External funding resources
Students are encouraged to seek outside funding to cover or help defray costs associated with graduate education. Numerous opportunities are available for master's and doctoral students, as well as postdoctoral fellows. Learn more about these graduate school funding opportunities below.
Graduate funding opportunities by stage
- Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowships. Open to all dissertation-based PhD programs. Provides stipends for three years of doctoral education. Emphasis on students from underrepresented backgrounds. Deadline in November.
- NSF Graduate Research Fellowships (NSFGRF). Open to social sciences and STEM fields. Provides generous stipends for three years of master’s or doctoral education and opportunities to work in off-campus federal labs and institutes. Fall deadline.
- Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans. Provides fellowships for graduate students in all fields of study who are permanent residents, naturalized citizens, or children of naturalized citizen parents. Eligibility: undergraduate seniors, or within the first two years of beginning graduate studies. Deadline in November.
- The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Math. The Academies offer several fellowships in science, engineering, and medicine. Eligibility guidelines and application deadlines vary by program.
- Department of Defense SMART Fellowship Program. Covers stipend, tuition and fees, for multiple years, summer internship at one of the DoD Labs, and employment placement after graduation. Over 15 STEM disciplines are eligible. Fall Deadline.
- U.S. Department of Energy Computational Sciences Graduate Fellowships. Provides up to four years of stipend, tuition and fees, research funds, and internship at a DoE lab. Many fields are eligible, including Life Sciences, Chemistry, Engineering, and Physics. Undergraduate seniors and first-year graduate students may apply. January Deadline.
- Dolores Zohrab Liebmann Fellowships. Open to any field of study. Funding for tuition and stipend for 1 year. Deadlines in April and November.
- Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowship. Open to all dissertation-based PhD programs. Provides stipends for one year of doctoral education for students to finish writing their dissertations. Emphasis on students from underrepresented backgrounds. Deadline in November.
- Harry Frank Guggenheim Dissertation Fellowships. Provides a one-year stipend for students to finish writing their dissertations. Research topic must focus on understanding human violence and aggression. Early spring deadline.
- The John Hope Franklin Dissertation Fellowship. One year stipend for doctoral students to focus on writing their dissertation. Deadline in Spring.
- Josephine de Karman Fellowship. Provides a one-year stipend for students to finish writing their dissertations. All fields are eligible. January deadline.
- Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Completion Fellowship. One year stipend and associated fees for graduate students to work on their dissertations. Humanities and social sciences are eligible. Deadline in the Fall.
- Microsoft PhD Fellowship Program. Provides funds for a stipend, tuition and fees, and conference travel for two years. Students must be in their second or third year of graduate school. Fields of study: Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, and related fields. Deadline in the Fall.
- National Academy of Education Dissertation Fellowship. Provides one year stipend and opportunities for professional development. Must have completed all coursework and qualifying exam. Deadline early fall.
- National Gallery of Art Fellowships. Several fellowships available. Offers financial support for graduate research in the history, theory, and criticism of art, architecture, urbanism, and photographic media. Fall Deadline.
- National Institute of Justice Graduate Research Fellowships. Funding of innovative doctoral dissertation research in the social and behavioral sciences on Department of Justice topics addressing challenges of crime and criminal justice, particularly at the state, local, and tribal levels. Citizenship: Unrestricted. Deadline in late Winter/early Spring.
- NSF Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grants. Provides substantial funds for costs associated with dissertation research (grant funds, as opposed to stipend). Several different fields in social sciences and STEM are eligible, and have separate deadlines. Students that have completed all course requirements and qualifying exam may apply.
- National Water Research Institute Fellowships. Fellowships for graduate students in the U.S. in the areas of water resources and treatment. Deadline in Spring.
- Smithsonian Opportunities for Research and Study. Several opportunities to conduct part of your work at Smithsonian.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (NIH), Health Services Awards. Various opportunities are available, including predoctoral, dissertation, and postdoctoral fellowships. Deadlines vary.
- Wenner Grant Foundation Dissertation Fieldwork. Provides one year stipend for dissertation/field work in basic anthropology research. Two deadlines per year.
- American Association of University Women. International Fellowships are awarded for full-time study or research in the United States to women who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Both graduate and postgraduate studies at accredited U.S. institutions are supported.
- American Council of Learned Societies. Several fellowships available, in humanities and social sciences. Deadlines vary, generally throughout the Fall semester.
- American Council of Learned Societies - For international Scholars. Several opportunities, at different career levels, are available to international scholars
- American Indian Science and Engineering Society. Several opportunities available for different career stages, from undergraduate to faculty. Deadlines vary.
- Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Post-Doctoral Curatorial Fellowship. Two-year fellowship to work at the American Philosophical Society museum. All Humanities fields are eligible to apply. Fall Deadline.
- Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Graduate Fellowship Program. Fellows develop basic skills essential to working or participating in science policy at the federal, state, or local levels. All areas of study. Deadline in September.
- Council of American Overseas Research Centers. The Council of American Overseas Research Centers (CAORC) offers Ph.D. candidates who are in the dissertation writing stage of their doctoral work and Post-doctoral scholars/researchers an opportunity to fund regional and trans-regional research. The fellowship is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. State Department. The fellowship is only open to U.S. citizens.
- DAAD Research Grants for Recent Ph.D. Graduates and Ph.D. Candidates in Germany. Funding for dissertation or postdoctoral research at libraries, archives, institutes, or laboratories in Germany; U.S. citizens; 2-6 months during the calendar year.
- EPA Post-Doctoral Research Program. Many different opportunities are available, depending on field of study
- Ford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowships. Open to Ph.D. holders of any field. Provides a one-year stipend. Emphasis on applicants from underrepresented backgrounds. Deadline in November.
- Harry Frank Guggenheim Research Grants. Provides grants to fund research proposals from any of the natural and social sciences and the humanities that promise to increase understanding of the causes, manifestations, and control of violence and aggression. Applications due by August 1.
- Life Sciences Research Foundation. Provides a generous stipend for three years plus research allowance. Must be within five years of receiving Ph.D. All fields within the life sciences are eligible. October deadline.
- National Academy of Education/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship. Provides one-to-two years of funding. Proposed research must be in education. Deadline in November.
- National Postdoctoral Association - Fellowships for International Postdocs. Several resources are available to international postdocs, including a comprehensive list of postdoctoral fellowships available to international scholars. All UNR students/postdocs are eligible for a free membership.
- NSF Postdoctoral Fellowships. Fellowships for several social sciences and STEM fields are available through the National Science Foundation. Deadlines and topics vary.
- Postdoctoral Fellowship in Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. Provides two years of stipend and research support. Deadline in January.
- Smithsonian Postdoctoral Research Fellowships. Several opportunities are available to conduct work at different Smithsonian Institutes.
- The Harvard Guide to Postdoctoral Fellowships. Harvard University's searchable database for Postdoctoral Fellowships.
- The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Math. The Academies offer several fellowships in science, engineering, and medicine. Information on eligibility guidelines and application deadlines vary.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (NIH), Health Services Awards. Various opportunities are available, including predoctoral, dissertation, and postdoctoral fellowships. Deadlines vary.
- L’Oréal USA Fellowships for Women in Science. Provides $60,000 in grant funds for research. Eligible fields include life sciences, chemistry, physics, mathematics, computer sciences, and many other STEM fields. Fall deadline.
Graduate funding by student type
- American Association of University Women. International Fellowships are awarded for full-time study or research in the United States to women who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Both graduate and postgraduate studies at accredited U.S. institutions are supported.
- American Council of Learned Societies. (International) Several opportunities, at different career levels, are available to international scholars
- Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Post-Doctoral Curatorial Fellowship. Two-year fellowship to work at the American Philosophical Society museum. All Humanities fields are eligible to apply. Fall Deadline.
- Anita Borg Google Fellowship. This $10,000 scholarship can be used for tuition and school-related expenses, including research equipment. Available to women in the fields of computer science, computer engineering, or closely related field. No citizenship requirements.
- Cambridge Commonwealth Trust/Cambridge Overseas Trust. The Cambridge Commonwealth Trust and Cambridge Overseas Trust support international students (non-UK citizens) on degree courses at the University of Cambridge.
- Fulbright Foreign Student Program. The Fulbright Foreign Student Program enables graduate students, young professionals, and artists from abroad to study and conduct research in the United States.
- IBM Ph.D. Fellowship Awards Program. Almost all areas of study are eligible. Provides one year of support.
- International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX) Awards. Several opportunities for areas of study involving international development
- Josephine de Karman Fellowship. Provides a one-year stipend for students to finish writing their dissertations. All fields are eligible. January deadline.
- Microsoft Ph.D. Fellowship Program. Provides funds for a stipend, tuition and fees, and conference travel for two years. Students must be in their second or third year of graduate school. Fields of study: Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, and related fields. Deadline in the Fall.
- National Academy of Education Dissertation Fellowship. Provides one year stipend and opportunities for professional development. Must have completed all coursework and qualifying exam. Deadline early Fall.
- NSF Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grants. Provides substantial funds for costs associated with dissertation research (grant funds, as opposed to stipend). Several different fields in social sciences and STEM are eligible and have separate deadlines. Students that have completed all course requirements and qualifying exam may apply.
- The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Math. The Academies offer several fellowships in science, engineering, and medicine. Information on eligibility guidelines and application deadlines vary.
- Wenner Grant Foundation Dissertation Fieldwork. Provides one year stipend for dissertation/field work in basic anthropology research. Two deadlines per year.
