AAUW International Fellowships For Women: Your Guide

Grants and fellowships often become a source of great relief for students from lower-income backgrounds who aspire to study abroad. The AAUW International Fellowships go a step further and offer their international fellowships specifically to women who want to study in recognized institutions in the US. 

The AAUW ( American Association of University Women) works towards the upliftment of women and girls. Especially in education and employment through discussions on gender equality and economic security.

AAUW International Fellowships

The AAUW has been offering international fellowships since 1917. The program provides financial aid to women who are non-US citizens or hold nonimmigrant visas while residing in the US. 

 By the application cutoff date, candidates must possess the equivalent of a bachelor’s degree in the US and must have applied to their planned education institutes for master’s, postdoctoral degrees, or research. 

Candidates are chosen for their academic achievements and their demonstrated devotion to the upliftment of women and girls. Recipients must return to their native countries and become pioneers in commerce, politics, administration, academia, social mobilization, the arts, or the sciences.

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Benefits of the Fellowship

The funds that are offered for each degree are:

1. Master’s or the first professional degree: $18,000 (INR 13.44 lakh)

2. Doctoral degree: $20,000  (INR 14.93 lakh)

3. Postdoctoral studies: $30,000 (INR 22.40 lakh)

The International Fellowship grants are available for the following purposes:

1. Educational costs.

2. Traveling costs for professional meetings, conferences, or seminars that don’t exceed 10% of the total fellowship stipend.

3. Living expenses.

4. Dependent child care.

Now that all the benefits have been listed, we must also look at what the grant does not cover.

 International Fellowship funds are not available for:

1. Indirect expenses.

2. Overhead institutional expenses.

3. Research associates.

4. Publication expenses.

5. Equipment purchase.

6. Previous expenditures, deficits, or loan repayments.

7. Tuition for dependent children’s schooling.

8. Travel to or from the fellow’s native country.

9. Travel to and from the fellow’s research location if overseas.

10. Grants-in-aid for less than a complete academic year.

Eligibility for the AAUW International Fellowships

The International Fellowships are available to women in academics in all learning disciplines at an approved institution of higher study or for postdoctoral scholars and researchers. The AAUW panel makes the final judgment on what universities qualify. 

Here is a list of further eligibility requirements that candidates should be aware of:

1. Possess citizenship in a nation other than the US, or have a nonimmigrant visa if living in the US during the fellowship year.

2. Have an academic degree (acquired in the USor overseas) equal to a bachelor’s degree in the US.

3. After finishing their education, they intend to return to their native country to seek employment.

4. Be fluent in English and demonstrate it by providing one of the required English proficiency components.

5. Doctoral scholarships are for doctorates designated as research degrees.

6. Postdoctoral candidates must show proof of their doctorate, i.e., have a doctorate categorized as a research degree or an MFA.

7. Master’s or first professional degree applicants and doctoral candidates must be enrolled in a US-approved institution within the country during the fellowship year.

8. Graduate Women International (GWI) members are eligible for a limited number of grants for study or research in countries other than their native country.

9. Applicants may apply for the fellowship during any year of their program, but they must be enrolled in a full year of research or study.

Who Will Not Be Considered Eligible?

The following criteria render an individual ineligible for the AAUW International Fellowship.

1. This fellowship program does not sponsor distance-learning or online courses.

2. Previous beneficiaries of any AAUW national fellowships or grants are not eligible.

3. Members of the AAUW board of directors, panels, committees task forces, staff, and current interns are not eligible.

4. A US citizen, a permanent resident of the US, or a dual citizen of the US and another nation are ineligible.

Documents Required for the AAUW International Fellowships

Certain documents must be presented for the application. They have been listed below. 

Recommendations

A prospective fellow must submit three recommendations from instructors or professional colleagues familiar with their work and academic background. 

When feasible, recommenders should be educators or professional peers in the applicant’s native country who can talk about the applicant’s qualifications and the country’s demand for the particular skill or knowledge they want to gain via their intended research study. 

Documents

1. Proof of highest educational degree (Not below an undergraduate degree).

2. Evidence of current enrolment.

3. Proof of doctorate or MFA for postdoctoral candidates (transcripts, official letter from the institution of graduation, or copy of diploma).

4. English Proficiency: Valid IELTS or TOEFL scores up to two years. Minimum scores are as follows:

a) TOEFL iBT (Internet-Based Test): 79

b) TOEFL paper-delivered Test: 60

c) IELTS: 6.5

d) Written confirmation that the applicant’s primary language is English.

5. One of the following academic transcripts or diplomas:

a) A secondary diploma or an undergraduate degree from an English-speaking university.

b) One entire semester of full-time study in the candidate’s field at an English-Language institution between the prescribed period. 

It is vital to note that the transcripts must include the aspiring fellow’s full name, the institution’s name, all subjects, and grades, and any additional information requested. 

How to Apply to the AAUW International Fellowships

An applicant can start the application process by visiting the AAUW website for International Fellowships and clicking “Apply Now”. 

The applicant will have to register to the AUWW website to move to further steps. 

After application submission, the applicant will have to wait for the panel to meet to determine if they have qualified for the fellowship. The panel meets once every year only to review the applications. 

All fellowships are awarded based on the funds available within that fiscal year. Moreover, no application is reconsidered in the same year. However, students are allowed to reapply the following year.

AAUW International Fellowships Important Dates

The application for the AAUW International Fellowships is invited between August 1st and November 15th every year.

The fellowship decisions are emailed to the applicants by April 15th for the fellowship year starting in July and ending in June the following year.

Consider applying well before the deadline of November 15th to avoid any last-minute rush. 

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Selection Criteria for the AAUW International Fellowships

Several thousand students attempt to acquire the fellowship. However, due to limited funding and based on the funds available in the given year, the panel only offers the fellowship to a few aspiring applicants. 

The panel considers the following when granting an aspiring fellow the AAUW International Fellowships:

1. Applicants who are residents in their native country during the application and are from developing or emerging countries and minority groups in any area will be given preference.

2. Position upon return to one’s own country.

3. Academic or professional credentials.

4. The commitment of an applicant to the welfare of women in their own country.

5. Proposed itinerary.

6. The competence and viability of the suggested study or research proposal.

7. Evidence of earlier community or civic service in one’s home nation.

8. The demand for particular knowledge or talent in the applicant’s country.

9. The necessity for funds.

10. Motivation for pursuing graduate studies or research.

If you can fulfill these criteria, go to the website and apply for the AAUW International Fellowships.