AAUW American Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowship 2026

Applications are open for the AAUW American Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowship 2026. This fellowship aims to increase the number of women in tenure-track faculty positions and promote gender equity for women in higher education by providing funding to women in academia to pursue independent research over the course of a year.

📝 About AAUW American Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowship

The American Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowship is open to applicants in all fields of study, with special encouragement for those engaged in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields or researching gender issues.

Established in 1888, the American Association of University Women (AAUW) American Fellowships are the oldest non-institutional source of graduate and postdoctoral funding for women in the United States.

Opportunity Details

• Date Published: August 19, 2025
• Application Deadline: September 30, 2025
• Category: Postgraduate, Fellowship, Women

🎁 Benefits

• Stipend: $50,000
  • Stipends are payable to fellows only and are disbursed in two equal payments at the beginning and midpoint of the fellowship term.

✅ Eligibility Criteria

General Requirements

• Applicants must identify as a woman.
• Applicants must hold one of the following degrees at the time of application:
  • Ph.D., Ed.D., D.B.A., M.F.A., J.D., M.D., D.M.D., D.V.M., D.S.W., or M.P.H.
• Applicants must begin their postdoctoral program on or before September 1, 2026, and complete it on or after May 30, 2027.
• Applicants must work full-time on their postdoctoral research for the duration of the award year.

Institutional Requirements

Applicants must pursue their postdoctoral research at an institution:

• Accredited in the United States, or
• An international institution recognized as eligible to participate in U.S. federal student aid programs, as listed on the Federal Student Aid Participating Schools list.

Citizenship & Immigration Status

• Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

Ineligible Applicants

The following are not eligible for consideration:

• Members of the AAUW Board of Directors.
• Employees of AAUW (paid or unpaid, part-time or temporary employees, consultants, interns, and contract employees).
• AAUW Review Panelists.
• Immediate family members (spouses and dependent children) of individuals described above.
• Applicants for another national AAUW fellowship or grant in the same year.
• Previous national AAUW fellowship or grant recipients (excluding Community Action Grants or branch/local AAUW awards).
• Tenured professors.

🌟 Selection Criteria

Applicants will be evaluated based on:

• Scholarly excellence demonstrated by academic achievements, research proposal strength, recognition from peers, professors, and institutions, and other forms of distinction.
• Originality of research design and its potential to make significant contributions to the relevant field.
• Feasibility of research plans, funding, and proposed timeline for completion.
• Teaching experience.
• Commitment to helping women and girls through service in their communities, professions, or fields of research.

Preferred Candidates

• Applicants pursuing postdoctoral studies in STEM fields or researching gender issues.
• Applicants who have demonstrated resilience in overcoming life challenges such as socioeconomic status, discrimination, limited academic resources, or other adverse circumstances.
• Applicants who were the first in their family to attain a bachelor’s degree.
• Applicants who lead or hail from single-parent households.

📅 Application Date and Process

• Application Deadline: September 30, 2025
• To apply, visit the AAUW American Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowship Portal.
• Submit your application through the AAUW Fluxx Portal.

🏢 Sponsor Organization

The fellowship is sponsored by the American Association of University Women (AAUW).

For more details, visit the official AAUW Fellowship Program Page.

Note: Ensure all eligibility criteria are met before applying.

• American Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowships carry a stipend of $50,000.
• Stipends are payable to fellows only and are disbursed in two equal payments at the beginning and the midpoint of the fellowship term.