Philosophy External Funding Resources

Listed below are various sources of external funding for graduate students and post-docs. The list is divided into three categories: philosophy, general graduate (open to several disciplines, including philosophy), and interdisciplinary.

This list is not intended to be comprehensive. In addition to the resources listed below, fellowship seekers are strongly encouraged to visit these frequently updated sites: the American Philosophical Association (which includes both APA and non-APA funding sources), the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the John Templeton Foundation.

Philosophy Fellowships
AAPT Teaching Fellowship. The American Association of Philosophy Teachers selects devoted, excellent philosophy teachers to serve as Teaching Fellows. The Fellows receive a small stipend and serve a two-year term. Their task is to advance the teaching of philosophy.

Applicants must …

  • have a proposed two-year project

David Baumgardt Memorial Fellowship. This one-year fellowship from the Leo Baeck Institute provides financial assistance to scholars whose research projects are connected with the writings of Professor David Baumgardt or his scholarly interests, including Ethics, Wissenschaft des Judentums and the Modern Intellectual History of German-speaking Jewry. They award up to $3,000 to support dissertation research in the library's collections in New York.

Applicants must…

  • be doctoral students at the research/writing stage
  • be interested in or have research related to Jewish studies

The John William Miller Fellowship Fund. The Fund supports book-length projects that examine Miller’s thought or engage with his actualism in ways that are philosophically creative. Applications are welcome from PhDs as well as PhD students with dissertation projects addressing Miller and which show high promise for subsequent publication in book form.

Applicants must…

  • be advanced doctoral students

SAAP Grant Program. Consistent with its mission and contingent upon available funding, the Society for the Advancement of American Philosophy (SAAP) announces a grant-giving program whose general purpose is to fund the expansion of SAAP into broader areas while yet maintaining the community values that have long characterized the society. This program seeks to reward creativity, especially those who can work towards bringing together people from different perspectives.

Applicants must…

  • be graduate students or faculty members

University of St. Andrews CEPPA Research Fellowship. Fellowships are open to all suitably qualified people, but they are intended primarily for professional philosophers and social or political theorists on study leave from their own institutions. Fellows must engage in an area of philosophy relevant to the work of the Centre, but this requirement is broadly interpreted. Fellows are also expected to take part in Centre activities that take place during their tenure of the fellowship; fellows also participate in and contribute to research seminars in the Department of Moral Philosophy.

Applicants must…

  • be full-time faculty members or advanced graduate students

General Graduate Fellowships
AAUW American Fellowship. The award supports completion of dissertation. Research related to gender studies especially encouraged. Students holding any fellowship for writing a dissertation in the year prior to the AAUW Educational Foundation fellowship year are not eligible. More than 60 were awarded last year.

Applicants must...

  • be U.S. citizens
  • be doctoral candidates in any field
  • have proposal accepted, finishing dissertation
  • be female

AIGC Graduate Fellowship. This fellowship is completed at the student’s home institution, where the student receives anywhere between $1,000-$5,000.

Applicants must…

  • be Native American graduate students in the beginning of their program
  • be able to demonstrate financial need

The Belgian American Educational Foundation Fellowships for Study or Research in Belgium. These fellowships are for advanced study or research during one academic year at a Belgian University or institution of higher learning. Fellows are awarded $24,000.

Applicants must…

  • be citizens or permanent residents of the U.S.
  • be GSAS students OR hold a master’s or PhD

Charlotte W. Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship. The Charlotte W. Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellowships are designed to encourage original and significant study of ethical or religious values in all fields of the humanities and social sciences, and particularly to help PhD candidates in these fields complete their dissertation work in a timely manner.

Applicants must …

  • be GSAS students, but PHIL, THEO, ENGL, and HIST students are especially encouraged to apply
  • be doctoral students in final year of dissertation; proposal must be accepted and in writing stage

Chateaubriand Fellowship. Chateaubriand Humanities & Social Sciences (HSS) is a fellowship program offered by the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in the U.S. It targets outstanding PhD students from American universities who seek to engage in research in France, in any discipline of the humanities and social sciences.

Applicants must…

  • be GSAS students, but PHIL, HIST, and THEO students are especially encouraged to apply
  • be doctoral students
  • have French skills adequate for the purposes of research

Provost Fellowship Program.  PROF Fellows are part of a multidisciplinary cohort of approximately ten predoctoral and postdoctoral scholars, all committed to increasing diversity in their disciplines. Fellows teach one course during their residency, participate in mentoring and professional development programming, and receive guidance in preparing for faculty job searches. They also hold research appointments in departments and programs, where they participate fully in campus life. 

