAUW state organizations as well as community-based nonprofits for innovative programs that promote education and equity for women and girls. Since 1972, AAUW has provided support to hundreds of communities across the United States.

Eligibility:

  • Applicants must be individuals, AAUW branches, AAUW state organizations or local community-based nonprofit organizations (including universities).
  • The proposed activity must promote education and equity for women and girls.
  • Nonprofit organizations and universities must be based in the United States or its territories.
  • Organizations (including universities) must have 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status. AAUW branch and state applicants must have 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) tax-exempt status.
  • Proposals from AAUW branches or states must be approved and signed by the branch or state president.
  • Proposals from local community-based nonprofit organizations must be approved and signed by the organization’s executive director.
  • Previous Community Action Grant awardees must wait three application cycles before applying for another grant and may not apply for duplicate funding.
  • Members of the AAUW Board of Directors, committees, panels, task forces and staff, including current interns, are not eligible to apply for AAUW’s fellowships and grants. A person holding a current award is eligible for election or appointment to boards, committees, panels, and task forces.

More Details and Apply.

Title: International Fellowships

Funding: $20,000–$50,000
Opens: August 1 every year
Deadline: November 15 every year

Award Amount:

Master’s/first professional degree: $20,000
Doctoral: $25,000
Postdoctoral: $50,000

Summary:

International Fellowships have been in existence since 1917. The program provides support for women pursuing full-time graduate or postdoctoral study in the United States to women who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and who intend to return to their home country to pursue a professional career. A limited number of awards are available for study outside of the U.S. (excluding the applicant’s home country) to women who are members of Graduate Women International. Both graduate and postgraduate studies at accredited U.S. institutions are supported.

Applicants must have earned the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree by the application deadline and must have applied to their proposed institutions of study by the time of the application. Recipients are selected for academic achievement and demonstrated commitment to women and girls.

Recipients return to their home countries to become leaders in business, government, academia, community activism, the arts or scientific fields.

Eligibility:

  • International Fellowships are not open to previous recipients of any AAUW national fellowship or grant (not including branch or local awards or Community Action Grants).
  • Members of the AAUW board of directors, committees, panels, task forces and staff, including current interns, are not eligible to apply for AAUW’s fellowships and grants. A person holding a current award is eligible for election or appointment to boards, committees, panels and task forces.
  • International Fellowships are open to women, including people who identify as women, in all fields of study at an accredited institution of higher education or, for postdoctoral fellows, research. AAUW will make final decisions about what constitutes eligible institutions.
  • Unsuccessful applicants may reapply.
  • To be eligible for an International Fellowship, applicants must meet the following criteria:
    • Have citizenship in a country other than the U.S. or possession of a nonimmigrant visa if residing in the U.S. Women who are currently, or expect to be during the fellowship year, a U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident, or dual citizen with the U.S. and another country are not eligible.
    • Hold an academic degree (earned in the U.S. or abroad) equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree completed by November 15, 2022.
    • Intend to devote themselves full-time to the proposed academic plan during the fellowship year.
    • Intend to return to their home country to pursue a professional career and upon completion of their studies.
    • Be proficient in English and confirm proficiency by submitting one of the Required Components (see below), which include certain English proficiency exams, transcripts from English-speaking institutions, or a written statement verifying English is the applicant’s native language. Applicants planning to take one of the accepted English proficiency exams should plan for and take the test as early as possible. Please direct questions about the tests to the test provider.
    • Master’s/first professional degree and doctoral applicants must have applied by November 15, 2022, to an accredited institution of study for the period of the fellowship year and must indicate the name of the institution in the International Fellowship application. While acceptance is not required at the time of application, fellows must provide official confirmation from the institution with their award acceptance materials.
    • Master’s/first professional degree fellowships are intended for master’s or professional degree-level programs such as J.D., M.F.A., L.L.M., M.Arch., or medical degrees such as M.D., D.D.S., etc. Certificates, associate degrees, and undergraduate degrees are ineligible.
    • Doctoral fellowships are intended for doctorate degrees classified as research degrees, such as Ph.D. or Ed.D.
    • Postdoctoral applicants must provide proof of their doctorate degree; hold a doctorate classified as a research degree (e.g., Ph.D., Ed.D., D.B.A., D.M.) or an M.F.A. by November 15, 2022; and indicate where they will conduct their research.
    • Master’s/first professional degree and doctoral applicants must be enrolled in a U.S. accredited institution located in the U.S. during the fellowship year.
    • A limited number of awards are available to Graduate Women International members for study or research in any country other than their own. Note that foreign branches of U.S. institutions are considered outside of the U.S.
    • Applicants can apply for the fellowship for any year of their program but must be conducting a full year of study or research. International Fellowships do not provide funding for a partial year of study or research. Programs ending prior to April of the fellowship year are not eligible.
  • Distance learning/online programs: Master’s/first professional degree and doctoral fellowships support traditional classroom-based courses of study at colleges or universities. This fellowship program does not provide funding for distance-learning or online programs or for degrees heavily dependent on distance-learning components. Final decisions about what constitutes distance learning under these fellowships will be made by AAUW. AAUW will accept applications from applicants who are temporarily studying remotely due to COVID-19 precautions at their institution.

