USA Scholarships
AAUW American Fellowships 2027 - Up to $50,000
AAUW American Fellowships 2027 are the oldest non-institutional graduate and postdoctoral awards for women in the United States, run by the American Association of University Women since 1888. The family includes the American Doctoral Fellowship, which pays $25,000 for one year while you complete coursework or full-time dissertation work on your first doctorate, and the American Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowship, which pays $50,000 for a year of independent postdoctoral research after a terminal degree. Both tracks require you to identify as a woman and to be a US citizen, US national, or permanent resident from the 50 states, DC, Puerto Rico, Guam, the US Virgin Islands, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, or other US territories. International students on F-1 visas are pointed to AAUW International Fellowships instead. The 2027 application portal opens 17 August 2026 at 9am Eastern and closes 30 September 2026 at 5pm Eastern, with award notification in April 2027 and stipends paid in two equal instalments during the fellowship year.
What is the AAUW American Fellowships programme?
AAUW American Fellowships are what most people mean when they search for graduate funding from the American Association of University Women and already hold US citizenship or a green card. The line dates to 1888 and remains the oldest non-institutional source of doctoral and postdoctoral support for women in the United States. For the 2027 fellowship year, the two headline awards are the American Doctoral Fellowship, which pays $25,000 during one year of a first doctorate, and the American Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowship, which pays $50,000 for a year devoted to independent research after a terminal degree.
The calendar is the same for both tracks in 2026. The portal opens 17 August 2026 at 9am Eastern, and everything must be in, including two submitted recommendations, by 5pm Eastern on 30 September 2026. AAUW notifies fellows in April 2027, sends the first stipend instalment between July and September 2027, and releases the second instalment after a mid-year report in December 2027 or January 2028. A final report is due 31 July 2028. If you are still ordering transcripts or waiting on a referee in the last week of September, you are cutting it too close.
Doctoral applicants need a first doctorate in any field, full-time enrollment or full-time dissertation status, and program dates that fit AAUW''s published window for the 2027 cycle. Postdoctoral applicants need a terminal degree earned recently enough to qualify, cannot be tenured, and must show a feasible one-year research plan with a budget that explains how $50,000 fits with other support. In both cases reviewers look for scholarly excellence, originality, teaching or mentoring experience where relevant, and a concrete commitment to advancing opportunities for women and girls.
If you are not a US citizen or permanent resident, American Fellowships are the wrong door. AAUW routes international applicants to the AAUW International Fellowship programme instead. If you already hold a doctorate and need publication funding, compare the AAUW Research Publication Grant and the AAUW Career Development Grant for certificate and training paths. Official cycle dates and application instructions for the doctoral track are on the AAUW American Doctoral Fellowship page.
Eligibility
-
✓You identify as a womanAAUW has funded women in higher education since 1881, and American Fellowships are open only to applicants who identify as women across every field of study.
-
✓US citizen, national, or permanent residentYou must be a US citizen, US national, or permanent resident from the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the US Virgin Islands, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, or other US territories. Non-citizens without permanent residency should apply to AAUW International Fellowships instead.
-
✓Doctoral track: first doctorate, full timeFor the American Doctoral Fellowship you must pursue your first doctoral degree, begin the program on or before 30 September 2027, complete it on or after 1 April 2028, and study full time in courses or dissertation writing at an institution accredited by the US Department of Education or listed on the Federal Student Aid Participating Schools list.
-
✓Postdoctoral track: terminal degree in handFor the American Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowship you must hold a qualifying terminal degree by 30 May 2027, have earned it on or after 30 August 2023, begin postdoctoral research on or before September 2027, finish on or after 30 April 2028, and work full time on research at an eligible accredited institution.
-
✓Bachelor's-equivalent degree minimumDoctoral applicants need at least one degree equivalent to a US bachelor's. Postdoctoral applicants need a terminal degree such as a PhD, MD, JD, MFA, or other listed credential. Upload proof of every degree earned, with certified English translations where required.
-
✓No conflicting national AAUW awardYou cannot hold another national AAUW fellowship or grant in the same year, and previous recipients of the same American Fellowship type are ineligible. Community Action Grants and branch-level AAUW awards do not count against you. AAUW board members, employees, review panelists, and their immediate families are excluded.
-
✓Postdoctoral only: not tenuredTenured professors cannot receive the American Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowship. Doctoral applicants should confirm they are not applying for a national AAUW grant in the same cycle if they file for both tracks.
