History Ph.D. students can access rare archives as well as money through scholarships and fellowships
Finding funding for furthering your history studies with a doctorate, or Ph.D., can help you limit the loans you take on or the time you devote to working part-time. Possible sources of funding for your doctorate in history include individual universities and individual programs as well as foundations supporting historians and general scholarships. You also might consider looking into getting support from particular organizations related to the individual field of study upon which you plan to focus your doctorate studies. For example, women's history, the history of a particular cultures, as well as historical investigations of certain periods such as the U.S. Civil or Revolutionary War all may have specific organizations devoted to supporting further investigation at the doctoral level.
Scholarships for Study in NYC
The institute gives scholars working in American history short-term research fellowships for doctoral candidates; each year, it awards 10 fellowships. The catch? You have to conduct research within American history archives in New York City. Examples of archives you might choose to investigate include the Gilder Lehrman Collection at the New York Historical Society, the Library of New York Historical Society, the Columbia University Rare Book and Manuscript Library, the New York Public Library Humanities and Social Sciences Library and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture at the New York Public Library. To apply, you will need to submit a curriculum vitae, two letters of recommendation from established scholars, a proposal describing your project, including what archives you'll consult and the expenses you anticipate. The fellowship is in the amount of $3,000.
University Fellowships
If you have been accepted at a doctoral history program, contact representatives of your program to find out about scholarships offered by your university; talk to faculty and current students for ideas. Sometimes your application for study will happen at the same time as your application for a scholarship or financial aid. For example, at the University of Delaware, Ph.D. candidates can get financial aid from the history department in the form of full fellowships or tuition scholarships; the application deadline is December 15, while decisions on both admission and financial aid will be made in early march. At Boston University, Ph.D. students interested in a fellowship to study at the Jordan American Center of Oriental Research can receive awards including stipends, residence, travel and other research expenses for up to six months. Amounts range from $1,000 to $25,000, and the application deadline is February 1.
Fully Funded Programs
Some schools have traditionally very strong financial aid packages for all Ph.D. students. Getting accepted at one of these programs can be a blessing for your bank account. One such program is the graduate program in History at Washington University in St. Louis. With traditional strengths in American, British and European history and emerging growth in new field of race, gender and post-colonial history, the school is highly supportive and normally awards Ph.D. students six years' funding. In addition, other fellowships are available as financial support possibilities.
Smithsonian Institution Fellowships
Studying at the Smithsonian Institution can be supported for periods of three to 12 months. Predoctoral students need to have completed coursework and preliminary exams for their doctoral degree. Students must also be conducting dissertation research and earn the approval of their university to carry out their doctoral research at the Smithsonian. Stipends for predoctoral students are normally $30,000 per year. You must postmark your application by January 15 for awards that will begin on or after June 1.
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