For Women Who Are Graduates of Any American Institution

These are the only awards for which women who are not Wellesley College graduates may apply, along with Wellesley seniors and graduates. Application instructions for non-Wellesley applicants may be found here. Wellesley applicants will find application information below. All these fellowships typically have an application deadline in January each year, for funding for the following academic year.

Mary McEwen Schimke Scholarship, a supplemental award to provide relief from household and child care expenses while pursuing graduate study. The award is made on the basis of scholarly expectation and identified need. The candidate must be over 30 years of age, currently engaged in graduate study in literature and/or history. Preference given to American studies majors.

• Award: up to $1,600.

M.A. Cartland Shackford Medical Fellowship for the study of medicine with a view to general practice, not psychiatry. (Please note that dentistry, nursing, and veterinary medicine are not supported by this fellowship.)

• Award: up to $12,000.

For Wellesley College Graduating Seniors Only

Trustee Scholarships awarded on a competitive basis to graduating seniors who are currently applying to graduate school. To be considered for these scholarships, a senior must apply for any of the Wellesley College Fellowships for Graduate Study. The title Trustee Scholar is honorary. In cases of financial need, an award of up to $3,000 may be given.

The Judith Adams '75 Prize, established in honor of Judith Adams, M.D., by her father, Judge Arlin M. Adams. The prize is given to a graduating senior pursuing the pre-medical curriculum who has maintained an exemplary academic record throughout the student's career at Wellesley.  Award amount up to $1,200.

For Seniors and Graduates of Wellesley College

Anne Louise Barrett Fellowship for graduate study or research, preferably in music, with emphasis on study or research in musical theory, composition, or the history of music internationally or in the United States.

• Award: up to $17,000.

Margaret Freeman Bowers Fellowship an award for graduate/professional study in fields leading to a career of service to others.  Fields include social work, law, public health, policy and administration, and development studies.  Business, medicine, and science also qualify, as long as they are dedicated to addressing social challenges in the US and around the world.    Preference will be given to candidates demonstrating financial need, a prior record of action and service, and a clear vision of the contribution they want to make.

• Award: up to $12,000.

​Susan Lee Campbell Graduate Fellowship Memorial Prize, awarded to a senior or alumna for professional training in a health career.  The applicant exemplifies qualities of strong motivation and potential for accomplishment, sound academic achievement, potential for leadership, openness to new ideas, and sensitivity to fellow human beings. 

• Award: up to $4,000.

Chandler-Ott Fellowship for graduate study or research in the literature, history, or art history of Western European countries or cultures, with preference given to study or research plans directly related to France.

• Award: up to $80,000.

Eugene L. Cox Fellowship for graduate study in medieval or Renaissance history and culture internationally or in the U.S.

• Award: up to $17,500.

Professor Elizabeth F. Fisher Fellowship for research or further study in geology or geography, including urban, environmental or ecological studies. Preference given to geology and geography.

• Award: up to $3,000.

Ruth Ingersoll Goldmark Fellowship for graduate study in English literature or composition or in the classics.

• Award: up to $2,500.

Horton-Hallowell Fellowship for graduate study in any field, preferably in the last two years of candidacy for the PhD degree, or its equivalent, or for private research of an equivalent standard.

• Award: up to $11,000. 

Edna V. Moffett Fellowship for a young graduate, preferably for a first year of graduate study in history.

• Award: up to $15,500.

Alice Freeman Palmer Fellowship for study or research internationally or in the United States. The holder must be no more than 26 years of age at the time of appointment and unmarried throughout the whole tenure of the award.

• Award: up to $30,000.

Kathryn Conway Preyer Fellowship, formerly Thomas Jefferson Fellowship for advanced study in history.  

• Award: up to $13,000

Vida Dutton Scudder Fellowship for study or research in the fields of social science, political science, or literature.

• Award: up to $11,000.

Harriet A. Shaw Fellowship for study or research in music, art, or allied subjects in the United States or internationally. Preference given to music candidates. Undergraduate work in history of art required of other candidates.

• Award: up to $13,000.

Maria Opasnov Tyler ’52 Scholarship in Russian Studies for graduate study in Russian studies.

• Award: up to $5,000.

Mary Louise Van Winkle Fellowship for graduate studies, with a preference for those preparing for careers in higher education administration.

• Award: up to $14,000.

Sarah Perry Wood Medical Fellowship for the study of medicine at an accredited medical school approved by the American Medical Association.

• Award: up to $80,000.

Fanny Bullock Workman Fellowship for graduate study in any field.

• Award: up to $18,500.

How do I apply?

There is one common application for the above-listed fellowships. Application instructions for funding for in 2025-26 is now available. The updated application typically goes live in November of each year in advance of the annual January application deadline for funding during the following academic year. If you are looking at this information before new applications are launched, it may be helpful to know that the common application for the Wellesley College Graduate Fellowships (i.e., the fellowships listed on this page) involves:

• three letters of reference (please give your recommenders this link to allow them to submit their letters; should they have any difficulty with the link, please just ask them to email their letters to fellowships@wellesley.edu),
• transcripts (note that for formatting reasons, we prefer unofficial transcripts but will accept official as well; see application instructions for further details),
• a cv,
• a preliminary budget (form provided in application instructions document linked above), and
• a one-page single-spaced statement (usually essentially the same personal statement used for application to the graduate/professional program, updated as appropriate to reflect any graduate/professional study already undertaken by the time of application for these fellowships).
• For candidates in the creative and performing arts: an optional portfolio, generally that used to apply for the MFA.
• (The form for the submission of materials allows applicants to provide information that will determine their eligibility for the named awards.)

The application and supporting material  must be submitted by our deadline January 22, 2025 by 11:30 pm; Wellesley seniors and graduates, please submit your materials via this link.  Non-Welleslsey applicants for the Schimke and the Shackford, please see the relevant instructions above for submission information.  If you have questions about your preliminary budget, please see these helpful FAQs.

*Please note that in order to access the application form Wellesley applicants must be logged in to their Wellesley account (graduates may find help with this here).

Questions may be addressed to fellowships@wellesley.edu. Or drop in to Fellowships Virtual Pop-Up Advising (see Events listings for details).