AAUW Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowship 2027 | $50,000 Award | United States

The AAUW American Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowship 2027 provides a $50,000 fellowship award to eligible women pursuing postdoctoral research in the United States or at eligible international institutions. The fellowship is designed to increase the number of women in research, development and academic leadership while advancing gender equity in higher education.

The fellowship is open across all fields of study, with AAUW especially encouraging applications from researchers working in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and those researching gender issues. Applications for the 2027–2028 cycle opened on August 17, 2026, and close on September 30, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

About the AAUW Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowship

The American Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowship is one of AAUW’s flagship fellowships for women in academia.

The programme supports early-career postdoctoral scholars, including both new applicants and eligible AAUW alumnae, by providing funding that enables them to dedicate a fellowship year to independent postdoctoral research.

AAUW states that the fellowship is intended to help increase the number of women in research, development and academic leadership and promote gender equity in higher education.

Established in 1888, AAUW describes its American Fellowships as the oldest non-institutional source of graduate and postdoctoral funding for women in the United States.

$50,000 Fellowship Award

The AAUW American Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowship provides:

$50,000 stipend

The $50,000 award is paid directly to the fellow in two equal installments at the beginning and midpoint of the fellowship term.

The award can be used for eligible expenses related to the fellowship, including:

Research expenses
Publication fees
Housing
Food
Other living expenses
Childcare

AAUW’s rules specify that fellowship funds cannot be used for certain prohibited expenses, including research assistants, previous expenditures or repayment of personal loans.

Who Can Apply?

The fellowship has specific eligibility requirements.

Applicants must:

Identify as a woman.
Hold a qualifying terminal degree by May 30, 2027.
Have completed the qualifying degree on or after August 30, 2023.
Begin the postdoctoral programme on or before September 2027.
Complete the postdoctoral programme on or after April 30, 2028.
Work full-time on their postdoctoral research for the duration of the award year.
Conduct their postdoctoral research at an eligible accredited institution.

AAUW accepts a broad range of terminal degrees, including Ph.D., D.Sc./Sc.D., Ed.D., D.B.A., D.Eng., M.F.A., S.J.D./J.S.D./J.D., M.D., D.P.H., D.M.D., D.V.M., D.S.W. and M.P.H.

Citizenship and Immigration Requirements

For the American Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowship, applicants must be U.S. citizens, nationals or permanent residents of the United States or specified U.S. territories.

This is an important distinction from AAUW’s International Fellowship programme, which has different eligibility rules.

The postdoctoral research may be undertaken at:

An institution accredited by the U.S. Department of Education, or
An eligible international institution recognized as participating in U.S. federal student aid programmes.

Research Fields

The fellowship is open to applicants in all fields of study.

AAUW especially encourages applications from researchers working in:

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)

and

Gender-related research.

Applicants do not need to be in STEM or researching gender issues to be eligible.

Academic and Research Excellence

The selection process is highly competitive and evaluates applicants based on several factors.

AAUW considers:

Scholarly Excellence

Applicants should demonstrate a strong record of scholarly achievement and research accomplishment appropriate to their career stage.

Evidence can include publications, conference presentations, research awards, fellowships, creative or applied scholarly work, research leadership and professional contributions.

Originality and Potential Contribution

The proposed research should address an important question, need or gap and demonstrate originality and potential to contribute meaningfully to knowledge, practice or understanding in the field.

Feasibility

Applicants need to provide a clear, focused and achievable research plan with appropriate methods, activities, milestones and a realistic timeline.

Financial Plan

The proposed budget should be realistic and aligned with the scope and duration of the research project.

Career Goals and Impact

Applicants should explain their longer-term career objectives and how their research will contribute to their discipline and create meaningful impact.

Commitment to Women and Girls

Another important selection criterion is the applicant’s demonstrated commitment to women and girls.

AAUW looks for evidence such as:

Leadership
Mentoring
Advocacy
Community service
Professional engagement
Research focused on women and girls

The evidence should be appropriate to the applicant’s career stage.

Preferred Selection Criteria

When applicants have comparable overall merit, AAUW may give preference to candidates who demonstrate particular circumstances or backgrounds.

These include:

Resilience in overcoming significant challenges
Being a first-generation college graduate
Having been raised in a single-parent household or currently leading one
Having ongoing caregiving responsibilities
Studying at an R2 institution or an institution with limited research resources

Meeting these preferred criteria is not required for eligibility.

Teaching and Mentoring Experience

Teaching, mentoring, advising and educational experience are also considered during selection.

Applicants can demonstrate this through:

Classroom teaching
Student supervision
Training
Curriculum development
Outreach
Other discipline-appropriate educational activities

Application Materials

Applicants need to submit a complete application through the AAUW Fellowships & Grants application portal.

Required materials include:

Two Letters of Recommendation

Applicants must provide two recommendation letters from advisors, professors, colleagues or other individuals who are academically or professionally familiar with their work and qualifications.

AAUW encourages applicants to register recommenders early because the application is not considered complete until the recommendations have been submitted.

