There are a variety of funding opportunities available to women preparing to pursue an advance degree. Many of these aim to offset the costs associated with school, but many also celebrate some of the exceptional accomplishments of women through history and into modern day.

American Association of University Women (AAUW) Dissertation Fellowships

Graduate school funding for women preparing to complete dissertations, full-time post-doctorial research, and/or research for a publication project. The dissertation fellowship can cover any or all of the following: education and living expenses, including childcare; research assistants and equipment; travel for field research and conferences.

Amount $20,000
Application Date November 15

American Association of University Women (AAUW) Postdoctral Research Leave Fellowship

Postdoctoral funding for women engaged full-time in the completion of a dissertation, and post-doctoral institutional research or research for publication. The postdoctoral fellowship can be used to purchase equipment, hire research assistants, pay for publication costs, and cover living and childcare expenses.

Amount $30,000
Application Date November 15

American Association of University Women (AAUW) Summer/Short-Term Research Publication Grants

An 8-week grant for graduate scholars engaged in independent research for publication and preparing research for publication. Grant money can cover living expense, research assistants, clerical and non-technical support, office supplies, and journal fees.

Amount $6,000
Application Date November 15

American Association of University Women (AAUW) Career Development Grants

Provides educational and living expenses for women pursuing graduate work, professional development, and/or technical training to advance their careers. The grants are targeted at women of color and women in non-traditional disciplines, and women who do not yet have an advanced degree.

Amount $2,000-$12,000
Application Date December 15

American Association of University Women (AAUW) Fellowships

Master’s, doctoral, and postdoctoral fellowships for women pursuing a degree in the United States who are not citizens or permanent residents, to cover education and living expenses, as well as travel to meetings and conferences.

Amount Master’s $18,000; Doctoral $20,000; Postdoctoral $30,000
Application Date December 1

Association of Insurance Compliance Professionals (AICP) Scholarships

Scholarships are offered by the AICP to students who are already enrolled in a graduate school program, based on merit and on need.

Amount $1,000
Application Date June 1

American Indian Graduate Center (AIGC) Fellowships

AIGC fellowships are offered only to those of American Indian and Alaska Native descent who are pursuing graduate or post-graduate work at the master’s or doctoral level.

Amount Varies
Application Due Date June 1

Boren Fellowships

The NSEP aims to bolster national security infrastructure through a program of fellowships provided to graduate students interested in studying less commonly taught language abroad, in regions of Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East. In return, Boren Fellows are pledged to work for the federal government for one year after graduation.

Amount Up to $24,000
Application Due Date January 28

Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) Scholarships

The CHCI offers graduate scholarships to Latino students based on leadership qualities and financial need.

Amount $5,000
Application Due Date Not available

Emerging Voices Scholarship

These scholarships are funded by the Ford Motor Company in partnership with the AWMF to encourage women pursuing journalism and media studies at the undergraduates and at the graduate-school level. The scholarship includes the opportunity to contribute content to the AWMF website.

Amount $2,500
Application Due Date April 30

Ethnic Minority and Women's Enhancement Postgraduate Scholarship for Careers in Athletics

The NCAA awards these scholarships to 13 ethnic minority graduates and 13 women graduates annually, in order to cover the costs of the first year of graduate study in a sports administration-related field. Applicants must be preparing to enroll in a sports administration or other graduate program aimed at pursing a career in intercollegiate athletics.

Amount $7,500
Application Due Date February 15

Jeannette Rankin Women’s Scholarship Fund

The Jeannette Rankin Women’s Scholarship Fund provides educational aid and scholarships to low-income women who are 35 or older, primarily for technical and vocational degrees, but also for qualifying women who are aiming to pursue degrees in business-related fields.

Amount Varies by need
Application Due Date March 1

The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans

The PD Soros Fellowships for New Americans are targeted at helping 30 immigrants and/or the children of immigrants to the US pursue graduate degrees in the U.S. Candidates must be naturalized US citizens or be granted deferred action under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

Amount Up $25,000 in stipend support, plus up to $20,000 for tuition
Application Due Date November 1

Philanthropic Educational Organization (PEO) Scholar Awards

These scholarships are reserved for women who are nominated by a local chapter of the Philanthropic Educational Organization, who are citizens of the U.S. or Canada, and who are within two years of completing a doctoral degree.

Amount Up to $15,000
Application Due Date November 20

Philanthropic Educational Organization (PEO) Peace Scholarships

The International Peace Scholarship provides educational grants for graduate-level study in the U.S. and Canada to women from countries outside of the U.S. and Canada.

