Ford Foundation Fellowships Program

The Ford Foundation Fellowships Program seeks to increase diversity of the nation's college and university faculties by increasing their ethnic and racial diversity, to maximize the educational benefits of diversity, and to increase the number of professors who use diversity as a resource for enriching the education of all students. Predoctoral and Dissertation fellowships are awarded. 

Predoctoral Fellowship

The program awards approximately 70 predoctoral fellowships. These provide three years of support for individuals engaged in graduate study leading to a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) or Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) degree. 

Dissertation Fellowship

The program awards approximately 36 dissertation fellowships. These provide one year of support for individuals working to complete a dissertation leading to a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) or Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) degree. The Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowship is intended to support the final year of writing and defense of the dissertation.

National Deadline

Mid-December. Confirm exact date on the foundation website. 

Institutional Nomination

The Ford Fellowships do not require institutional nomination. Candidates are encouraged to work with Fellowships Advising on their applications. 

Eligibility and Selection Criteria

  • 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.

1Eligibility includes individuals with current status under the DACA Program, as well as individuals whose status may have lapsed but who continue to meet all the USCIS guidelines for DACA. 

Additional eligibility requirements and selection criteria

Ford Predoctoral Fellowships 

Ford Dissertation Fellowships

Campus Contact

Barbara Gorka

Director, Scholar Development and Fellowships Advising

Email: barbara.gorka@temple.edu
Phone: 215-204-0708