The PROF program includes two types of fellowships: some are designated as dissertation-completion fellowships that convert to postdoctoral appointments in the second year; some are structured as one- or two-year postdoctoral appointments.

Clare Boothe Luce Fellowships. The Luce Scholars Program was established in 1974 to provide opportunities to young American leaders who have little or no prior experience of Asia to travel and work in Asia. The program's goal is to raise awareness of Asia among the future leaders in American professional fields. The program is for individuals with backgrounds in any field other than Asian studies. The program is "experiential rather than academic in nature;" participants do not enroll in universities or receive academic credit.

Applicants must…

  • be U.S. citizens
  • be under 30 years old
  • have an outstanding record of academic achievement and leadership ability
  • be nominated to apply by Fordham University through the Office for Prestigious Fellowships

COAR Multi-Country Research Fellowship. The Council of American Overseas Research Centers offers fellowships of 3 months or more at multiple sites abroad, and award $10,000 to fund research of multi-country significance. Scholars must carry out research in two or more countries outside the United States, at least one of which hosts a participating American overseas research center. Preference will be given to candidates examining comparative and/or cross-regional research.

Applicants must…

  • be U.S. citizens
  • be doctoral students at the research/writing stage

DAAD Grant Programs. DAAD offers scholarships and grants for research programs and intensive language courses conducted in Germany.

Applicants must…

  • have some German language background

Five Colleges Fellowship. The Five College Fellowships offer year-long residencies for doctoral students completing dissertations. The program supports scholars from under-represented groups and/or scholars with unique interests and histories whose engagement in the Academy will enrich scholarship and teaching. Normally, four fellowships are awarded each year. Each Fellow is hosted within an appropriate department or program at Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, or Smith College. The fellowship includes a $30,000 stipend, a research grant, health benefits, office space, housing or housing assistance, and library privileges at all five campuses belonging to the consortium.

Applicants must…

  • be doctoral students in their final year of writing
  • have the proficiency necessary to complete the project

Ford Foundation Diversity Fellowships. The Ford Foundation supports extensive networking; once named a Ford Fellow, the student would enjoy the benefits of being “plugged in” to an elite group of university and college researchers across the country. It is not enough to be a member of an under-represented minority; sustained commitment to such groups is also necessary. So, for example, experience in tutoring, coaching, or mentoring young people from under-represented minority groups would count as such a commitment. This is an extremely competitive fellowship, and our office would expect to work with an applicant starting spring semester.

Applicants must…

  • be in a doctoral program, at any stage
  • aspire to university careers
  • be U.S. citizens (any U.S. citizen is eligible, but members of the following groups have a strong advantage: African-Americans, Mexican-Americans, Puerto Ricans, Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and Native Pacific Islanders)

Fulbright Research/Study Grant. The study/research grant category includes projects in both academic and arts fields. The study/research grants are available in approximately 140 countries. Applicants for these grants design their own projects and will typically work with advisers at foreign universities or other institutes of higher education.

Applicants must…

  • be U.S. citizens

George J. Mitchell Scholarship. The George J. Mitchell Scholarship, sponsored by the US-Ireland Alliance, is named in honor of former U.S. Senator George Mitchell's contribution to the Northern Ireland peace process. The Mitchell is designed to foster leadership and community involvement, as scholars act as ambassadors for the U.S. in the Irish/Northern Ireland communities in which they study. Up to 12 Mitchell Scholars are selected annually for one year of postgraduate study in any discipline at select universities in Ireland or Northern Ireland.

Applicants must…

  • be U.S. citizens
  • have a high GPA (generally 3.8 or above)
  • have a strong record of leadership and sustained community service
  • receive the endorsement of Fordham University through the Office for Prestigious Fellowships

Jacob K. Javits Fellowship Program. The Jacob K. Javits Fellowship Program, funded by the U.S. Department of Education, awards the Javits fellowships to support students who are pursuing doctoral studies in the arts, humanities, and social sciences or a Master of Fine Arts degree. Fellowships are awarded on the basis of financial need, academic achievement, and individual promise.