Amount Up to $10,000
Application Due Date December 15

Wells Fargo American Indian Scholarship

Open to men and women of American Indian and Alaska Native decent for undergraduate or graduate school. Must have a Tribal Eligibility Certificate to apply.

Amount Varies
Application Due Date May 15

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics academic programs and job opportunities are increasing for women with an aptitude for mechanics or demonstrate a healthy curiosity about how the world around them works.

Ada I. Pressman Memorial Scholarships

Open to women undergraduate and graduate students who are pursuing degrees in all areas of engineering, including construction, chemical, computer, mechanical, and marine/oceanographic engineering. This scholarship is renewable for up to five years.

Amount $5,000
Application Due Date February 15

AAUW Selected Professional Fellowships, Science and Technology Group

Aimed at supporting women entering graduate work in disciplines in which women have traditionally been underrepresented, including master’s programs in architecture, computer science, engineering, mathematics, and statistics. Covers education and living expenses, including travel to professional meetings and conferences.

Amount $5,000- $18,000
Application Due Date January 10

Amelia Earhart Fellowships

The 35 Amelia Earhart Fellowships overseen by Zonta International are awarded annually to women pursuing doctoral degrees in aerospace science and aerospace engineering fields. Applicants must be enrolled full-time in a qualifying PhD program, and the fellowships do not cover post-doctoral research.

Amount $10,000
Application Due Date November 15

Betty Lou Bailey SWE Region F Scholarships

These academic scholarships are targeted at both undergraduate-and graduate-level women in computer-related engineering fields who are attending a university in the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Students from these states who may not be attending an institution in the proscribed areas may be considers, and the scholarships are renewable for up to five years.

Amount $1,500
Application Due Date February 15

Chyrsalis Scholarships

This award is intended to provide funding toward graduate degree completion and thesis completion for women studying in the geosciences whose careers and education have been interrupted in some way. The scholarship can cover everything from drafting expenses and late-stage research, to child care and professional travel.

Amount $2,000
Application Due Date March 31

Dr. Gerald A. Soffen Memorial Fund

The Soffen Fund was set up by NASA to help aid graduate student in science and engineering pay for travel to professional and academic conferences at which they are presenting research.

Amount $500
Application Due Date April 1

Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship

Named for a former director of the National Ocean Service, this NOAA-funded scholarship aims to encourage women and minorities earning advanced degrees in oceanography, marine biology, and maritime archaeology, as well as in other scientific, engineering, and social science involving resource management in ocean and coastal areas. Applications are handled by online by the federal government’s Grants.gov.

Amount Starts at $42,000
Application Due Date December 10

Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholarships

Named for the founder of the Institute for Women and Technology, Google’s Anita Borg Memorial Scholarships are awarded annually to women pursuing in graduate degrees in computer science, computer engineering, information technology fields. Applicants must be enrolled or accepted as full-time student in an accredited graduate program through a university in the U.S. or internationally.

Amount $10,000
Application Due Date February 1

Lydia I. Pickup Memorial Scholarship

An SWE scholarship program that provides academic awards to women in graduate programs studying in a range of engineering fields, from civil and mechanical engineering, to computer and construction and engineering. Applicants must be full-time students at an accredited graduate school in engineering.

Amount $1,500
Application Due Date February 15

M. Hildred Blewett Fellowship

A fellowship award designed to help women return to research careers in physics through graduate study. Applicants must have completed some work toward a PhD.

Amount Up to $45,000
Application Due Date June 1

National Physical Sciences Consortium (NPSC) Graduate Fellowships in Science and Engineering

A non-profit consortium of research universities, national laboratories, technology companies, and government agencies, the NPSC awards fellowships for graduate work in science, with preference given to women and minority candidates. These awards are tracked through participating universities and sponsored by research companies and laboratories.

Amount $10,000-$15,000 annually
Application Due Date December 5

NASA Graduates Aeronautics Scholarships

NASA’s comprehensive scholarship program to promote graduate studies in aeronautical research and related fields, includes covering graduate school tuition costs for up to $11,000; up to $35,000 in graduate students’ stipends per academic year; and summer internship opportunities that pay up to $10,000.

Amount Up to $56,000, including tuition, stipend, and summer internships
Application Due Date March 31

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Earth and Space Science Fellowships

NASA’s Earth and Space Science Fellowship is aimed to assisting and supporting master’s degree and PhD students who are pursuing work in an array of applied physical sciences, including Earth systems research, heliophysics, planetary science, and astrophysics.

