AAUW International Fellowships for Female Researchers
AAUW’s International Fellowships promotes education and equity for women by investing in international applicants who will be pursuing graduate studies in the U.S. in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) disciplines, with the intention of applying their expertise, professional skills, and leadership in service of their home countries and/or the communities in which they reside. In addition, a limited number of awards are available for study in any country other than their own. International Fellowships are specifically designed for women who are non-U.S. citizens or permanent residents, with a track record of academic excellence and empowering other women and girls. The Program has been supporting international women pursuing full-time postgraduate studies in the United States since 1917.
Award Details
International Fellowships carry a stipend of $20,000 for a master’s degree and $25,000 for a doctorate degree. Stipends are payable to fellows only and are disbursed in two equal payments at the beginning and the midpoint of the fellowship term.
Fields of Study
International Fellowships are available for the following Natural and Physical Science discipline areas:
- Agriculture
- Architecture
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Earth and Environmental Sciences
- Engineering
- Geology
- Health and Medicine
- Mathematics/Statistics
- Materials Science and Physics
- Psychology and Psychiatry
- Technology, Data, and Computer Science
- Zoology
Eligibility
- Applicants must identify as a woman.
- Applicants must be admitted or enrolled in their first master’s or an academic or professional doctorate degree at the time of application, and the degree must be in one of the STEM disciplines.
- Applicants must begin their program on or before September 15, 2027, and complete it on or after April 30, 2028.
- Applicants must possess at least one academic degree (earned in the U.S. or abroad) that is equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree.
- While applicants may hold multiple degrees, they must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale for the highest degree earned. Applicants may apply for only one degree type (either a Master’s or Doctoral program) and in a single specific field (e.g., Computer Science, Engineering, Physics, etc.). In the case of applicants pursuing a dual degree, they must select one of the fields in their application.
- Applicants must pursue their study in the U.S. on a full-time basis at an institution accredited by the U.S. Department of Education.
- Applicants must reside in the U.S. or country of their study for the duration of the fellowship period.
- Applicants intending to study in a country other than their country of citizenship or the U.S. will be considered under the following circumstances:
- Applicants whose country of citizenship is subject to a U.S. travel ban and who are therefore unable to secure a U.S. student visa; or
- Applicants whose country of citizenship is not subject to a U.S. travel ban and who plan to study outside the United States, provided they are members of Graduate Women International.
Citizenship & Immigration Status
Fellowship recipients must be non-U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
Disqualifying Factors
The following are not eligible for consideration:
- Current members of the AAUW Board of Directors
- Current employees of AAUW, including paid or unpaid, part-time or temporary employees, consultants, interns, and contract employees
- Current AAUW Review Panelists
- Immediate families (i.e., spouses and dependent children) of individuals described in the points above
- Previous AAUW fellowship or grant recipients (excluding Community Action Grants or branch or local AAUW awards)
How to apply
-
To begin your application, visit the AAUW Fellowships & Grants Application Portal to create an account or log in.
For step-by-step guidance on completing your application, refer to the Application Instructions.
