The Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship
The Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship awards a fellowship for graduate students early in their graduate program. The Ford Foundation is seeking ethnic and racial diversity to increase diversity on university campuses. Awards are made to students who have demonstrated superior academic achievement, are committed to a career in teaching and research at the college or university level, show promise for future achievement, and are well prepared to use diversity as a resource for enriching the education of all students.
The Academic Fellowships Team is here to support you through all steps of the application process. If you are interested in connecting with us to learn more, please contact us at fellowships@brandeis.edu.
Eligibility
- US citizens, US national, and US permanent resident, or DACA students
- Evidence of superior academic achievement
- Must be committed to a career in teaching and research at the college or university level in the US
- Must be enrolled in or planning to enroll in an eligible research-based (dissertation-required) program leading to a PhD or ScD no later than Fall 2024
- Students who, as of the 2024 fall semester, require a minimum of three years of study to complete their PhD
- Students who have not earned a doctoral degree at any time, in any field
Application Timeline
- National Deadline: Dec. 12, 2023
Award
- Ford Fellows receive a $27,000 stipend for 3 years.
- 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.
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- Contact Academic Fellowships to set up a meeting to discuss the application process and strategy.
- Write a brief phrase describing your area of proposed research.
- Write a personal statement (up to 2 pages).
- Write a Statement of Previous Research and Scholarly Productivity (up to 3 pages).
- Write a Proposed Plan of Graduate Study and Research and Long-Term Goals (up to 2 pages).
- Request 3-5 Letters of Reference from professors that can attest to your academic and personal character.
- Upload unofficial transcripts to the application portal.
- Request a Verification of Doctoral Degree Status Form signed by your graduate advisor or department chair.
The Ford Foundation is seeking students who demonstrate the following qualities:
- Evidence of superior academic achievement
- Degree of promise of continuing achievement as scholars and teachers
- Capacity to respond in pedagogically productive ways to the learning needs of students from diverse backgrounds
- Sustained personal engagement with communities that are underrepresented in the academy and an ability to bring this asset to learning, teaching, and scholarship at the college and university level
- Member of an underrepresented group
- Your Academic Fellowships Team: Meredith and Elizabeth are here to help you through each step of the process, from exploring the different application components, to choosing your recommendation letter writers, to providing feedback on your essays. Email fellowships@brandeis.edu to schedule a meeting with us!
- Ford Fellowship FAQs: The Ford Foundation has compiled a list of frequently asked questions and their answers. This is a great place to further explore the eligibility requirements, application advice, and more.