AAUW International Fellowships

The AAUW Fellowship Disqualifies You If You Plan to Stay in America

The AAUW International Fellowship has funded women’s graduate education in the United States since 1917, over a century of investment in women scholars from around the world. But one condition, stated in almost no scholarship guide with sufficient clarity, will eliminate an otherwise strong application:

Ignoring the “Return Home” Clause: The fellowship is exclusively for women who intend to return to their home countries to pursue their careers. If your essay hints at wanting to permanently immigrate to the U.S. or stay indefinitely after your degree, your application will be disqualified.

The AAUW International Fellowship is not a pathway to American residence. It is an investment in women who will take American education back to their home countries and use it there. Your essays must demonstrate a credible, specific plan to return and contribute at home. Any hint of permanent immigration intent ends your candidacy.

AAUW the American Association of University Women awards International Fellowships for full-time study or research in the United States to women who are not United States citizens or permanent residents. Originally designed to provide Latin American women opportunities for graduate and postgraduate study in the U.S., the International Fellowships program awarded its first fellowship in 1917. The program now includes women from around the world, and international fellowships have been awarded to more than 3,600 women from more than 150 nations.

The 2026-27 cycle closed September 17, 2026.

What Is AAUW — 140+ Years of Women’s Education Advocacy

The American Association of University Women (AAUW) was founded in 1881 at a time when American universities were only beginning to admit women, and when the prevailing medical opinion held that higher education damaged women’s health and fertility.

AAUW was founded by women graduates who understood how much was at stake. Their mission: advance gender equity for women and girls through research, education, and advocacy. Over 140 years later, AAUW is one of the United States’ most respected organizations working on women’s educational and economic equity.

The International Fellowships program began in 1917. The AAUW International Fellowship is one of the world’s longest-running and most respected fellowship programs dedicated exclusively to supporting women’s higher education. Since 1917, AAUW has invested in educating women who demonstrate outstanding academic ability and leadership potential.

AAUW has supported thousands of women from more than 140 countries, many of whom have become leaders in government, higher education, business, medicine, research, nonprofit organizations, and international development.

Award Amounts — Three Levels

It offers massive financial backing: $20,000 for Master’s, $25,000 for Doctoral, and $50,000 for Postdoctoral studies.

What the Funding Covers:

Funding may be used for educational expenses, living costs, dependent childcare, and limited travel related to professional conferences.

The childcare provision is important. Very few international scholarships explicitly fund dependent childcare. AAUW’s inclusion of this reflects its understanding that women with children face additional barriers to graduate education and its intention to remove those barriers where possible.

Important note: These amounts are fellowships, not full-cost funding. US graduate programs particularly private universities often cost far more than $20,000-25,000/year. AAUW fellowships are typically combined with university assistantships, departmental funding, or other scholarships. Plan your total funding package accordingly.

Eligibility — Women Only, Not US Citizens

1. Must Be or Identify as a Woman

Applicants must be or identify as a woman.

2. Not a US Citizen or Permanent Resident

Individuals holding U.S. permanent residency status, or applicants for permanent residency, are not eligible even if they hold citizenship in another country.

This is stricter than it appears: even applying for US permanent residency disqualifies you. Not just holding a green card applying for one.

3. Minimum GPA 3.5/4.0 — A High Bar

Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale based on their highest earned degree at the time of application.

3.5/4.0 is approximately:

• 85%+ in most systems
• First Class Honors (UK system)
• CGPA 3.5/4.0 (Pakistan, Bangladesh, India equivalents)
• “Sehr gut” (German) / “Très bien” (French)

This is a strict academic threshold significantly higher than many scholarships that accept 3.0 or 2:1. Applicants below 3.5 should focus elsewhere.

4. Must Already Be Admitted or Enrolled

Applicants must be admitted to or currently enrolled in at least one academic program at the time they apply.

You cannot apply to AAUW speculatively. You must have a US admission offer (or be currently enrolled) when you submit.

Applicants may list up to five programs and institutions, but must enroll in one of the listed options if awarded the fellowship.

You can list up to five programs, useful if you have multiple admissions or are awaiting decisions.

5. Full-Time Only

Only applicants enrolled in or planning to enroll in full-time programs or research are eligible.

AAUW does not fund distance learning, online degrees, or part-time studies. Your program must be traditional, classroom-based, and full-time.

6. First Master’s or Doctorate

Applicants must be admitted to or enrolled in their first master’s or an academic or professional doctorate at the time of application. Examples of master’s degrees include but are not limited to M.A., M.S., M.B.A., M.F.A., L.L.M., and M.Arch. Examples of academic and professional doctorate degrees include, but are not limited to, D.B.A., Ed.D., J.D., M.D., or Ph.D.

7. Bachelor’s Equivalent Required

Applicants must possess at least one academic degree (earned in the U.S. or abroad) that is equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree.

8. Single Degree Type, Single Field

Applicants must apply to a single degree type in a single field of study.