- American Anthropological Association Minority Dissertation Fellowship. Provides a one-year stipend for students focusing on dissertation research. Spring deadline.
- American Association of University Women Fellowships. Several opportunities are available, both nationally and internationally, for all fields of study.
- American Indian College Fund. Provides several scholarships based on merit and financial need. for All fields of study are eligible.
- American Indian Science and Engineering Society. Several opportunities are available for different career stages, from undergraduate to faculty. Deadlines vary.
- Anita Borg Google Fellowship. This $10,000 scholarship can be used for tuition and school-related expenses, including research equipment. Available to women in the fields of computer science, computer engineering, or closely related field. No citizenship requirements.
- F31 - Individual NRSA for Diversity Ph.D. Students. Support for promising doctoral students who will be performing dissertation research and training in scientific health-related fields relevant to the missions of the participating NIH Institutes and Centers. Provides 1-3 years of support. Three deadlines per year.
- Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowship. Open to all dissertation-based Ph.D. programs. Provides stipends for one year of doctoral education for students to finish writing their dissertations. Emphasis on students from underrepresented backgrounds. Deadline in November.
- Ford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship. Open to Ph.D. holders of any field. Provides a one-year stipend. Emphasis on applicants from underrepresented backgrounds. Deadline in November.
- Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowships. Open to all dissertation-based Ph.D. programs. Provides stipends for three years of doctoral education. Emphasis on students from underrepresented backgrounds. Deadline in November.
- Hispanic Access Foundation. Hispanic Access Foundation (HAF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that connects Latinos with partners and opportunities to improve lives and create an equitable society. Their website lists opportunities for funding and internships.
- Hispanic Scholarship Fund. Administers various scholarship programs. Each program has its own eligibility criteria, open/close dates, and required documents.
- L’Oréal USA Fellowships for Women in Science. Provides $60,000 in grant funds for research. Eligible fields include life sciences, chemistry, physics, mathematics, computer sciences, and many other STEM fields. Fall deadline.
- Minority Dissertation Fellowship Program in Education Research. Provides stipend and research funds. Students should be at the writing stage of their dissertation and have completed all required coursework and passed qualifying exams. Fall deadline.
- Native American Fee Waiver from NSHE. Provides a registration fee waiver for members or descendants of members of a federally recognized tribe or nation, which is located in the State of Nevada. See FAQ.”
- Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans. Provides fellowships for graduate students in all fields of study who are permanent residents, naturalized citizens, or children of naturalized citizen parents. Eligibility: undergraduate seniors, or within the first two years of beginning graduate studies. Deadline in November.
- Predoctoral Fellowship in Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. Provides three years of support, and possible research funds. Deadline in January.
- United Negro College Fund (UNCF). Administers various scholarship programs. Each program has its own eligibility criteria, open/close dates, and required documents.
- Support for Native American college students. Native American student support guide, including scholarships and resources
Graduate funding opportunities by research category
- American Anthropological Association. Many opportunities are listed, programs and deadlines vary.
- American Council of Learned Societies. (Competitions) Several fellowships available, in humanities and social sciences for graduate students, postdocs, and faculty. Deadlines vary, generally throughout the Fall semester.
- American Educational Research Association Fellowships and Grants. Several opportunities available for graduate students in Education. Deadlines vary.
- Archeological Institute of America. Several different opportunities for archaeology graduate students. Deadlines vary by program.
- EPA Science to Achieve Results Graduate Fellowships. Doctoral and Master's students may apply. Fields include disciplines in STEM and Social Sciences, including Chemistry, Public Health, Anthropology, Environmental Sciences and many others. Provides stipend, research funds, and tuition.
- Humane Studies Scholarships. Provides $1500 to further your research, and makes you eligible to apply for the Humane Studies Fellowships. Early Spring deadline.
- Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Completion Fellowship. One year stipend and associated fees for graduate students to work on their dissertations. Humanities and social sciences are eligible. Deadline in the Fall.
- National Academy of Education. Provides one year stipend and opportunities for professional development. Must have completed all coursework and qualifying exam. Deadline early fall.
- National Gallery of Art Fellowships. Several fellowships available. Offers financial support for graduate research in the history, theory, and criticism of art, architecture, urbanism, and photographic media. Fall Deadline.
- National Institute of Justice Graduate Research Fellowships. Funding of innovative doctoral dissertation research in the social and behavioral sciences on Department of Justice topics addressing challenges of crime and criminal justice, particularly at the state, local, and tribal levels. Citizenship: Unrestricted. Deadline in late Winter/early Spring.
- NSF Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grants. Provides substantial funds for costs associated with dissertation research (grant funds, as opposed to stipend). Several different fields in social sciences and STEM are eligible, and have separate deadlines. Students that have completed all course requirements and qualifying exam may apply.
- Social Science Research Council Fellowships. Various opportunities are available, deadlines vary.
