In addition, up to five awards are available to Graduate Women International members for study in any country other than their own. International Postdoctoral Research Fellowships are specifically designed for women who are non-U.S. citizens or permanent residents, with a track record of academic excellence and empowering other women and girls. The program has been supporting international women pursuing full-time postgraduate and postdoctoral research in the United States.

Fields of Study

• International Postdoctoral Research Fellowships are available for the following Natural and Physical Science discipline areas:
  • Agriculture
  • Architecture
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Earth and Environmental Sciences
  • Engineering
  • Geology
  • Health and Medicine
  • Mathematics/Statistics
  • Materials Science and Physics
  • Psychology and Psychiatry
  • Technology, Data, and Computer Science
  • Zoology

Funding Information

• International Postdoctoral Research Fellowships carry a stipend of $50,000.

Uses of the Funds

• Fellowship awards may be used for tuition, fees, and course-required expenses like books and supplies, as well as housing, food, and other living expenses (including childcare).
• Awarded funds may not be expended on costs incurred prior to the fellowship term start date or after the fellowship term end date.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants must identify as a woman.
• Applicants must be admitted to their first postdoctoral research experience by the application deadline.
• Applicants must begin their program on or before September 1, 2026, and complete it on or after May 30, 2027.
• Applicants must hold an academic or professional doctoral degree (earned in the U.S. or abroad) with a minimum CGPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale at the time of application. Examples of academic and professional doctoral degrees include but are not limited to D.B.A., Ed.D., J.D., M.D., or Ph.D.
• Applicants must pursue their research in the U.S. on a full-time basis at an institution accredited by the U.S. Department of Education.
• Applicants must reside in the U.S. or country of their studies for the duration of the fellowship period.
• Applicants intending to do their postdoctoral research in another country other than their own or the U.S. must be members of Graduate Women International and pursue their research project at an international institution recognized as eligible to participate in U.S. federal student aid programs, as listed on the Federal Student Aid Participating Schools list Federal Student Aid Participating Schools list. (Foreign branches of U.S. institution are considered outside of the U.S.)
• Citizenship & Immigration Status
  • Fellowship recipients must be non-U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

Selection Criteria

• Hold an academic or professional doctoral degree (earned in the U.S. or abroad) with a minimum GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale
• Scholarly excellence, as demonstrated by academic records and achievements, the strength of applicants’ research proposal, recognition from peers, professors, and/or institutions, and other forms of distinction
• Research that is original in design and will make significant contributions to the relevant field
• Demonstrated commitment to 1) applying their expertise, professional skills, and leadership in the context of their home countries, and 2) supporting other women and girls through service in their communities, professions, or fields of research
• Feasibility of the research, the funding of those plans, and the proposed timeline for their completion
• Fellow’s position on return to home country
• Applicants hailing from countries that have a notably low presence among AAUW award recipients
• Applicants pursuing their first international experience
• Applicants residing in their home country at the time of application

For more information, visit AAUW Action Fund.