Social Sciences Scholarships

National civics competition for grades 6–8 combining a short-answer community-improvement essay application, live regional quiz bees, state finals, and a National Championship in Washington, D.C. The national champion receives a $100,000 contribution to a 529 education savings plan; second and third place receive $25,000 and $15,000 cash. Regional and state rounds also award smaller cash prizes. Students apply free through the online portal in participating states.

Doctoral students enrolled in good standing at an accredited U.S. or international university may apply for the NIH Graduate Partnerships Program (GPP) to conduct dissertation research in the NIH Intramural Research Program while remaining enrolled at their degree-granting institution. Eligible degrees include PhD, DPhil, PharmD, DrPH, PsyD, MD/PhD, and DVM/PhD. U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and eligible international students (including J-1 pathways) may participate through individual or institutional partnerships. While at NIH, GPP students are paid on the NIH predoctoral IRTA stipend table based on research experience after the bachelor's degree. Annual stipends range from $46,100 for a first-year predoctoral fellow with up to one year of experience to $59,300 in later years. NIH also provides health insurance supplements, a $1,500 relocation benefit for new fellows, and professional development, advising, and well-being resources. There is no fixed application deadline; students arrive year round once they secure an NIH principal investigator willing to host their dissertation research and obtain permission from their university graduate program. Individual partnership applicants contact PIs directly and apply through the NIH Application Center. Institutional partnership students apply through specific university partner programs. GPP lets doctoral students combine university coursework with mentored intramural research at NIH institutes and centers across multiple campuses.

The Paul D. Coverdell Fellowship in International Studies at Texas State University supports returned Peace Corps Volunteers pursuing the face-to-face international studies master's program. Out-of-state applicants may receive up to $39,000 and in-state applicants up to $25,000 toward graduate study. Students self-nominate through the Graduate College Coverdell application process. Eligibility is limited to returned Peace Corps Volunteers admitted to the qualifying master's program. The fellowship combines graduate funding with the Coverdell Fellows service requirement in underserved communities. Contact the Graduate College for current application deadlines and nomination procedures.

Ph.D. candidates at Northwestern University in the social sciences or related fields whose dissertation research addresses sociolegal studies, law, legal institutions, the legal profession, or social justice may apply. Fellows receive a $35,000 annual stipend for up to two academic years, plus a modest research account and Northwestern benefits. Contact fellowships@abfn.org for application timing and questions.

The Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony Award in Humanities and Social Sciences recognizes high school juniors committed to understanding and addressing difficult social issues through study, action, and dialogue. Counselors, teachers, or administrators nominate one qualified junior per school each year through Rochester's High School Awards Program. Nominees receive an application fee waiver and, if admitted to the College of Arts, Sciences and Engineering, may be selected for a merit scholarship of $10,000 to $35,000 per year. Selection weighs leadership, community action, and strong grades in humanities and social science coursework.

Late-stage Ph.D. candidates in the humanities and social sciences at accredited U.S. graduate schools whose dissertation addresses religious, ethical, or moral questions may apply for Charlotte W. Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellowships. Twenty fellows each receive a $31,000 stipend for 12 months of full-time dissertation writing. Applicants must have completed coursework, passed preliminary exams, received dissertation proposal approval, and be actively writing their dissertation by the application deadline. Professional degrees such as D.Min., law, Psy.D., and Ed.D. are not eligible.

Ph.D. and post-doctoral candidates worldwide pursuing newly uncovered archival research on the Holocaust may apply, including work in history, sociology, Jewish studies, political science, philosophy, theology, women's studies, and related fields. Fellowships of $30,000 are awarded to up to seven outstanding candidates each year who demonstrate academic excellence, personal commitment to Holocaust research, and potential for professional leadership in the field. Supported topics include the historical context of the Holocaust, political, economic, legal, religious, or socio-cultural aspects, ethical implications, and related subjects. The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference) administers the program.

Competitive scholarship for Austin College sophomores majoring in political science or international relations. Established by Congressman Hatton W. Sumners, the award provides $30,000 divided between the recipient's junior and senior years. Students compete during their sophomore year based on academic achievement and interest in self-government. Winners join a distinguished alumni network of Sumners scholars and may participate in related campus symposia sponsored by the foundation throughout their upper-division years at Austin College.

U.S. citizens and permanent residents from racial or ethnic groups historically underrepresented in higher education who are at the dissertation writing stage in education research or related social science or humanities fields may apply. The one-year, nonrenewable fellowship provides a $25,000 stipend for dissertation research beginning July 2026 or later, plus mentoring and presentation at the AERA Annual Meeting. Requires a dissertation prospectus, timeline, CV, budget, transcript, and two recommendation letters via AERA Apply.

Doctoral students in anthropology (or equivalent thesis-level programs outside the U.S.) may apply for Wenner-Gren Dissertation Fieldwork Grants to fund dissertation or thesis research that advances anthropological knowledge. Qualified students of any nationality or institutional affiliation may apply if enrolled in a doctoral program and able to designate an on-campus dissertation advisor to supervise the project. Grants provide up to $25,000 for fieldwork and related research costs. Awards are nonrenewable, but applicants may request funding across distinct research phases (for example, two summers) when that fits the research design. Wenner-Gren does not cover institutional overhead or administrative fees. Apply online through the Foundation application portal when it opens (two months before each deadline). Submit a research proposal with Plan A and Plan B budgets, a bibliography, and required permits information. Deadlines are May 1 for projects starting January 1 through June 30 of the following year and November 1 for projects starting July 1 through December 31 of the following year. The review process takes about six months. The Wenner-Gren Foundation supports anthropological research worldwide and particularly welcomes proposals that integrate two or more subfields or pioneer new approaches.