Fellowships and Funding

Humanities dissertation fellowships support students in the final stages of their doctoral programs.

The School of Humanities and Sciences Dean's Office and the Stanford Humanities Center coordinate applications for two dissertation fellowship opportunities for doctoral students in the humanities: the Stanford Humanities Center Dissertation Prize Fellowships and the Mellon Foundation Dissertation Fellowships.

For more information, visit the Stanford Humanities Center.

The Dwight D. Eisenhower/Clifford Roberts Graduate Fellowship Program assists promising students pursuing research in fields such as history, government, economics, business administration, and international affairs. The Eisenhower Institute seeks to develop informed leadership in the conduct of U.S. national life by supporting young scholars interested in the role of government in a free society, citizen public service, public policy, and the role of the United States in world affairs.

Stanford University is one of 11 universities participating in the Eisenhower/Roberts Fellowship Program. Each university may submit up to two candidates, both of whom will be eligible to receive an award of up to $10,0000, which typically supports work on the dissertation.

For more information, contact Graduate and Undergraduate Studies.

Advanced doctoral students in the humanities, arts, and social sciences may be eligible for part-time jobs supported by the Federal Work Study program.

Limited work study funding is available for doctoral candidates in the humanities, arts, and social sciences who can demonstrate financial need. Only U.S. citizens and permanent residents are eligible. Applicants must have attained terminal graduation (TGR) status and have been admitted to candidacy with an approved dissertation proposal and an established reading committee by fall quarter. Other eligibility requirements for receiving federal funds may apply.

For more information, contact Graduate and Undergraduate Studies.

New for 2022-23 academic year: GRO will be moving to an annual award cycle.  Applications will be accepted in winter quarter of 2023.

The School of Humanities and Sciences awards grants of up to $5,000 to doctoral students for research expenses directly related to their dissertations.

Recipients may use GRO funding for research-related travel, purchasing data sets and special analytical software, using human subjects or surveys, and similar needs. There are two application submission deadlines, in fall and in spring.

For more information on eligible and ineligible expenses, see the FAQs. If you have additional questions, contact Graduate and Undergraduate Studies. 

The Intensive Language Program provides funding for intensive language training to first-year doctoral students in the humanities and arts in the summer following the first year of study.

The goal of this program is to enable foreign language proficiency earlier in the program of study, improve progress toward successful and timely completion of milestones, and reduce time to degree. Funding may be used for travel to and from the program, program tuition or enrollment fees, and related program supplies such as software or books.

If you have additional questions, contact Graduate and Undergraduate Studies.

The Lurcy Trust offers a one-year fellowship for advanced graduate study and research in France. U.S. Citizens only.

Applicants’ research should deal specifically with French topics in any discipline or time period and require work that can be pursued uniquely in France. A stipend of $25,300 (in 2018-19) will cover the cost of educational fees, necessary travel, and living expenses during one academic year in France. Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States enrolled at Stanford University or an educational institution in France during the tenure of the fellowship. Stanford University may submit one candidate.

For more information, contact Graduate and Undergraduate Studies.