Benefits
- Stipend $25,000 for one fellowship year
- Payment schedule Two equal instalments
- First instalment July to September 2027
- Second instalment December 2027 or January 2028 after mid-year report
- Tuition, housing, and dependent care Allowed uses of stipend
- All academic fields Eligible, STEM and gender research encouraged
- Full cost of attendance Not guaranteed by stipend alone
- Stipend $50,000 for one fellowship year
- Payment schedule Two equal instalments
- First instalment July to September 2027
- Second instalment December 2027 or January 2028 after mid-year report
- Independent research year Full-time postdoctoral focus required
- Tenured faculty Not eligible
- Renewal for a second year One-time award per fellowship type
Document checklist
-
✓AAUW online applicationFiled through the AAUW Fellowships and Grants Application Portal after you create an account. The portal for the 2027 cycle opens at 9am Eastern on 17 August 2026.
-
✓Two letters of recommendationFrom advisors, professors, or colleagues who know your academic or professional work. They submit through the portal, so register recommenders early and remind them before 30 September 2026 at 5pm Eastern.
-
✓Proof of degrees earnedCopies of diplomas or official transcripts showing conferral dates for every degree you list. Certified English translations are required for the highest degree if documents were issued in another language.
-
✓Research or dissertation plan narrativeA clear description of the work you will pursue during the fellowship year, including methods, timeline, and expected outputs. Reviewers score originality, feasibility, and scholarly excellence against AAUW's published criteria.
-
✓Financial planA budget showing how the stipend fits with tuition, living costs, and other funding. AAUW scores the strength and feasibility of your financial plan, especially because the award is a fixed stipend rather than a full cost-of-attendance package.
-
✓Enrollment or postdoctoral appointment proofEvidence that you are enrolled full time in an eligible doctoral program or appointed to full-time postdoctoral research at an accredited institution for the fellowship year.
How to apply
Deadline and timeline
FAQ
What are AAUW American Fellowships?
AAUW American Fellowships are national awards from the American Association of University Women for women who are US citizens, nationals, or permanent residents. The 2027 cycle includes the $25,000 American Doctoral Fellowship for students pursuing a first doctorate and the $50,000 American Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowship for early-career scholars after a terminal degree. AAUW describes the line as its flagship US funding programme and the oldest non-institutional source of graduate and postdoctoral support for women in the country.
How much do AAUW American Fellowships pay?
The American Doctoral Fellowship pays $25,000 for one year, and the American Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowship pays $50,000 for one year. Stipends go directly to fellows in two equal payments, the first between July and September 2027 and the second around December 2027 or January 2028 after a mid-year report. The money can cover living costs, tuition, fees, and dependent care, but it is not designed to fund an entire doctoral programme by itself.
When is the AAUW American Fellowships 2027 deadline?
Applications open 17 August 2026 at 9am Eastern and close 30 September 2026 at 5pm Eastern for both the American Doctoral Fellowship and the American Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowship in the 2027 cycle. AAUW announces awards in April 2027. All times follow Eastern Time, so West Coast applicants should convert carefully.
Who is eligible for AAUW American Fellowships?
Women who are US citizens, US nationals, or permanent residents may apply. Doctoral applicants must pursue a first doctorate full time at an eligible accredited institution with program dates that fit AAUW's 2027 rules. Postdoctoral applicants must hold a qualifying terminal degree earned on or after 30 August 2023, must not be tenured, and must work full time on postdoctoral research during the award year.
Can international students apply for AAUW American Fellowships?
No. American Fellowships are limited to US citizens, nationals, and permanent residents. International students and visa holders who are not permanent residents should look at AAUW International Fellowships, which fund non-US citizens studying in the United States under separate rules.
Are AAUW American Fellowships fully funded?
No. They are fixed stipends of $25,000 or $50,000 for one year, paid in two instalments. That can cover a meaningful share of tuition and living costs, especially during dissertation or postdoctoral writing years, but most fellows still rely on institutional funding, teaching assistantships, or other grants. AAUW scores your financial plan to see how the pieces fit together.
Can I apply for both the doctoral and postdoctoral AAUW fellowships?
You may not apply for two national AAUW fellowships or grants in the same year. Pick the track that matches your current degree stage. Previous recipients of the same American Fellowship type are also ineligible, although some other AAUW programmes have separate rules.
What fields qualify for AAUW American Fellowships?
All fields qualify for both the doctoral and postdoctoral American Fellowships. AAUW especially encourages applicants in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and those researching gender issues. Selection still rests on scholarly excellence, feasibility of the proposed work, commitment to women and girls, and the strength of your financial plan.
Scholarship Union
More in-depth scholarship guides curated by experts.
Related guides
Always verify scholarship details on the official source before applying. Information on this page may change.
Visit official website