Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowship
This competition year the program will award approximately 36 dissertation fellowships. The dissertation fellowships provide one year of support for individuals working to complete a dissertation leading to a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) or Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) degree. The Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowship is intended to support the final year of writing and defense of the dissertation.
Dissertation fellowships will be awarded in a national competition administered by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine on behalf of the Ford Foundation. The awards will be made to individuals who, in the judgment of the review panels, have demonstrated superior academic achievement, are committed to a career in teaching and research at the college or university level in the U.S., show promise of future achievement as scholars and teachers, and are well prepared to use diversity as a resource for enriching the education of all students.
1 year
Stipend and Benefits
- One-year stipend: $28,000
- An invitation to attend the Conference of Ford Fellows
- Access to Ford Fellow Regional Liaisons — a network of former Ford Fellows who have volunteered to provide mentoring and support to current Fellows — and access to other networking resources
Eligibility to apply for a dissertation fellowship is limited to:
- All U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, and U.S. permanent residents (holders of a Permanent Resident Card); individuals granted deferred action status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program;1 Indigenous individuals exercising rights associated with the Jay Treaty of 1794; individuals granted Temporary Protected Status; political asylees; and refugees, regardless of race, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability, or sexual orientation;
- Individuals with evidence of superior academic achievement (such as grade point average, class rank, honors, or other designations);
- Individuals committed to a career in teaching and research at the college or university level in the U.S.;
- Individuals enrolled in an eligible research-based (dissertation-required) program leading to a Ph.D. or Sc.D. degree at a non-proprietary (not for profit) U.S. institution of higher education who will complete the dissertation in a period of 9-12 months during the 2021-2022 academic year, but no later than Fall 2022;
- Individuals who, by December 10, 2020, have completed all departmental and institutional requirements for their degree, except for writing and defense of the dissertation; and
- Individuals who have not earned a doctoral degree at any time, in any field.