Ford Foundation Fellowships: Predoctoral, Dissertation, and Postdoctoral

Through its program of fellowships, the Ford Foundation seeks to increase the diversity of the nation’s college and university faculties by increasing their ethnic and racial diversity, maximize the educational benefits of diversity, and increase the number of professors who can and will use diversity as a resource for enriching the education of all students.

Predoctoral, Dissertation, and Postdoctoral fellowships will be awarded in a national competition administered by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine on behalf of the Ford Foundation.

Eligibility to apply for a Ford fellowship is limited to:

  • All U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, and U.S. permanent residents (holders of a Permanent Resident Card); individuals granted deferred action status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program;1 Indigenous individuals exercising rights associated with the Jay Treaty of 1794; individuals granted Temporary Protected Status; political asylees; and refugees, regardless of race, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability, or sexual orientation;
  • Individuals with evidence of superior academic achievement (such as grade point average, class rank, honors or other designations); and
  • Individuals committed to a career in teaching and research at the college or university level in the U.S.

Deadlines vary depending on which program you are apply to.For additional information on eligibility and program deadlines, please see the full guidelines here. If you are interested in applying for this fellowship, please contact the Office of Sponsored Research and Programs.