Social Sciences and Humanities Fellowships: Opportunities for Graduate Researchers

Why Fellowships Matter for Graduate Researchers

In this article, we’ll discuss the best social sciences and humanities fellowships. Then, we’ll also tackle why, where, and how to get fellowship funding. You’ll know useful tips in writing your fellowship application and meeting deadlines.

Why is social science and humanities research important in the first place? We cannot deny that STEM research is more prominent in modern society. But social science and humanities research has its place, too, because it enables us to:

• Gain more understanding of human behavior and society
• Promote social justice and equity
• Support social, economic, and political development
• Foster innovation and creativity
• Preserve and promote history and culture

Indeed, social science and humanities research promotes the heart and soul of humanity. As such, it deserves graduate research funding as much as STEM research.

On a personal level, fellowships are crucial for graduate students and their success. Fellowships can cover their education-related costs, including:

• Tuition and fees
• Books and supplies
• Room and board
• Research materials and supplies (e.g., software)
• Conference travel
• Fieldwork expenses
• Health insurance
• Publication fees
• Professional development

In short, funding from fellowships results in significant reductions in your out-of-pocket costs. The free money is welcome because of the expensive costs of earning a graduate degree.

A master’s degree can set you back $44,640 to $71,140 – and that’s only for tuition and fees. Then, for a doctoral degree, it’s common to spend $50,000/year, on average.

With fellowship funding, you can focus more on your academics and research. You’ll produce quality research projects and make more meaningful contributions.

There’s also less risk to take out student loans, which has a lifelong positive impact. You’re more likely to enjoy career flexibility and life stability when you don’t have hanging it over your head.

The bottom line: Explore these five fellowships for social sciences and humanities. You’ll get free money to fund your graduate studies.

Related Articles:

• How to Apply for Graduate Fellowships: A Step-by-Step Guide for Researchers
• Graduate Research Fellowships for First-Generation Students
• Top Graduate Research and Fellowship Scholarships for 2025
• How to Write a Winning Research Proposal for Graduate Fellowships

Top Fellowships for Social Sciences and Humanities Students

David and Catherine Cuthell Summer Research Fellowships in Turkish Studies

• Application Deadline: April 5, 2025
• Award Amount: $3,000

The Sakıp Sabancı Center for Turkish Studies offers among the best fellowships for humanities students. The Cuthell Summer Research Fellowships in Turkish Studies welcomes applications from:

• MA students and PhD students in the Humanities and Social Sciences Division;
• In good academic standing

Previous fellows may reapply. However, the fellowship cannot be granted more than twice.

Applicants must also conduct research in Turkish Studies. These include the “study of Turkish-speaking peoples” and their cultures and civilizations.

Send your application to sakipsabancicenter@columbia.edu ASAP. Application requirements include curriculum vitae, statement, and letter of recommendation. Only five social science research grants will be awarded this year.

University of Chicago Obama Foundation Scholars Program

• Application Deadline: March 25, 2025
• Award Amount: $10,000/scholar

The Obama Foundation Scholars Program offers generous financial aid for graduate students. Besides the University of Chicago, it’s also offered at Columbia University.

Applications from master’s degree students in their final year are welcome. Applicants must be enrolled in one of these UChicago schools:

• Harris School of Public Policy
• Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice
• Booth School of Business

The $10,000 stipend is intended for tuition costs and living expenses. Besides the stipend, Obama Foundation scholars also enjoy:

• An orientation program
• Leadership Development Workshops and Conversations
• Networking opportunities
• Personalized action plan
• Executive coaching

Scholars learn interdisciplinary approaches to creating scalable solutions and advancing social change.

SOF/Heyman Public Humanities Graduate Fellowship

• Application Deadline: March 31, 2025
• Award Amount: Up to $4,000/fellow

The SOF/Heyman and HNY will award PhD fellowships in social sciences for up to six fellows. The selected fellows have up to one year to spend the amount. This can be used to cover travel, project materials, and marketing, among other costs. Fellows must submit a final report after grant completion.

The proposed projects for the humanities research scholarships must be public-facing, too. This means the proposed projects should be:

• Intended for public audiences or
• Engage public members as partners or collaborators or 
• Partner with community groups

Projects dealing with social justice and equity issues may get priority treatment.

Applicants must be graduate students at Columbia University. Applications must consist of:

• Project Abstract
• Project Description
• Brief Biographical List of Partners and Collaborators
• Project Timeline
• Project Budget
• CV of Project Director and Collaborators

Other benefits include fortnightly workshops and project development support.

National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Fellowships

• Application Deadline: April 9, 2025
• Award Amount: $60,000 ($5,000 per month)

NEH also offers among the best fellowships for humanities research with generous awards. Eligibility requirements include:

• US citizens, nationals, or permanent residents
• Completed their formal education and with advanced research experience
• Must work in the humanities disciplines

This isn’t only for research funding for social science students. Faculty members, independent scholars, and researchers are also welcome.

NEH Fellowships have a competitive selection process. Applicants must highlight their advanced research and writing skills, among others. You must also showcase your project’s value to the general public and/or humanities scholars.

Sloan Research Fellowships

• Application Deadline: September 15, 2025 (Nominations open July 15, 2025 for 2026 cycle)
• Award Amount: $75,000 

Only two Sloan Research Fellowships are awarded every year, and it’s as competitive as they come. Fellows must be early-career researchers with the potential to become next-gen leaders.

Eligibility requirements include:

• With a PhD degree or its equivalent in chemistry, Earth system science, computer science, physics, mathematics, economics, neuroscience, or a related field
• Be a faculty member of an accredited college in the US or Canada
• Be tenure-track as of September 15, 2025
• Faculty positions must have regular teaching obligations

Your department head or a senior researcher must nominate you. No self-nominations are accepted.

