NAEd/Spencer Dissertation Fellowship Program

About the opportunity

The NAEd/Spencer Dissertation Fellowship Program encourages a new generation of scholars from a wide range of disciplines and professional fields to undertake research relevant to the improvement of education. Highly competitive, the fellowship annually supports 35 exceptional doctoral candidates whose dissertation projects bring innovative and insightful approaches to the history, theory, analysis, or application of formal and informal education. The award supports fellows during the dissertation writing phase to alleviate the need for significant employment, providing funding, professional development retreats, and individual mentorship.

Funding and benefits

• $30,000 award for one academic year, distributed in two installments, to support living expenses, medical/dental insurance, research equipment/expenses, books, workshops/conferences, or tuition/fees.
• Participation in two professional development retreats facilitated by NAEd members and other distinguished scholars to enhance research capabilities and academic growth.
• Mentorship from an NAEd member or esteemed scholar providing guidance and support throughout the academic year.

Who can apply?

• Must be a candidate for a doctoral degree at a graduate school located within the United States (international universities with US charters do not qualify).
• US citizenship is not required; open to applicants of any citizenship.
• Must complete all pre-dissertation requirements (coursework, qualifying/comprehensive exams, and official proposal approval) by June 1, 2027.
• Must propose an education research project in any discipline or professional field (such as anthropology, economics, history, philosophy, political science, psychology, or sociology).
• Must provide a clear and specific plan to complete the dissertation within one or two years.
• Must submit an individual application (group applications are not accepted).

Required documents

• Background details (demographic data, education, employment, scholarships/fellowships, honors/awards, publications/presentations, pre-dissertation status, language proficiency).
• Personal statement describing how prior experiences prepared you for this dissertation research and your future education research career plans.
• Work plan outlining tentative start/end dates and milestones for each dissertation phase (one year full-time or up to two years part-time).
• Abstract (single-spaced paragraph summarizing the project's substantive focus, design, purpose, methods, scope, and contribution).
• Narrative discussion (maximum 10 double-spaced pages describing research goals, significance, theoretical grounding, literature review, design, methods, and analysis).
• Bibliography (maximum 2 single-spaced pages appended to the narrative; narrative + bibliography combined maximum 12 pages).
• Graduate transcript (unofficial transcript is acceptable).
• Two letters of recommendation (one from the dissertation chair/director and one from another faculty member, submitted via online portal).

When to apply

• Application portal opens: August 1, 2026.
• Application submission deadline: October 8, 2026, at 5:00 pm ET.
• Deadline to complete all pre-dissertation requirements: June 1, 2027.
• Semifinalist notification: February 2027 (with final awardee notification in May 2027).
• Earliest fellowship start date: September 1, 2027.

How to apply

• Review fellowship guidelines and evaluation criteria on the NAEd official website.
• Register on the online application portal and submit contact details for your two recommenders early.
• Complete all required application sections (background, personal statement, work plan, abstract).
• Upload your narrative discussion (with bibliography and optional appendices) and graduate transcript.
• Submit the final application through the online portal before October 8, 2026, 5:00 pm ET.

Additional information

• Up to 35 fellowship awards are granted annually through a rigorous, multi-stage peer review process.
• Fellows planning part-time work or alternating work periods may extend their work plan up to two years.
• Fellows are expected to limit outside employment during the fellowship year (recommended maximum 10 hours/week) and must seek approval from NAEd staff.
• Fellows may not concurrently hold external dissertation fellowships (e.g., Ford Foundation or AERA), but internal university awards are permitted with NAEd approval.
• The fellowship does not cover institutional overhead or indirect costs for host universities.