External Grants and Fellowships

In the early predissertation years of doctoral programs, most students rely on funding from the university in the form of fellowships, educational loans, and income from teaching and research appointments, as well as part-time employment. There are a number of external fellowships that provide significant support in the predissertation years, and students in the Social Sciences are often strong competitors for prestigious awards such as the Beinecke, Ford, or Soros fellowships.

Jacob K. Javits Fellowship and the National Science Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship

The Jacob K. Javits Fellowship and the National Science Foundation predoctoral fellowship are two major federal awards with substantial stipends that are renewable for multiple years. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. The Javits fellowship supports students in the humanistic social sciences (all of our programs except Economics and Psychology), while the NSF fellowship supports students in all of the Division’s programs except Social Thought and History (and History students with a strong focus on history of science may be eligible). Students apply for the Javits before or during the first year of doctoral study). Students may apply for the NSF before they have completed two years of graduate study. Deadlines for both competitions are very early Autumn quarter.

Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships

Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) fellowships offer another source of funding for many students in the Social Sciences. These awards provide support from the U.S. Department of Education but are administered through the University’s area study centers. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. The Office of Graduate Affairs on conjunction with the Dean of Students conducts the annual competition for FLAS fellowships in February, and awards announced in June.

Dolores Zohrab Liebmann Fellowship

The Dolores Zohrab Liebmann Fellowship offers three years of support for students in the middle part of a doctoral program. Students may apply before admission to candidacy. Students from the Social Sciences and the Humanities are eligible, and the Deans of Students in the Divisions manage the internal competition. Each doctoral program may nominate one student, and a faculty committee drawn from both Divisions selects the university’s three candidates to forward to the national competition. Nominations are due from the programs to the Deans of Students in late autumn quarter, and awards announced in June.

Dwight Eisenhower/Clifford Roberts Graduate Fellowship

The Dwight Eisenhower/Clifford Roberts Graduate Fellowship offers a year of support for students who have been admitted to candidacy and whose research explores the role of government in a free society, citizen public service, public policy, and improved understanding of America’s role in world affairs. Students submit an application to the department. Each doctoral program may nominate one student, and the Division will select two candidates from the nominees to forward to the national competition. Applications are due from students in mid-January, and nominees from the departments are due to the Division by the end of January. The University’s candidates are forwarded to the national competition in February, and awards are announced in April.