Application materials include:

• Letter of nomination
• Curriculum vitae
• Two representative articles
• Personal statement
• Three letters to support the nomination

Fellows must submit a substantive report and a financial report.

How to Find the Right Fellowship for Your Research

There are plenty of fully funded fellowships for social science students available. But it takes careful planning and research to find them, too.

Fellowships may be free money but these aren’t fast and easy money either. You must use the right resources and adopt the right steps to get them.

Resources for Researching and Identifying Fellowship Opportunities

Start by looking for fellowship opportunities using available resources.

• University and institutional resources. You don’t need to look far because your university has useful resources:
  • Check your university’s scholarship database.
  • Contact your graduate school’s financial aid office and its funding advisors.
  • Ask your professors and peers for leads.
  • Check your libraries’ research funding directories.
• Online databases and search engines. You must expand your search for fellowships, too, by checking out these platforms:
  • Grants.gov
  • Pivot (ProQuest)
  • Fastweb
  • Pro Fellow
• Government agencies. You’ll find plenty of fellowships offered by government agencies, including:
  • Fulbright Program
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Science Foundation
• Professional associations and organizations. Your profession and industry usually have fellowships for graduate students and researchers, too:
  • American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS)
  • American Association of University Women (AAUW)
• Corporations, charitable foundations, and nonprofits. Your fellowship opportunities may well be in these private organizations:
  • Ford Foundation
  • Gates Foundation
  • Google
  • Mellon Foundation

You’ll spend many hours exploring these venues, and persistence is a must to do so. But when you get free money, your time and energy have huge returns.

How to Apply for Graduate Fellowships

Start the application process with a plan and a strategy. Don’t submit applications willy-nilly because it’s a waste of your time and energy.

First, determine if the fellowship aligns with your academic, research, and professional goals.

• Define your goals clearly and concisely. Use the SMART method.
• Determine the award amount, duration, and other benefits offered by the fellowships.
• Identify the fellowship programs’ eligibility criteria, application requirements, and obligations.
• Compare the features of fellowship programs based on these aspects.
• Choose fellowship programs that address your needs and goals.

Then, gather your application documents. Ensure that they are accurate, complete, and compliant with the program’s requirements. Submit your completed application form and all the required supporting documents on or before the deadline.

Tips for Writing a Strong Fellowship Application

The top fellowship programs have selective criteria and application procedures. Applicants must be on top of their game to stand out from the competition.

Key Elements of a Persuasive Research Proposal

Your other application documents are also crucial to your success. But if you must spend more time on a single part, let it be your research proposal.

Why? It highlights your subject expertise and research preparedness. You can also make the connection between your research and the fellowship’s goals.

Here are tips for writing research proposals that will increase your funding success.

• Give an original research question with a specific focus.
• Showcase your in-depth understanding of existing research in the literature review.
• Give a clear outline of the research methodology used. Address potential challenges and available resources, too.
• Highlight the features that make your research unique. Discuss its potential contributions to the field.
• Provide a realistic work plan and timeline.
• State in clear and concise terms the expected outcomes and impact.

Throughout your research proposal, use clear, reader-friendly language. Adopt a well-structured flow, too.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Applying for Fellowships

Be aware of these common mistakes that can result in failed applications:

• Ignoring application guidelines and instructions
• Using a generic application for every program
• Lacking a clear research focus
• Failing to prove the significance of your research
• Writing with a jargon-heavy mindset
• Submitting weak letters of recommendation

How to Tailor Your Research Proposal

You must submit a tailored research proposal to every fellowship program. Yes, it takes more time and work, but it’s vital to your success.

• Review the fellowship program’s vision, mission, and goals, among other aspects.
• Align your research proposal’s goals and other elements to these aspects.
• Write in a way that also aligns with the program’s goals.

Don’t submit the first draft. Review, proofread, and edit it. Seek feedback, too, because it’s easy to miss the big picture and the little things.

Deadlines and Application Process: What You Need to Know

Graduate funding opportunities have specific deadlines for submission of applications. Missed deadlines equal missed opportunities.

General Timelines for Fellowship Applications

So, you must write down the application deadlines for every program. Keep track of them by using traditional and digital calendars, too.

Remember this general timeline, too, when planning your fellowship applications.

• 6-12 months before the deadline. Research available fellowships.
• 3-6 months before the deadline. Gather your application documents.
• 1-3 months before the deadline. Submit your complete and accurate application packets.

Then, keep in mind this general timeline after the submission of your applications.

• 1-6 months after submission. Wait for the notification. Follow up, if necessary. Attend the interview, if any.
• 1-3 months before the start date. Confirm your acceptance. Complete the required paperwork. Prepare for the fellowship.

Required Documents and Preparation Tips

Here are more fellowship application tips to remember.

• Start ASAP. You won’t have to cram and make more mistakes if you do.
• Prepare your application documents well in advance.
• Double-check these documents for spelling and grammar mistakes, among others.
• Stay organized with your application documents and deadlines.
• Prepare for your interview.

Conclusion: Taking the Next Steps in Your Fellowship Search

Do an active and continuous search for graduate research scholarships and fellowships. Free money is always a good thing when you’re a graduate student.

But don’t expect an easy time either. Graduate fellowships are competitive, and it takes hard work to earn them. You must plan and prepare, be patient and persistent, and prove your worth.

You don’t have to go at it alone, either. Seek guidance and support from your advisors, family members, and even peers. But it’s still your ultimate responsibility to win fellowships and leverage them.