Fellowships for Humanities, Languages and Social Science Graduates
Available Fellowships by Granting Agency
American Councils for International Education (ACTR/ACCELS)
Eurasian Regional Language Program (ERLP)
This program provides advanced undergraduates, graduate students, and recent graduates the opportunity to study Eurasian languages in an overseas immersive setting for a semester, a summer, or the full academic year. Academic programs are tailored to participant requests; a typical program devotes 2/3 of the course work to language study and 1/3 to culture, area studies, politics, history, literature, or economics. Graduate scholarships are available to students in the humanities and the social sciences. Merit scholarships are also available.
There are three deadlines a year; Summer (February 15), Fall (March 15), and Spring (October 15).
Boren Awards
Boren Scholarships/Fellowships
Funds undergraduate study or graduate research including intensive language training in countries considered critical to US interests and national security. Most language programs do not require previous study. Good candidates for Boren Awards are interested in enhancing their language skills, immersing themselves in cultures around the world, and committed to public service.
Special Boren Scholarships are available for students in the STEM disciplines; these provide funding for summer study in another country.
Deadline for Boren Scholarships is January 28th; deadline for Boren Fellowships is January 21st.
Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program
Critical Language Scholarship
The CLS Program offers intensive overseas study in Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Korean, Japanese, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, and Swahili. It provides fully-funded 7-10 week group-based intensive language instruction and extensive cultural enrichment experiences overseas at the beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels. (Not all levels are offered for all languages.)
Applications typically open in October.
DAAD, German Academic Exchange Service
Undergraduate Scholarships
The DAAD offers a variety of Scholarships for students whose projects are preferably based at or organized by a German university; students should demonstrate an interest in contemporary German and/or European affairs.
- Enroll in organized study abroad program or design own study abroad curriculum
- Senior thesis research
- Internships in Germany
- Between 4-10 months
Multiple opportunities to apply; deadlines vary
German Studies Research Grant
This grant funds short-term research focusing on modern German culture, politics, history, economics, or society.
- Undergraduate (juniors or seniors) and graduate students studying German are eligible to apply
- Candidate must be nominated by department
- Minimum of 2 years of German language study in college
- Minimum of 3 courses in German studies: literature, history, politics, or other field
Multiple opportunities to apply; deadlines on May 1st and November 1st
University Summer Course Grants
- Undergraduate and master's students are eligible to apply
- 3-4 week summer courses (June to September) at German universities focusing on literary, cultural, political, and economic aspect of modern and contemporary Germany
- Courses are only taught in German
- Minimum of 2 years of German language study in college
German Bundestag: International Parliamentary Scholarships
- Students serve as interns to elected representatives in Berlin
- Undergraduates majoring in German, political science, international relations, law, history, or economics
- Some knowledge of German legislative process
- Fluency in German
- The internship takes place over 5 months each year from March 1st to July 31st
Gilman-DAAD Germany Scholarships
This opportunity provides additional scholarship funding for 40 U.S. undergraduate students per year to study abroad and/or intern in Germany through the Gilman Program. See the Gilman Program page for more details.
Fulbright U.S. Student Program
English Teaching Assistantships (ETA)
The ETA program allows students to travel overseas and be placed in a classroom environment to supplement English language instruction and provide native speaker experience. The U.S. Fulbright Program has sent students to over 160 different countries and is open to students of all majors/backgrounds. Students must have a Bachelor's degree by the time of the experience abroad.
Study/Research Awards
Candidates must design a specific proposal for a research project or graduate program abroad. Study/Research Awards are available in 140 different countries around the world; programs and requirements will vary based on the country of interest. Applicants must have a Bachelor's degree by the time of the experience.
Gates Cambridge
Gates Cambridge International Scholarship
This opportunity provides full-cost scholarships for students to pursue a graduate degree in any field of study at the University of Cambridge. Those with a commitment to improving the lives of others and with the potential for outstanding leadership will be great candidates. Students should be able to make a strong case for why their proposed graduate degree is important and why it should take place at the University of Cambridge.
Marshall Scholarship Program
Marshall Scholarship
One of the most prestigious scholarships, the Marshall is awarded to top American students for 2-3 years of graduate study in the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland). The competition is open to students in all fields of study.
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)
REU experiences are open to all undergraduate students across the country. Awarded students will participate in a research project at a host site (domestic or international) and work closely with faculty and mentors. Students will receive a stipend along with housing, food, and travel assistance.
Application materials and deadlines vary depending on the host site; prospective applicants can view available opportunities on NSF's website.
Rhodes Trust
Rhodes Scholarship
The best known of the prestigious scholarships, the Rhodes Scholarship is awarded to 32 top American students for 2-3 years of graduate study at Oxford University in the United Kingdom. The competition is open to students in all fields of study. Applicants are chosen for their academic achievements as well as "their character, commitment to others and to the common good, and for their potential for leadership in whatever domains their careers may lead."
Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program (SIFP)
The SIFP offers in-resident opportunities for graduate students and postdoctoral students to conduct independent research or collaborate with the Smithsonian staff on projects that align with the Institute's interests. Students with experiences in these fields are encouraged to apply: ecology, environmental science, anthropology, archaeology, linguistics, astronomy, earth sciences, evolutionary & systematic biology, history of science and technology, art history, materials research, molecular biology, sociology, and more.
- Graduate Student Fellowship: ten-week fellowship to conduct independent research. Stipend of $10,000.
- Predoctoral Fellowship: for students to conduct dissertation research. Stipend of $45,000 per year in addition to research allowances.
- Postdoctoral Fellowship: for students conducting research after obtaining a PhD. Stipend of $57,000 per year in addition to research allowances.
Applicants should submit a research proposal and explain why the Smithsonian Institute is the ideal place to conduct said research. Fellows are expected to spend most of their tenure in-residence at the Institute.
The Rotary Foundation
Ambassadorial Scholarships
Rotary scholarships fund international graduate study and/or research in countries that have Rotary clubs. The purpose is to build understanding and friendly relations among people of different countries. This opportunity includes 9 months of full-time study or vocational training that are not intended for language study, therefore candidates should be proficient in the language of the country.
Scholarship value and availability vary depending on local club. Contact your local Rotary club to get started on an application.
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
Pathways Programs
Undergraduates, recent graduates, and graduate students are offered internships and job opportunities through the DOE Pathways Programs. Successful completion of an internship while in school may set students up for full-time employment after graduation. This program is also a great way to discover what it's like to be in a federal agency work environment.
Deadlines and specific eligibility requirements differ depending on the opportunity.
DOE STEM
The DOE STEM program aims to build pathways for students to enter the STEM workforce by providing training, education, and engagement opportunities. Opportunities include internships, scholarships, fellowships, graduate research, and more.
Udall Foundation
Native American Graduate Fellowship
Intended for outstanding Native American and Alaska Native graduate students pursuing degrees in healthcare fields, and who are committed to Native health care. This could include health administration, health education, public health, medical practice, policy, research, or related degrees. Fellowships are up to $25,000.
Applications open on January 31st.