Proof of Degree

Applicants who have completed their terminal degree can submit a copy of the degree or an official transcript confirming conferral.

Applicants still completing their terminal degree must provide the required degree documentation according to the application instructions.

Official Transcript

Applicants must provide an official transcript appropriate to their degree status.

Transcripts must correspond to the academic programmes and institutions listed in the application and contain the relevant course and grade information.

Postdoctoral Host Institution Acknowledgment

A Postdoctoral Host Institution Acknowledgment Form is required and must be completed and signed by a faculty mentor or project director.

Translation Requirements

Applicants whose academic documents are in a language other than English must submit the required English translations.

For the highest earned degree, AAUW requires a certified English translation.

Applicants should make sure their documents are consistent with the information entered in the application.

Full-Time Research Requirement

AAUW requires fellows to devote their working time and intellectual effort to the approved postdoctoral research.

The fellowship rules specify a 100% working-time and intellectual-effort commitment to the research project during the designated fellowship period.

AAUW does allow certain employment arrangements under its rules, provided they do not interfere with steady progress toward completing the research.

Degree Programme Restriction

American Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellows are not permitted to pursue a degree during their fellowship year.

The fellowship is intended specifically for postdoctoral research rather than another degree programme.

Application Timeline

The official 2027–2028 timeline is:

Stage	Date
Applications open	August 17, 2026 – 9:00 a.m. ET
Applications close	September 30, 2026 – 5:00 p.m. ET
Award notification	April 2027
First stipend payment	July–September 2027
Mid-year report	December 2027
Second stipend payment	December 2027 / January 2028
Final report	July 31, 2028

AAUW specifically encourages applicants to start their applications well before the deadline.

Can Previous AAUW Recipients Apply?

Not every previous AAUW fellow is excluded.

The programme supports both:

New applicants

and

AAUW alumnae, provided they meet the applicable requirements.

For example, former American Dissertation Fellowship alumnae can apply even when their postdoctoral research topic differs from their dissertation topic.

However, previous recipients of the American Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowship itself are not eligible to receive the fellowship again.

Who Is Not Eligible?

AAUW identifies several disqualifying factors.

These include:

Current AAUW Board members
AAUW employees, including consultants, interns and contract employees
Current AAUW review panelists
Immediate family members of the individuals listed above
Applicants for another national AAUW fellowship or grant in the same year
Previous recipients of the American Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowship
Tenured professors

Selection Process

Fellowships are awarded through a competitive review process.

First, the AAUW Fellowships & Grants team checks applications for completeness and eligibility.

Eligible applications are then evaluated by independent review panels consisting of distinguished scholars and experts across:

Arts and Humanities
Natural and Physical Sciences
Social Sciences

Funding recommendations are subject to final approval by AAUW.

AI Use in Applications

AAUW permits applicants to use generative AI as an assistive tool when preparing application narratives.

However, the organization states that AI should not replace the applicant’s own ideas, experiences, analysis or writing. Application narratives should reflect the applicant’s authentic voice and original work.

Tax Considerations

AAUW notes that fellowship funds may be taxable income, depending on how the funds are used and the recipient’s individual circumstances.

Recipients are responsible for understanding and meeting their own tax obligations. AAUW does not provide tax advice.

How to Apply

Applicants should create an account or log in through the official AAUW Fellowships & Grants Application Portal.

Official Fellowship Page:
AAUW American Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowship

AAUW Fellowships & Grants:
AAUW Fellowships and Grants Application Information

Applicants should carefully review the current application instructions and ensure that recommendation letters and all supporting documents are submitted before the application closes.

Important Deadline

The deadline is:

September 30, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time

The application system opened on August 17, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. ET.

Because recommendation letters are part of the application, applicants should contact their referees well before the closing date.

Quick Facts

Category	Details
Fellowship	American Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowship
Organization	AAUW
Fellowship cycle	2027–2028
Award	$50,000
Level	Postdoctoral
Research fields	All fields
Priority encouragement	STEM and gender-related research
Applicant group	Women
Citizenship	U.S. citizens, nationals or permanent residents
Degree deadline	By May 30, 2027
Degree completion window	On/after August 30, 2023
Research commitment	Full-time
Award period	One year
Applications open	August 17, 2026
Deadline	September 30, 2026, 5:00 p.m. ET
Award notification	April 2027
First payment	July–September 2027
Second payment	December 2027/January 2028
Final report	July 31, 2028

Final Thoughts

The AAUW Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowship 2027 offers a $50,000 award to eligible women pursuing a year of postdoctoral research. The fellowship is open across disciplines, with particular encouragement for candidates working in STEM or gender-related research.

Beyond the financial award, the programme is designed to help early-career researchers strengthen their scholarly records, pursue independent research and progress toward academic leadership.

Applicants should pay close attention to the eligibility rules, particularly the requirements concerning gender identity, citizenship or immigration status, terminal-degree dates, postdoctoral timing and full-time research commitment.

The application deadline is September 30, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. ET. Applicants should also start early because the submission requires two recommendations, degree documentation, transcripts and a host-institution acknowledgment form.

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