Amount $30,000
Application Due Date February 1

Sigma Delta Epsilon/Graduate Women in Science Fellowships

Sigma Delta Epsilon, also know as Graduate Women in Science is a longstanding non-profit organization, founded in 1921, that advocates for and promotes the cause of women studying and working in the sciences. Through its National Fellowships program, it awards year-long grants for research and scholarship to women with at least a bachelor’s degree who are working toward a master’s or PhD in the sciences.

Amount Up to $10,000
Application Due Date January 15

Susan E. Stutz-McDonald Scholarship Foundation Scholarships

Designated for women pursuing a Master of Science in Engineering, with an emphasis on water and wastewater treatment, the Stutz-McDonald Foundation scholarships, of which there are two a year, includes a $250 stipend for travel to the Society of Women Engineers annual conference.

Amount $2,500
Application Due Date December 15

For women considering careers in entrepreneurship or leadership and need the skills to advance to an executive role, a Master in Business Administration (MBA) degree program can help students develop a comfort with numbers, risk-taking qualities and insights into various industries to launch them on their desired career paths.

AAUW Selected Professional Focus Professions Group Fellowships

Fellowship grants that provide education and living expense to minority women pursing graduate studies, specifically African-Americans, Mexican Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, and Asian Americans. Targeted at graduate-level study in fields in which these groups have been historically underrepresented, including MBA programs (second year of study only); JD in law (third year of study only); and MD or DO in medicine (third or fourth year of study).

Amount $5,000- $18,000
Application Due Date January 10

C200 Scholar Awards

As part of its “Reachout Program,” which partners women business leaders and entrepreneurs with MBA programs at various universities, the Committee of 200 awards to students in these programs who display leadership and entrepreneurial spirit. The scholarships are based on merit and need.

Amount $10,000
Application Due Date No set date

Chicana/Latina Foundation Scholarship Program

The Chicana/Latina Foundation is a regional organization serving Northern California. It awards merit-based scholarships for undergraduate and graduate schooling for students of Chicana/Latina heritage in designated counties of California.

Amount $1,500
Application Due Date March

Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarship

A scholarship for women who are pursuing undergraduate and master’s degree programs in business administration. The organization awards twelve $7,000 international scholarships each year, as well as additional regional scholarships of $1,000 through local affiliates.

Amount $7,000
Application Due Date July 1

Little Family Foundation MBA Fellowship

These awards are only available to college graduates who have previously been involved in teaching through Junior Achievement (JA) program and who have worked in business for at least two years. The Little Family Foundation contributes at matching grant of $2,500 toward tuition costs in conjunction with participating schools, for a total of $5,000 in tuition relief.

Amount $5,000
Application Due Date Based on deadline for MBA program admissions

Military MBA Scholarships

Military MBA offers scholarships to U.S. residents who have served in the military and who are pursuing an MBA. These scholarships are only valid at participating institutions, including Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, Cornell University’s Johnson School of Management, and MIT’s Sloan School of Management.

Amount Up to $20,000
Application Due Date December 31

Moss Adams Foundation Scholarships

This award is given annually to minority women pursing graduate degrees in accounting and business, including those attending master’s programs in business administration, banking and financial support services, and other related fields.

Amount $1,000
Application Due Date April 30

National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA) Graduate Scholarships

Open only to NBMBAA members, these scholarships are merit-based and open to African-Americans who are enrolled in an MBA program.

Amount Up to $10,000
Application Due Date None

Toigo MBA Fellowship

Toigo Foundation MBA fellowships are open to any minority student, as defined by the U.S. Department of Labor, including those who are African-American, Asian-American/Pacific Islander, Hispanic/Latino, Native American/Alaska Native, and/or South Asian American. In addition to MBA degrees, they can be applied to master’s degrees in real estate and finance.

Amount Varies
Application Due Date October 1

Candidates with an appreciation for biology, anatomy and chemistry and want to apply concepts to a possible career path will find degrees in these areas valuable.

Nursing and Healthcare AACN Scholarships

AACN scholarships are targeted to further the continuing education and specialization goals of active registered nurses pursuing further graduate studies. They can cover up to $3,000 in tuition costs and other expenses, including up to $750 for travel.

Amount Up to $3,000
Application Due Date Varies

AfterCollege/AACN Scholarships

A joint venture between the AACN and AfterCollege, this scholarship offers awards of $2,500 quarterly to graduate students in nursing programs, particularly those who are on track to become a nurse educator. Applicants must be members of the AACN.

