Eligibility

Please note that our eligibility criteria have changed.

ARE YOU A PH.D STUDENT?

We are accepting applications from Ph.D. students in the social sciences and humanities who have already completed all departmental and institutional requirements for the Ph.D. degree, including approval of the dissertation proposal. The only requirement not completed must be the writing and where required, the defence, of the dissertation.

Applicants should be on track to finish the majority of their research or data collection by June of the current academic year, so that they are writing their chapters by the time the fellowship begins in September.

Our focus is on “engaged scholarship” by which we mean research projects that address pressing social problems or injustices and whose findings can contribute to making the United States a more just, a more equal, and a more environmentally sustainable nation. We seek to support work that is engaged, meets the highest academic standards, and speaks to people beyond a specialized disciplinary audience.

WE WELCOME WORK IN THE FOLLOWING FIELDS

• American Studies
• Anthropology
• Cultural Studies
• Economics
• English & Comparative Literature
• Ethnic Studies
• Gender & Women’s Studies
• Geography
• History
• Philosophy
• Political Science
• Sociology

As a rule, we do not support people pursuing Ph.D.’s in professional schools including Public Health, Education, Social Work, Law, Medicine, Urban Planning. However, we make exceptions for people who are housed in such institutions, but whose scholarly work is equivalent to what would be produced in a School of Arts and Sciences. Eligible work has to be readily accessible to readers outside that particular profession.

See the FAQ page for more details. If you are uncertain about your eligibility, please inquire at info@cescholar.org before filling out an application.

Also note that application materials are now due by December 1st and the application portal will open October 1st.

ARE YOU ENROLLED IN A PROGRAM WITHIN THE U.S.?

The Center for Engaged Scholarship fellowships are open to all Ph.D students who meet the fellowship qualifications, as long as they are enrolled in a U.S. Ph.D program. This includes foreign nationals and undocumented individuals.