AAmerican Association of University Women (AAUW)
Partially funded
AAUW International Fellowships (study outside the US)
American Association of University Women (AAUW), United Kingdom
Scholarship overview
AAUW International Fellowships support women who are not US citizens or permanent residents to pursue full-time graduate study in STEM. Most awards are for study in the US, but a limited number are available for study in any country other than the applicant's own, which can include the UK.
Study outside the US is open to applicants who are members of Graduate Women International (GWI), or to those whose country of citizenship is subject to a US travel ban and who cannot obtain a US student visa. Fellows are expected to apply their expertise in service of their home countries or communities. The programme has run since 1917.
Award Information
- Identify as a woman.
- Not a US citizen, not a US permanent resident and not an applicant for US permanent residency.
- For study outside the US (e.g. in the UK): be a member of Graduate Women International, or be a citizen of a country subject to a US travel ban and unable to get a US student visa. Study in your own country of citizenship is not eligible.
- Admitted to or enrolled in a first master's degree or an academic or professional doctorate in a STEM discipline (classification based on the degree programme; AAUW uses the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List).
- Full-time study; reside in the country of study for the fellowship period.
- Begin the programme by 15 September 2027 and complete it on or after 30 April 2028.
- Hold at least one degree equivalent to a US bachelor's degree, with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale for the highest degree earned.
- Apply for one degree type and one field only.
- English proficiency: TOEFL iBT 79, TOEFL Essentials 8.5, revised TOEFL paper-delivered 60, IELTS 6.5, Cambridge 176 or Duolingo 120; or native English speaker; or a secondary diploma or degree from an English-speaking institution; or one semester of full-time study in the discipline at an English-speaking institution.
- Not eligible: previous AAUW fellowship or grant recipients (other than Community Action Grants or branch/local awards), and AAUW board members, employees, review panellists and their immediate families.
- US$20,000 for a master's degree (2027-28).
- US$25,000 for a doctorate (2027-28).
- Paid to the fellow in two equal instalments, at the start and midpoint of the fellowship.
2027-28 cycle: applications opened 17 August 2026 (9:00am ET) and closed 17 September 2026 (5:00pm ET). Awards are notified in March 2027; stipends are paid July-September 2027 and December 2027/January 2028; a mid-year report is due December 2027 and a final report by 31 July 2028.
- Create an account on the AAUW Fellowships & Grants Application Portal.
- Follow the Application Instructions to complete the narrative application.
- Register two recommenders in the portal so they receive submission links.
- Upload proof of degrees, transcripts, CGPA proof, English proficiency, admission or enrolment, and proof of GWI membership if studying outside the US.
- Submit before the deadline; incomplete applications are not considered.
Official links
Documents you will need
- Two letters of recommendation (no dossier services)
- Copies of all degrees earned, with translations (certified for the highest degree); credential evaluation if equivalence is unclear
- Official transcripts for all degrees, with translations
- Proof of a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale
- Proof of English proficiency
- Admission letter, deferral approval or enrolment verification
- Proof of Graduate Women International membership (for study outside the US): affiliate letter, membership certificate or other official document
- Name-change evidence if names differ
How selection works
- AAUW staff check completeness and eligibility; eligible applications are reviewed by panels of STEM scholars and experts, subject to AAUW approval.
- Criteria: academic or scholarly excellence; feasibility of the academic or research plan; commitment to women and girls; long-term career objectives and impact; strength of the financial plan.
- When merit is comparable, preference may go to applicants from underrepresented countries, first international academic experience, home-country residents, first-generation graduates, single-parent households and applicants with caregiving responsibilities.
- Changing institution, field or programme type after selection leads to disqualification.