Amount $2,500 quarterly
Application Due Date March 31, June 30, September 30, December 31

Thompson Scholarship for Women in Safety

Awarded by the ASSE to women pursuing a graduate degree in fields related to occupational safety management and engineering, including occupational health nursing and medicine, fire and environmental safety, and industrial risk management.

Amount $1,000
Application Due Date December 1

Hurst Reviews/AACN Nursing Scholarship

Open to nursing students who have not yet been licensed, this AACN administered scholarship is offered twice a year to cover tuition costs for one semester of nursing school.

Amount $2,500
Application Due Date January 15 and July 15

Liberty Leadership Scholarships

A graduate-level continuing education scholarship for AOOHN members who are already in the occupational health and environmental nursing field, and who want to further career goals. Funding can be used for tuition, travel, and associated living expenses.

Amount $1,500
Application Due Date December 1

NBNA Scholarships

Open to NBNA members who are currently enrolled in a nursing degree program and have at least one year left to complete, NBNA scholarships are targeted at helping minority nursing candidates complete their degrees on their way to a professional career in nursing.

Amount $1,000-$6,000
Application Due Date April 15

Nurse Corps Scholarship Program

The DHHS’s Nurse Corps offers scholarships to nursing students in return for a commitment of at least two years of service at an approved healthcare facility in need of nurses. Nurse Corps scholarships cover tuition and other school-related costs, and include a monthly stipend (currently $1,316). Preference is given to those in financial need.

Amount Tuition and monthly stipend
Application Due Date May 21

Annette Haag Leadership Scholarships

An award designated for a licensed occupational and environmental health nurse to further his or her career goals through leadership education and training, including attendance of the AOOHN National Conference.

Amount $1,500
Application Due Date December 1

American Organization of Occupational Health Nurses (AOOHN) Professional Development and Academic Educational Scholarships

The AOOHN provides scholarships to support occupational and environmental healthcare nurses and professionals in furthering their careers through continuing education opportunities outside of the classroom, and through professional education programs. Two academic scholarships of $2,500, and two professional development scholarships of $1,500 are offered annually.

Amount $1,500 and $2,500
Application Due Date December 1

Social work degrees are useful for those with an interest in public health, counseling, psychology or public planning or policy. Courses and concentrations offer opportunities for students to work with families or children and potentially in mental health or educational institutions where they can assist others in need or represent the best interests of others who might be vulnerable or incapable of doing so themselves.

Social Work Scholarships American Cancer Society Health Professional Training Grants

The ACS targets one of its grants for Health Professional Training at second-year master’s degree students in clinical oncology social work. The grant covers two years of graduate training.

Amount $12,000
Application Due Date October 15

American Society on Aging Graduate Student Research Award

The ASA’s Graduate Student Research Award is given to a student who is nominated by an ASA member for graduate research in the field of aging, including clinical social-work research in this area. Applicants must have a faculty sponsor and a fully formed research project ready to undertake.

Amount Not available
Application Due Date September 30

Carol A. Sarchet Scholarship

This scholarship is open to students in the CSU Schools of Social Work; Education; Occupational Therapy; Human Development & Family Studies; Food Science & Human Nutrition; Family & Consumer Sciences; or Design & Merchandising. Candidates must be first generation students, and preference is given to those raised in foster or kinship care.

Amount $2,250
Application Due Date March 1

Consuelo W. Gosnell Memorial MSW Scholarship

The Consuelo W. Gosnell Memorial scholarships are awarded to master’s degree candidates in social work who have demonstrated a commitment to working with American Indian, Alaska Native, and Hispanic/Latino populations.

Amount $4,000
Application Due Date March 4

Davis-Putter Scholarship Fund Scholarships

The Davis-Putter Scholarship Fund aims to support students working toward graduate and undergraduate degrees who are engaged in working for peace and social and economic justice in any applicable discipline, including social work.

Amount Up to $10,000
Application Due Date April 1

Judith Holm Memorial Student Awards

This ACSWA grant program is for those in their second or final year of a master’s degree program in social work. Applicants are required to submit a paper recounting a professional field-placement intervention and its outcome, using current social-work theory and clinical literature.

Amount $2,000
Application Due Date February 20

Shelomo Osman Memorial Awards

The Osman Awards are conferred by the ACSWA on first-year students in social work master’s degree programs. Applicants must submit a paper detailing a clinical intervention by the author, demonstrating an awareness of current social-work theory and practice, and describing the outcome.

Amount $1,500
Application Due Date February 20

Verne LaMarr Lyons Memorial Scholarship

The NASW awards four scholarships annually in memory of Verne LaMarr Lyons, a social worker and NASW national staff member who died in 1989. The scholarships are designated for graduate students in social work who have demonstrated a commitment to working in African-American communities.

