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AAUW’s story begins in 1881, when a small group of female college graduates banded together to open the doors for women’s career advancement and to encourage more women to pursue higher education.

The AAUW’s advocacy efforts have propelled countless new laws, including the Equal Pay Act, first proposed in 1945 and finally passed in 1963; the Title IX amendment in 1972; the Family and Medical Leave Act in 1993; the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act in 2009; and the Paycheck Fairness Act, which was passed by the U.S. Representatives in 2019 but is awaiting action in the Senate.

Eligibility

• International Fellowships are not open to previous recipients of any AAUW national fellowship or grant (not including branch or local awards or Community Action Grants).
• Members of the AAUW board of directors, committees, panels, task forces and staff, including current interns, are not eligible to apply for AAUW’s fellowships and grants. A person holding a current award is eligible for election or appointment to boards, committees, panels and task forces.
• International Fellowships are open to scholars who identify as women, in all fields of study at an accredited institution of higher education or, for postdoctoral fellows, research. AAUW will make final decisions about what constitutes eligible institutions.
• Unsuccessful applicants may reapply.
• Have citizenship in a country other than the U.S. or possession of a nonimmigrant visa if residing in the U.S. Women who are currently, or expect to be during the fellowship year, a U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident, or dual citizen with the U.S. and another country are not eligible.
• Hold an academic degree (earned in the U.S. or abroad) equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree completed by November 15, 2021.
• Intend to devote themself full-time to the proposed academic plan during the fellowship year.
• Intend to return to their home country to pursue a professional career and upon completion of their studies.
• Be proficient in English and confirm proficiency by submitting one of the Required Components (see below), which include certain English proficiency exams, transcripts from English-speaking institutions, or a written statement verifying English is the applicant’s native language. Applicants planning to take one of the accepted English proficiency exams should plan for and take the test as early as possible. Please direct questions about the tests to the test provider.
• Master’s/first professional degree and doctoral applicants must have applied by November 15, 2021, to an accredited institution of study for the period of the fellowship year and must indicate the name of the institution in the International Fellowship application. While acceptance is not required at the time of application, fellows must provide official confirmation from the institution with their award acceptance materials.
• Master’s/first professional degree fellowships are intended for master’s or professional degree-level programs such as J.D., M.F.A., L.L.M., M.Arch., or medical degrees such as M.D., D.D.S., etc. Certificates, associate degrees, and undergraduate degrees are ineligible.
• Doctoral fellowships are intended for doctorate degrees classified as research degrees, such as Ph.D. or Ed.D.
• Postdoctoral applicants must provide proof of their doctorate degree; hold a doctorate classified as a research degree (e.g., Ph.D., Ed.D., D.B.A., D.M.) or an M.F.A. by November 15, 2021; and indicate where they will conduct their research.
• Master’s/first professional degree and doctoral applicants must be enrolled in a U.S. accredited institution located in the U.S. during the fellowship year.
• A limited number of awards are available to Graduate Women International members for study or research in any country other than their own. Note that foreign branches of U.S. institutions are considered outside of the U.S.
• Applicants can apply for the fellowship for any year of their program, but must be conducting a full year of study or research. International Fellowships do not provide funding for a partial year of study or research. Programs ending prior to April of the fellowship year are not eligible.

Requirements

Applicants must have earned the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree by the application deadline and must have applied to their proposed institutions of study by the time of the application.

How to Apply

A limited number of awards are available for study outside of the U.S. (excluding the applicant’s home country) to women who are members of Graduate Women International (see the list of GWI affiliates). Both graduate and postgraduate studies at accredited U.S. institutions are supported.

To start the application process click on the Apply Now button to access the application and create an account through our vendor site. Complete all required components in the following areas:

• Start
• Background
• Proposal
• Recommendations, Documents & Review
  • Recommendations:
    • Provide three recommendations from professors or professional colleagues well acquainted with a student’s work, and academic background, in striving towards scholarly pursuits. When possible, recommenders should be professors or professional colleagues in the applicant’s home country who can speak about the applicant’s qualifications and about the country’s need for the specialized skill or knowledge she plans to acquire with her proposed study or research. AAUW does not accept references from dossier services, such as Parment or Interfolio.
  • Documents:
    • Proof of highest degree: Upload transcripts** from the college or university where the highest degree (not a certificate) was obtained. Highest degree must be at least a bachelor’s degree (must be earned on or before November 15, 2021).
      • Transcripts** must include a list of courses taken and grades received.
      • If the institution does not provide a transcript or a list of courses taken and grades received or the degree did not require coursework, an official letter from the institution where the degree was received that includes the degree completion date must be uploaded.
      • Do not upload copies of additional certificates or other documents the applicant may have received during her education.
    • Proof of current enrollment (currently enrolled applicants only): Upload transcripts**/lists of courses/institution letters from the college or university in which the applicant is currently enrolled, if she is enrolled.
      • Transcripts must include a list of courses taken and grades received.
      • Many transcripts do not include current coursework. If fall 2021 semester grades are not available and are not on your transcript, a list of courses taken that semester must be provided by the institution’s Office of the Registrar.
      • If the institution does not provide a transcript or a list of courses taken and grades received or the degree did not require coursework, an official letter* from the institution where the degree was received that includes the degree completion date must be uploaded.
    • Proof of a doctorate or M.F.A. degree (postdoctoral applicants only): Upload any one of the following:
      • Transcript showing degree and date received (must be on or before November 15, 2021).
      • Official letter from institution where degree was received that includes the degree completion date.
      • Copy of diploma showing date degree was received (must be on or before November 15, 2021).
    • Proof of English proficiency: Upload one of the following:
      • Official report of an acceptable and valid TOEFL or IELTS score. Scores are valid for two years. Institutional TOEFL scores and other English proficiency test scores will not be accepted.
        • Minimum acceptable scores are as follows:
          • TOEFL iBT (Internet-Based Test): 79
          • TOEFL Essentials: 8.5
          • Revised TOEFL Paper-Delivered Test: 60
          • IELTS: 6.5
      • Written statement verifying the applicant’s native language is English.
      • Academic transcript or diploma confirming one of the following:
        • Secondary diploma or undergraduate degree is from an English-speaking institution.
        • One semester of full-time study in the applicant’s discipline at an English-speaking institution between November 2019 and November 2021.

Reward

Recipients are selected for academic achievement and demonstrated commitment to women and girls.

Master’s/first professional degree: $18,000
Doctoral: $20,000
Postdoctoral: $30,000

Deadline

The deadline is November 15, 2021.

Annual

This is an annual scholarship.