Applicants must…

  • be U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or citizens of one of the Freely Associated States
  • be entering a qualified doctoral program or be in the first year of a qualified doctoral program at time of application
  • be eligible to receive a federal grant, loan, or work assistance according to Section 484 of the Higher Education Act

Josephine de Karman Fellowship. This fellowship awards $22,000 for one year of study at the student’s home institution. Potential applicants should note that the competition for de Karman fellowships is extreme. For the cycle, the committee reviewed 288 applications and awarded 11 fellowships. To be competitive, graduate applicants should have outstanding letters of recommendation, significant publications, and have completed several chapters of the dissertation at the time of application.

Applicants must…

  • be doctoral students in their final year of writing

Lilly Fellows Programs. The Lilly Fellows Program in Humanities and the Arts seeks to renew and enhance the connections between Christianity and the academic vocation at church-related colleges and universities.

Applicants must…

  • be GSAS students in any field, but PHIL and THEO students are especially encouraged to apply
  • be interested in working at a university engaged in issues in Christian higher education in the Lutheran tradition
  • be U.S. students (for the graduate fellowship program)

The Marshall Scholarship. The Marshall Scholarship finances young American students who wish to study at one of 168 United Kingdom institutions in any field of study. The scholarship helps Scholars gain an understanding of contemporary British culture and motivates Scholars to become ambassadors for the U.S. in the United Kingdom.

Applicants must…

  • be U.S. citizens
  • hold an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university in the United States
  • have a minimum GPA of 3.7
  • have graduated from their undergraduate institution after April 2011
  • receive an endorsement of Fordham University through the Office for Prestigious Fellowships

Andrew W. Mellon Foundation/ACLS Early Career Fellowship Program The program provides support for young scholars to complete their dissertation and, later, to advance their research after being awarded the PhD. This program awards fellowships in two categories: Dissertation Completion Fellowships and Recent Doctoral Recipients Fellowships.

Applicants must…

  • be PhD candidates in last year of dissertation writing OR have a PhD in the humanities or social sciences

National Endowment for the Humanities Collaborative Research Grant. These grants “support original research undertaken by a team of two or more scholars or research coordinated by an individual scholar that, because of its scope or complexity, requires additional staff and resources beyond the individual's salary.” The project director cannot be a graduate student. Apart from significant research, eligible projects also include major conferences and translations of works into English.

Applicants must…

  • be qualified for the particular research proposed
  • be collaborating with faculty mentor(s)

National Humanities Center. The National Humanities Center offers 40 residential fellowships for advanced study in the humanities. Most of the Center's fellowships are unrestricted. Several, however, are designated for particular areas of research. These include a fellowship for a young woman in philosophy.

Applicants must…

  • be post-doc students

The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans. Each fellowship supports up to two years of graduate study – in any field and in any advanced degree-granting program – in the United States. The program values a commitment to the constitution and the bill of rights.

Applicants must…

  • be new Americans (a green card holder or naturalized citizen if born abroad; a child of naturalized citizens if born in this country)
  • be 30 or fewer years old as of the application deadline
  • be in the first or second year of a graduate degree program

Interdisciplinary Fellowships
American Academy in Rome. Through a nationally juried competition, the Academy offers up to 30 Rome Prize fellowships. Half of them are in the humanities in the following disciplines: Ancient Studies (up to the 6th century AD), Medieval Studies (6th through 14th centuries), Renaissance and Early Modern Studies (14th through the 18th centuries), and Modern Italian Studies (18th century to the present). The Academy also invites proposals in archaeology, history, the history of art and architecture, literature, and musicology. These disciplines are intended to be suggestive, and comparative projects that cut across the chronological limits listed above are welcome.

Applicants must…

  • be U.S. citizens
  • be graduate students in any field, but HIST, THEO, PHIL, CLAS, and ENGL students are especially encouraged to apply
  • be post-doctoral students

Baird Society Resident Scholarship. This scholarship lasts for one to six months in Washington, DC. The scholar receives $3,500 per month to support research within the Smithsonian Institute Library’s Special Collections.

Applicants must…

  • be doctoral students at the research/writing stage

Dissertation Proposal Development Fellowship (DPDF) Program. Designed to help grad students formulate effective dissertation proposals. Senior faculty serve as research directors who identify research fields for groups of 12 graduate students. The faculty research directors design two workshops: one in the spring to prepare students to undertake summer research that will inform the design of their proposal; the other in the fall to help students apply their summer research experiences to writing dissertation proposals. The program is organized around distinct research fields every year. Examples of past research fields include: Black Atlantic Studies; Rethinking Europe; Religion, Ethnicity, and Nations; The Political Economy of Redistribution.