Amount $5,500
Application Due Date Not available

With the increasing demand for educators, a degree in education at any level – early, secondary or special education – will help women advance by giving them the tools to work in any capacity, whether as teachers, professors, aides or administrators, to make an impact on the next generation on any campus.

Renshaw Fellowship

Doctoral students or applicants to doctoral programs in education who are members of the Intercollegiate Studies Institute can apply for the Renshaw Fellowship, which is targeted at individuals aiming to teach at the college level or to work as a superintendent or administrator/researcher in the field of curriculum development.

Amount $12,000
Application Due Date January 16

Barbara Lotze Scholarships for Future Teachers

Future high-school physics teachers can apply for a $2,000 scholarship from the AAPT. These scholarships are available to students pursuing a teaching certificate at the undergraduate and graduate school levels.

Amount $2,000
Application Due Date December 1

American Chemical Society (ACS)-Hach Second Career Teacher Scholarship

Administered by the American Chemical Society, the ACS-Hach Second Career Teacher Scholarship is aimed at chemistry majors and professionals in the chemistry field who are pursuing a master’s in education with the intention of teaching chemistry. Applicants should have a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and at least one year of experience working in a professional capacity. For those who have not spent at least a year working in a field related to chemistry, there is an ACS-Hach Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Scholarship

Amount Up to $6,000
Application Due Date February 1

James Madison Fellowships/p>

The James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation offers aid to graduate students earning a degree in education who are committed to teaching at the secondary school level, and who demonstrate a defined interest in teaching the American Constitution.

Amount $24,000
Application Due Date March 1

JCC Association Graduate Scholarship Program

The JCC Association Graduate Scholarship Program provides funding for students earning degrees in Jewish communal service, nonprofit management or MBA, public policy, sports management, health and physical education, Jewish studies, social work, and early childhood education. Participants are required to maintain a field placement at a JCC during their studies, and to show a commitment to working in the JCC movement after completing their degree.

Amount Up to $10,000
Application Due Date February 1

Journalism Education Association (JEA) Future Teachers Scholarships

The JEA provides grants of $1,000 to students pursuing a master’s degree in education who are aiming to teach at the secondary school level. Current teachers of journalism may also apply for funding to earn a graduate degree.

Amount $1,000
Application Due Date July 15

Maley/FTEE Technology and Engineering Teacher Scholarship

Members of the International Technology and Engineering Educators Association who are currently employed as technology and/or engineering teachers at any grade level can apply for this grant to begin or continue graduate-level study in education.

Amount $1,000
Application Due Date December 1

TEACH Grants

TEACH is short for Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education, and the Department of Education’s TEACH program is designed to offer assistance to teachers in training who commit to four years of teaching at a school or educational service in low-income communities, or in a field defined as “high-need.” The four years of teaching must be completed within eight years of earning a degree.

Amount $4,000
Application Due Date October 30

Woodrow Wilson MBA Fellowships in Education Leadership

Woodrow Wilson MBA Fellowships in Educational Leadership are available to graduate students who are pursuing an MBA and who are interested in working in the field of education, as administrators and leaders. These fellowships are intended to cover the full tuition costs of an MBA in educational leadership, and are only available in participating states, currently Indiana and Wisconsin.

Amount $50,000
Application Due Date Not available

Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowships

Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowships are aimed at training and promoting teachers who are committed to teaching in the STEM disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in Georgia, Indiana, and New Jersey. Applicants interested in earning a master’s degree in education in these states, and who are willing to commit to teaching math and/or science in an urban or rural school district, can qualify for full tuition plus a stipend.

Amount $30,000
Application Due Date November 30 and January 31

When we invest in women and girls, we are investing in the people who invest in everybody else.

Melinda Gates

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Breaking Down the Scholarship Application Process

Scholarships dedicated to women serve one important goal: to encourage them to fill gaps in industries where they are underrepresented. Some of the top careers seeking an increase in women professionals include science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), and some foundations and fellowships are willing to offer additional financial aid to low-income single women or those challenged by difficult life circumstances.

As women prepare to This section provides a detailed look at the essential actions for preparing a scholarship application, from inception to conclusion:

Step-By-Step Strategy to Crafting Successful Scholarship Applications

Additional Scholarship &
Financial Aid Resources for Women

The following is a list of websites to scholarships, grants or fellowships dedicated to women graduate students, as well as organizations that center on activities or opportunities related to women.