More Details and Apply.

Title: International Project Grants

Funding: $5,000–$7,000
Opens: August 1 every year
Deadline: November 1 every year

Summary:

When AAUW International Fellows pursue education in the United States, their commitment to empowering women and girls in their home countries doesn’t end — and neither does their need for financial support.

To create lasting support around the globe, AAUW awards grants to International Fellowship alumnae who have returned home after successfully completing the course of study for which they received funding. These grants allow alumnae to build on their academic work and implement community-based projects that will improve the lives of women and girls.

Alumnae of our International Fellowships and International Project Grants have tackled women’s equity issues head-on. From securing property rights for widows to building safe hearths for cassava production, these women are helping the most vulnerable — and the most resilient — members of their communities.

Eligibility:

To be eligible for an International Project Grant, the applicant must meet the following requirements:

  • The applicant must have successfully completed an AAUW International Fellowship, all reporting requirements for the fellowship, and the academic program for which they received the fellowship by June 30, 2021.
  • The applicant must have citizenship in a country other than the United States. Women holding dual citizenship in the U.S. and another country or who are permanent residents of the U.S., or who pursue either of those during the grant year are not eligible.
  • The project must be implemented in the applicant’s home country and have a direct, positive impact on women and girls.
  • The applicant must be the primary director of the project and be responsible for the project, with control over programmatic, administrative, fiscal and editorial decisions.
  • International Project Grants are not available for the development of written work for academic credit or for research that will be used for a degree thesis or dissertation.
  • Members of the AAUW Board of Directors, committees, panels, task forces and staff, including current interns, are not eligible to apply for AAUW’s fellowships and grants. A person holding a current award is eligible for election or appointment to boards, committees, panels, and task forces.

More Details and Apply.

Title: Research Publication Grants in Engineering, Medicine and Science

Funding: $10,000–$35,000
Opens: August 1 every year
Deadline: December every year

Summary:

Having a strong publication record is a key to receiving promotions and tenure in engineering, medicine and science. Yet persistent gender stereotypes and bias in these fields can make it difficult for women to find the time and institutional support needed to publish their research. These grants help women overcome these barriers by funding research projects that will culminate in scholarly publications.

They are open to women scholars conducting basic research in engineering, medicine or the physical or biological sciences and who have a doctorate degree in one of those fields. The grantee must publish their research in a scholarly publication and be listed as a primary author.

Eligibility:

  • Grants are not open to previous recipients of any AAUW national fellowship or grant (not including branch or local awards or Community Action Grants).
  • Members of the AAUW Board of Directors, committees, panels, task forces, and staff, including current interns, are not eligible to apply for AAUW’s fellowships and grants. A person holding a current award is eligible for election or appointment to boards, committees, panels, and task forces.
  • Grant candidates must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
  • Grants are open to women, including people who identify as women. Applicants must be conducting basic research in engineering, medicine, or physical or biological sciences at an accredited institution of higher education or research. AAUW will make final decisions about what constitutes eligible institutions.
  • AAUW follows guidance from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and National Institute of Health (NIH) in determining what qualifies as basic research:
    • NSF: “Activity aimed at acquiring new knowledge or understanding without specific immediate commercial application or use.” The NSF Definitions of Research and Development provides additional guidance.
    • NIH: “The systematic study directed toward greater knowledge or understanding of the fundamental aspects of phenomena and of observable facts without specific applications towards processes or products in mind.” (32 CFR 272.3) The NIH Basic Research – Digital Media Kit and Basic Research: Building a First Foundation for Biomedicine provide additional guidance.
  • The grantee must plan to have this research accepted to a scholarly scientific publication within six months of the end of the grant year and be listed as the sole author, senior author, first author, or author of equivalent significance.
  • Applicants must hold a doctorate degree in engineering, medicine, or the physical or biological sciences.
  • Tenured professors are not eligible.
  • The grants are for tenure track, part-time and temporary faculty, as well as new and established researchers at universities.
  • Applicants may not apply for another AAUW national fellowship or grant in the same year.