Applicants must…

  • be doctoral students
  • be in the research proposal stage

Gerardo Marin Diversity Dissertation Fellowship (University of San Francisco). Each academic year, the Provost’s Office, under the leadership of the Office of Diversity Engagement and Community Outreach, invites scholars from underrepresented ethnic minorities to apply for the Gerardo Marin Diversity Dissertation Fellowship. In this program, scholars are expected to complete their dissertation on a diversity related research topic, while teaching one course per semester in the school where they are placed.

Applicants must…

  • belong to a minority group
  • be at the dissertation stage

Feinstein Center Summer Research Fellowship. The Myer and Rosaline Feinstein Center for American Jewish History at Temple University announces its annual summer fellowship to support research in the American Jewish experience. The Kevy Kaiserman Memorial Grant of up to $3,000 is available to pre-doctoral and post-doctoral scholars. There are no residency requirements or requirement that applicants use Temple archives.

Applicants must …

  • be doctoral candidates at the research or writing stage
  • have an interest in and a project related to Jewish studies
  • have the proficiency necessary to complete the project

Guggenheim Dissertation Grants. Funds proposals that promise to increase understanding of the causes, manifestations, and control of violence, aggression, and dominance. Highest priority is given to research that can increase understanding and amelioration of urgent problems of violence, aggression, and dominance in the modern world. Particular questions that interest the foundation concern violence, aggression, and dominance in relation to social change, the socialization of children, intergroup conflict, interstate warfare, crime, family relationships, and investigations of the control of aggression and violence. Research with no useful relevance to understanding and attempting to cope with problems of human violence and aggression will not be supported, nor will proposals to investigate urgent social problems where the foundation cannot be assured that useful, sound research can be done.

Applicants must…

  • be in their final year of dissertation writing

IASH-SSPS Visiting Research Fellowships. The IASH-SSPS Visiting Fellowships are intended to encourage outstanding research, international scholarly collaboration, and networking activities of Visiting Research Fellows together with SSPS academics. Fellows will be expected to work in collaboration with one or more members of SSPS academic staff, and to take an active part in IASH interdisciplinary events.

Applicants must…

  • be post-docs

ISI Fellowships. The Intercollegiate Studies Institute articulates and defends the ideas of a free society. They offer many awards, though some vary in amount.

Applicants must…

  • be U.S. citizens
  • be members of ISI
  • be engaged in graduate studies for purpose of teaching at college level

Princeton Hellenic Studies Post-Docs. This offers a full time post-doctoral research associate for one academic year doing research full-time. The goal of this post-doctoral research fellowship program is to advance the scholarship of outstanding Hellenists at an early stage of their career and thus to strengthen the field of post-Classical Greek Studies in the United States and abroad.

Applicants must…

  • be students in PHIL or THEO programs
  • be recent post-doc or PhDs completed by March 1 of application year (but no more than three years prior)
  • be scholars in Hellenic studies with emphases in modern Greek studies, Byzantine studies, or late antique studies

Princeton Society of Fellows Post-Docs. This award has multiple post-doc categories: "Open Fellowship in the Humanities and Social Sciences;" "Fellowship in Humanistic Studies;" and "Fellowship in Latin American Studies;" Post-Doc includes small teaching load and commitments to Society of Fellows.

Applicants must…

  • be GSAS students in any field
  • be post-docs or recent PhD recipients (PhD < 2 years but by spring of fellowship year)
  • take interdisciplinary approaches to scholarship and teaching

Schlesinger Library Dissertation Grant. Sponsored by the Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America, this grant awards up to $3,000 to support dissertation research in the library's collections in Cambridge, Mass., for one month.

Applicants must…

  • be doctoral candidates at the research or writing stage who have completed their exams
  • be GSAS students in any discipline
  • have the proficiency necessary to complete project

The Woodrow Wilson Dissertation Fellowship in Women’s Studies. The Woodrow Wilson Dissertation Fellowship in Women’s Studies encourages original and significant research about women that crosses disciplinary, regional, or cultural boundaries. The WW Women’s Studies Fellowships support the final year of dissertation writing for PhD candidates in the humanities and social sciences whose work addresses topics of women and gender in interdisciplinary and original ways.

Applicants must…

  • be GSAS students in any discipline
  • have completed all pre-dissertation requirements
  • be writing on issues related to women, gender, women’s studies, or feminist/gender/LGBTQ theory