The University of Pennsylvania is pleased to invite applications for the 2023-2024 Predoctoral Fellowships for Excellence through Diversity. These awards are designed to provide mentorship and access to Penn’s resources for doctoral students in the humanities or social sciences, enrolled in graduate or professional programs at universities other than Penn, as they complete their dissertations. The fellowships are intended to support scholars from a wide range of backgrounds who can contribute to the diversity of Penn and the higher education community.

These residential fellowships for an academic year support graduate students in the final stages of dissertation research or writing. They offer an opportunity for scholars who plan an academic career to take advantage of Penn programs, libraries, and faculty expertise, as well as the resources of the Philadelphia region. Each scholar will be selected and hosted by a department or school and assigned a faculty mentor.

The fellowship provides a stipend of $41,000, health insurance, library privileges, and a $5,000 research and travel fund. The application deadline is January 17, 2023.

This year, up to five fellowships will be awarded.

Qualifications

Candidates for the fellowship must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, enrolled in a PhD program in the humanities or social sciences at an accredited university graduate or professional school other than Penn. Candidates must have passed any PhD qualifying examinations and be in an advanced stage of research and writing on an approved dissertation topic. Candidates must be students of exceptional academic merit who also belong to a group underrepresented in higher education; come from a socially, culturally, or educationally disadvantaged background or have faced other significant personal obstacles; and/or pursue academic research on cultural, societal, or educational problems as they affect disadvantaged or underrepresented sectors of society.

Application

• Applicants should submit:
• A letter from a Penn faculty member with compatible research interests whom you have contacted and who has agreed to act as a mentor for the duration of the fellowship.
• Two letters of recommendation, signed and on official letterhead. One must come from the dissertation advisor, commenting on the student’s performance, potential, and expected time to degree. At least one of the letters must address the applicant’s contribution to diversity in higher education.
• Official graduate transcript(s).
• Current curriculum vitae.
• Responses to application questions in Interfolio:
  • Describe your dissertation’s aims and methodology (maximum 500 words).
  • Explain how your dissertation contributes to the field (maximum 250 words).
  • Explain how your dissertation contributes to understandings of diversity and inclusion (maximum 250 words).
  • Describe your future research and professional goals (maximum 250 words).
  • Explain how the Penn fellowship will support your goals (maximum 250 words).
  • Indicate your expected date of graduation (month and year).

Applications will be accepted at: https://apply.interfolio.com/117464.

Questions can be addressed to the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty at: provost-fac@upenn.edu.