More Details and Apply.

Title: Selected Professions Fellowships

Funding: $20,000
Opens: August 1 every year
Deadline: December 1 every year

Summary:

Selected Professions Fellowships are awarded to women who intend to pursue a full-time course of study at accredited U.S. institutions during the fellowship year in one of the designated degree programs where women’s participation traditionally has been low. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

These fellowships were established in 1970 with a $25,000 grant from the Max C. Fleischmann Foundation. Initially, they focused on opening doors for women in the male-dominated fields of law and medicine. However, the focus expanded over time to include science and technology, since the demand for a technologically skilled workforce has grown without proportional representation by women.

Selected Professions Fellowships are awarded for the following master’s programs:

  • Architecture.
  • Computer/information sciences.
  • Engineering.
  • Mathematics/statistics.

Fellowships in the following degree programs are restricted to women of color, who have been underrepresented in these fields:

  • Master’s in business administration.
  • Law.
  • Doctorate in medicine.

Eligibility:

AAUW awards Selected Professions Fellowships to women, including people who identify as women, who are citizens or permanent residents of the United States and who have achieved high standards of academic excellence and show promise of distinction in their respective fields.

Applicants must be full-time students at an accredited U.S. institution during the fellowship year and must pursue a course of study in the United States over the full academic year. Priority is given to women who do not already hold a master’s or first professional degree.

Selected Professions Fellowships are not open to previous recipients of any AAUW national fellowship or grant (not including branch or local awards or Community Action Grants).

Women in two categories are eligible to apply: the Science and Technology Group and the Focus Professions Group.

AAUW encourages applicants interested in funding for bachelor’s degrees, associate degrees, certification programs, technical school, and other master’s degrees to consider eligibility guidelines for Career Development Grants. Applicants can only apply for one AAUW award per year.

Science and Technology Group Fellowships
The following disciplines and master’s level degrees are eligible for fellowship funding:

  • Architecture (M.Arch.).
  • Computer/information science (MS).
  • Engineering (ME, MS).
  • Mathematics/statistics (MS).

Focus Professions Group Fellowships
Open only to women from ethnic minority groups historically underrepresented in certain fields within the United States: Black/African American, Mexican American, Puerto Rican and other Hispanic, Native American/Alaska Native and Asian American/Pacific Islander.

The designated fields eligible for fellowship funding are:

  • Business administration (MBA).
  • Law (JD).
  • Medicine (MD), (DO).

Non-eligible Factors

Joint degree programs: Fellowships only support full-time coursework in the above designated fields. An individual enrolled in a joint-degree program may apply for support only if they plan to pursue full-time coursework during the entire fellowship year in one of the approved designated fields. Fellowship funds may not be used to support coursework in other fields, even if part of a joint-degree program.

Distance learning: Fellowships support traditional, classroom-based courses of study at colleges or universities. This fellowship program does not provide funding for distance-learning programs or for degrees heavily dependent on distance-learning components. Final decisions about what constitutes distance learning under these fellowships will be made by AAUW. AAUW will accept applications from applicants who are temporarily studying remotely due to COVID-19 precautions at their institution.

Ph.D. coursework or dissertations: Fellowships do not support Ph.D. coursework or dissertations. Applicants should be enrolled in master’s level degree programs only. Visit the AAUW website for information about doctoral funding through American Fellowships or International Fellowships.

More Details and Apply.

Scholarships and Awards in Europe:

Scholarships and Awards in Canada and USA:

Scholarships and Awards in Australia:

Scholarships and Awards in the UK:

Others:

Would you like to know the salary amount of PhD and postdoc positions in Europe? 

You can find all the available full-funded PhD positions in different countries here.

The latest academic positions can be found on our Home Page. We encourage you to follow our Facebook page so you don’t miss out on any new vacancies. We have videos related to PhD and Postdoctoral research on our Youtube channel that you can watch rather than read.