- The John Hope Franklin Dissertation Fellowship. One year stipend for doctoral students to focus on writing their dissertation. Deadline in Spring.
- Wenner Grant Foundation Dissertation Fieldwork. Provides one year stipend for dissertation/field work in basic anthropology research. Two deadlines per year.
- Anita Borg Google Fellowship. This $10,000 scholarship can be used for tuition and school-related expenses, including research equipment. Available to women in the fields of computer science, computer engineering, or closely related field. No citizenship requirements.
- Department of Defense SMART Fellowship Program. Covers stipend, tuition, and fees for multiple years; a summer internship at one of the Department of Defense Labs; and employment placement after graduation. Over 15 STEM disciplines are eligible. Fall Deadline.
- Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration Stewardship Science Graduate Fellowship (SSGF) Program. Up to fours years of a generous stipend, among other benefits, including internships at national labs. Seniors or graduate students in the first two years of the program may apply. Deadline in October.
- Department of National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship Program. Three years of support. Fifteen disciplines are supported. Seniors or graduate students in the first two years of the program may apply. Deadline in the Fall.
- EPA Science to Achieve Results Graduate Fellowships. Doctoral and master's students may apply. Many fields may apply, including Chemistry, Public Health, Anthropology, Environmental Sciences and many others. Provides stipend, research funds, and tuition.
- Microsoft Ph.D. Fellowship Program. Provides funds for a stipend, tuition and fees, and conference travel for two years. Students must be in their second or third year of graduate school. Fields of study: Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, and related fields. Deadline in the Fall.
- National Institute of Justice Graduate Research Fellowships. Funding of innovative doctoral dissertation research in the social and behavioral sciences on Department of Justice topics addressing challenges of crime and criminal justice, particularly at the state, local, and tribal levels. Citizenship: Unrestricted. Deadline in late Winter/early Spring.
- National Water Research Institute Fellowships. Fellowships for graduate students in the U.S. in the areas of water resources and treatment. Deadline in Spring
- NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards. Support for promising doctoral students who will be performing dissertation research and training in scientific health-related fields relevant to the missions of the participating NIH Institutes and Centers. Provides 1-3 years of support. Three deadlines per year.
- NSF Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grants. Provides substantial funds for costs associated with dissertation research (grant funds, as opposed to stipend). Several different fields in social sciences and STEM are eligible and have separate deadlines. Students that have completed all course requirements and qualifying exam may apply.
- NSF Graduate Research Fellowships (NSFGRF). Open to social sciences and STEM fields. Provides generous stipends for three years of master’s or doctoral education and opportunities to work in off-campus federal labs and institutes. Fall deadline.
- Sigma XI Grants-in-Aid of Research Program. Provides funds for research expenses. Deadlines in March and October.
- Smithsonian Opportunities for Research and Study. Several opportunities to conduct part of your work at Smithsonian.
- The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Math. The Academies offer several fellowships in science, engineering, and medicine. Information on eligibility guidelines and application deadlines vary.
- U.S. Department of Energy Computational Sciences Graduate Fellowships. Provides up to four years of stipend, tuition and fees, research funds, and internship at a DoE lab. Many fields are eligible, including Life Sciences, Chemistry, Engineering, and Physics. Undergraduate seniors and first-year graduate students may apply. January Deadline.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (NIH), Health Services Awards. Various opportunities are available, including predoctoral, dissertation, and postdoctoral fellowships. Deadlines vary.
- American Philosophical Society Phillips Fund for Native American Research. Provides grants for research in Native American linguistics, ethnohistory, and the history of studies of Native Americans, in the continental United States and Canada. Spring deadline.
- Anita Borg Google Fellowship. This $10,000 scholarship can be used for tuition and school related expenses, including research equipment. Available to women in the fields of computer science, computer engineering, or closely related field. No citizenship requirements.
- Archeological Institute of America. Several different opportunities for archaeology graduate students. Deadlines vary by program.
- Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Graduate Fellowship Program. Fellows develop basic skills essential to working or participating in science policy at the federal, state, or local levels. All areas of study. Deadline in September.
- Harry Frank Guggenheim Dissertation Fellowships. Provides a one-year stipend for students to finish writing their dissertations. Research topic must focus on understanding human violence and aggression. Early spring deadline.
- International Foundation for Ethical Research (IFER) Graduate Fellowship Program. Available for all fields, with emphasis on dissertation projects that aim to integrate innovation and discovery with ethics in the use of animals in research. Provides stipend and research funds. Deadline in Spring.
- International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX) Awards. Several opportunities for areas of study involving international development.
- National Water Research Institute Fellowships. Fellowships for graduate students in the U.S. in the areas of water resources and treatment. Deadline in Spring.
Graduate funding, scholarship and fellowship databases
The following databases are maintained by other institutions but are publicly searchable.