USA Scholarships
Richard M. Weaver Fellowship 2027 - Up to $15,000
The Richard M. Weaver Graduate Fellowship from the Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI) pays between $5,000 and $15,000 to graduate students in the humanities or social sciences who intend to teach at the college level. ISI names the award after conservative scholar Richard M. Weaver and selects up to fifteen fellows each year based on academic promise and a signed declaration of intent to teach. You must be a US citizen enrolled full time in a qualifying graduate program for 2027-28, and paraprofessional degrees in law, medicine, divinity, or business do not qualify. The 2026-27 application closed on 14 March 2026, with winners announced in late April or early May. ISI typically reopens the form in the fall, so treat mid-March 2027 as the planning deadline for the next cycle until isi.org posts updated dates.
What is the Richard M. Weaver Fellowship?
The Richard M. Weaver Graduate Fellowship is how the Intercollegiate Studies Institute backs graduate students who want to teach the humanities and social sciences at the college level. ISI is not paying for a professional degree. It is betting on people who care about humane letters, Western intellectual traditions, and the kind of classroom conversation that keeps a free society literate in its own history.
Named after Richard M. Weaver, the award sends up to fifteen US citizens between $5,000 and $15,000 for a single academic year. You spend that money on whatever graduate life actually costs: tuition, rent, books, even a laptop if you need one. What ISI asks in return is straightforward. You sign a declaration that you intend to teach, and you prove you can write at length about why liberal education matters.
The application is heavier than most graduate grants. Expect a philosophical essay, a multi-page autobiography, a scholarly writing sample, two faculty references, and transcripts. That workload is the filter. ISI alumni now populate faculty lines across the country, and the fellowship still reads like a pipeline into teaching rather than a generic stipend.
If you are planning for 2027-28, watch isi.org after fall 2026. The 2026-27 cycle closed on 14 March 2026, and ISI has used that mid-March window for years. Until the portal reopens, use the official FAQ and application checklist as your source of truth, and email [email protected] if a detail about your program type is unclear.
Eligibility
-
✓US citizenshipISI requires US citizenship for the Weaver Fellowship. Permanent residents and international students on visas are not listed as eligible on the official graduate-fellowship FAQ.
-
✓Full-time graduate enrollment for 2027-28You must be enrolled full time in a graduate program during the academic year the fellowship covers. ISI verifies enrollment when awarding funds and may request official transcripts after selection.
-
✓Humanities, education, or social sciencesEligible fields are the traditional liberal arts, education, and social sciences. ISI states that paraprofessional programs such as business, divinity, medical, or law schools are ineligible even if your coursework feels interdisciplinary.
-
✓Intent to teach at the college levelEvery applicant submits a signed declaration of intent to teach written in their own words. The fellowship exists to train future professors, not to subsidize careers outside academia.
-
✓Strong academic and writing recordThe file includes a five- to ten-page academic writing sample, autobiography, and a 1,250- to 2,500-word essay on liberal education and a free society. ISI reads for scholarly seriousness and clarity of thought.
-
✓Not in a pre-professional graduate trackIf your graduate program is primarily professional rather than liberal-arts oriented, ISI directs you toward other funding. Double-check your department classification before you invest in the long application.
Benefits
- Cash award range $5,000 to $15,000
- Number of awards Up to 15 per year
- Tuition and fees Flexible use of funds
- Living expenses and books Flexible use of funds
- Computers and software Eligible expenses
- Multi-year renewal Not automatic; reapply each cycle
- International study Award tied to US graduate enrollment
Document checklist
-
✓Essay on liberal education and a free societyAn original 1,250- to 2,500-word essay responding to ISI's published question on the relationship between liberal education and a free society. This is the philosophical centerpiece of the application.
-
✓Personal, philosophical, and professional autobiographyFive to ten pages explaining how you arrived at graduate study and why you want to teach. ISI uses this to judge maturity and fit with the Weaver program's mission.
-
✓Academic writing sampleAnother five- to ten-page sample of scholarly or critical writing. Choose work that shows your best argumentation rather than a seminar response written under time pressure.
-
✓CV or résuméOne page covering education, awards, fellowships, internships, and teaching experience. Keep it tight because the autobiography carries the narrative weight.
-
✓Two academic referencesProvide contact information for two referees who can speak to your academic work. ISI notifies them to upload formal recommendation letters through the portal.
-
✓Unofficial transcriptsUpload transcripts for all undergraduate and graduate work. If you win, ISI requires official transcripts from the issuing institutions before funds release.
-
✓Recent photo and declaration of intentA high-resolution headshot plus the signed teaching declaration and short answers on why you chose teaching, why you need the fellowship, and how you learned about ISI.
How to apply
Deadline and timeline
FAQ
How much is the Richard M. Weaver Fellowship worth?
ISI awards between $5,000 and $15,000 per fellowship, with up to fifteen recipients each year. The amount varies by applicant need and committee judgment. Funds are unrestricted among program-related expenses such as tuition, rent, books, computers, and software.
Who is eligible for the Weaver Fellowship?
US citizens enrolled full time in graduate programs in the humanities, education, or social sciences who intend to teach at the college level. ISI excludes paraprofessional graduate tracks in law, medicine, divinity, and business. You must submit a signed declaration of intent to teach with the application.
When is the Richard M. Weaver Fellowship deadline?
The 2026-27 academic year deadline was 14 March 2026, and that cycle is closed. ISI tells applicants to return in the fall for the updated application, so the next cycle for 2027-28 is expected to follow the same mid-March timing until ISI publishes new dates.
Do I need to be an ISI member to apply?
The official Weaver Fellowship FAQ on isi.org focuses on citizenship, enrollment, field of study, and teaching intent. It does not list ISI membership as a separate requirement. Still, read the live application checklist each year in case ISI adds steps.
What essay question does ISI assign?
Applicants write 1,250 to 2,500 original words on the relationship between liberal education and a free society. ISI publishes the exact wording on the application page. The essay is graded alongside a five- to ten-page autobiography and academic writing sample.
Can law or medical graduate students apply?
No. ISI's FAQ states that students in paraprofessional schools such as business, divinity, medical, or law programs are not eligible. Only traditional liberal-arts, education, and social-science graduate students may apply.
How are Weaver Fellows selected?
ISI reviews the essay, autobiography, writing sample, CV, transcripts, and two academic recommendations. Selection emphasizes academic achievement and commitment to humane letters and college teaching. Winners are announced in late April or early May.
Who was Richard M. Weaver?
Richard M. Weaver was a conservative scholar and professor whose work on language, culture, and education shaped postwar intellectual conservatism. ISI named the fellowship after him to support graduate students who will carry humane letters into the college classroom.
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