You cannot apply hedging across Master’s and PhD, or across different fields.

9. Previous AAUW Recipients Generally Excluded

Previous recipients of AAUW fellowships or grants are generally not eligible, although recipients of Community Action Grants and branch or local AAUW awards are excluded from this restriction.

10. Return Home Intent — Central Requirement

As stated above must demonstrate credible plan to return home and apply your education there.

STEM Focus — Important Recent Change

For the 2026-2027 cycle, fellowships are available for eligible women undertaking their first master’s degree or an academic or professional doctoral degree in an eligible STEM discipline.

Master’s and academic and professional doctoral degree programs in STEM disciplines, including but not limited to the following fields: Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine offered at accredited U.S. institutions.

⚠️ Critical: Recent AAUW International Fellowship cycles have focused specifically on STEM disciplines science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine. This is a change from earlier years when all fields were eligible.

Before applying for the 2027-28 cycle, verify whether the field restriction continues. Check aauw.org for the current cycle’s eligible disciplines. If STEM restriction continues, applicants in humanities, social sciences, arts, and business may not be eligible.

Preference Given To

Preference is given to women who show prior commitment to the advancement of women and girls through civic, community, or professional work.

AAUW’s mission is gender equity. Applicants who have already demonstrated commitment to advancing women and girls through teaching, mentoring, advocacy, research on gender issues, community organizing, or professional work supporting women are meaningfully advantaged.

This is not a formality. AAUW exists to fund women who will fund the next generation of women. Your application should demonstrate:

• What you have already done to advance women and girls
• How your proposed US education connects to that work
• What you will do at home to continue and expand it

Application Timeline

The application period for the 2026-2027 International Fellowships followed a defined schedule: Applications open August 17, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. ET. Application deadline: September 17, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. ET.

2026-27 Cycle (COMPLETED):

• Applications opened: August 17, 2026
• Deadline: September 17, 2026, 5:00 PM ET ← PASSED

2027-28 Cycle (UPCOMING):

• Applications expected to open: August 2027
• Deadline expected: September 2027
• Fellowship year: July 2028 – June 2029

Start preparing NOW for the 2027-28 cycle. The application window is only 30 days, you must have your US admission, GPA documentation, recommendation letters, and essays ready before applications open.

Application Process

Step 1: Secure US Graduate Admission First

This is the prerequisite. Apply to US graduate programs 12-18 months before the AAUW cycle. Most US programs have December-January deadlines for fall admission.

Step 2: Verify GPA meets 3.5/4.0

The transcript must clearly show your courses and grades to verify your 3.5/4.0 GPA. Have these evaluated and officially translated early if they are not in English.

If your transcripts are not in English or use a different grading scale, get them officially evaluated by a credential evaluation service (WES, ECE, or similar) well in advance.

Step 3: Prepare documents

Required documents typically include:

• Official transcripts from all institutions (English or officially translated)
• US institution admission letter(s) — up to 5 programs
• Deferral approval letter (if admission was deferred)
• Enrollment verification (if currently enrolled)
• Recommendation letters
• Personal statement / essays
• Proof of Graduate Women International membership (if studying outside US — rare case)
• Research proposal (for postdoctoral applicants)

Step 4: Write essays that address the return-home commitment

Your essays must:

• Demonstrate your academic and professional achievements
• Show your commitment to advancing women and girls
• Articulate a specific, credible plan to return home and apply your education
• Never suggest interest in staying in the US permanently

Step 5: Submit before September deadline

Apply online at aauw.org. Submit well before the deadline, the portal can experience high traffic near closing.

Common Mistakes That Disqualify Applications

1. Immigration intent in essays If your essay hints at wanting to permanently immigrate to the U.S., your application will be disqualified.

2. Applying without admission You must be admitted or enrolled when you apply not “applying to programs.”

3. GPA below 3.5 The 3.5/4.0 minimum is strict. No exceptions.

4. Part-time, online, or distance programs Only traditional full-time classroom-based programs.

5. Late preparation Waiting until late in the cycle to contact recommenders or prepare documents is a guaranteed recipe for failure. The application window is 30 days, preparation must happen months earlier.

6. Multiple degree types One degree type, one field. No hedging.

Quick Reference

FAQ

Is the AAUW fellowship only for women?

Yes, applicants must be or identify as a woman.

What are the award amounts?

$20,000 for Master’s, $25,000 for Doctoral, and $50,000 for Postdoctoral studies.

Do I have to return home?

Yes, the fellowship is exclusively for women who intend to return to their home countries. Immigration intent leads to disqualification.

Are online or part-time programs eligible?

No, AAUW does not fund distance learning, online degrees, or part-time studies.

Free Application Tools

• Motivation Letter: Motivation Letter Generator
• SOP / Study Plan: SOP Generator
• CV: Free CV Builder
• Reference Letter: Reference Letter Generator
• MOI Certificate (if needed): MOI Generator
• Research Proposal (PhD): Research Proposal Generator