Deadline: December 1, 2018
The American Association of University Women (AAUW) invites applications for 2019-2020 International Fellowships. AAUW’s International Fellowship program has been in existence since 1917. The program provides support for women pursuing full-time graduate or postdoctoral study in the United States who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A limited number of awards are available for study outside of the United States (excluding the applicant’s home country) to women who are members of Graduate Women International.
Up to five International Fellowships for master’s/first professional degrees will be renewable for a second year; renewal instructions will be provided to fellows during their fellowship year.
Award
- Master’s/first professional degree: $18,000
- Doctoral: $20,000
- Postdoctoral: $30,000
International Fellowship funds are available for
- Educational expenses
- Living expenses
- Dependent child care
- Travel to professional meetings, conferences, or seminars, as long as it does not exceed 10 percent of the fellowship
Eligibility
Preference is given to women who show prior commitment to the advancement of women and girls through civic, community, or professional work.
- 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 and officers of the AAUW Board of Directors are not eligible to apply for fellowships and grant awards. AAUW staff or volunteers with decision-making authority who wish to apply for an award must recuse themselves from the decision-making process.
- 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 United States or possession of a nonimmigrant visa if residing in the United States. Women holding dual citizenship in the United States and another country or who are permanent legal residents of the United States are not eligible.
- Hold an academic degree (earned in the United States or abroad) equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree completed by September 30, 2017.
- Intend to devote herself full-time to the proposed academic plan during the fellowship year
- Intend to return to her home country to pursue a professional career
- Be proficient in English. Unless the applicant can verify that her native language is English, that she received her secondary diploma or undergraduate degree from an English-speaking institution, or that she will have completed one semester of full-time study in her discipline at an English-speaking college or university between October 2015 and September 30, 2017 (transcript required for validation), she must upload a recent ETS TOEFL* (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score (no older than December 2015). Institutional TOEFL scores and other English proficiency test scores (such as IELTS) will not be accepted. Minimum score acceptable: 550 for Paper-Based Test (TOEFL PBT); 79 for Internet-Based Test (TOEFL iBT); 60 for Revised TOEFL Paper-Delivered Test.
- Master’s/first professional degree and doctoral applicants must have applied by December 1, 2017, 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.
- 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.
- Doctoral fellowships are intended for doctorate 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 December 1, 2017; 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 United States during the fellowship year.
- A limited number of awards are available to GWI 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 United States.
- Applicants 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.
- 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.
Selection Criteria
The following criteria apply to the selection of International Fellowships:
- Residing in home country at time of application
- Position on return to home country
- Academic and/or professional qualifications
- Applicant’s commitment to the advancement of women and girls in her home country
- Proposed time schedule
- Quality and feasibility of proposed plan of study or research
- Demonstrated evidence of prior community and/or civic service in home country
- Applicant’s country’s need for the specialized knowledge or skill
- Financial need
- Motivation for graduate study or research
- Applicant is from an underrepresented area
Application
Please follow the directions carefully and complete all sections of the application for successful submission of your application. Only complete online applications will be reviewed by the selection panel.
For more information, visit AAUW.
