Fellowships for Doctoral Students of African Descent

Applicants must be of African descent enrolled or admitted full time in a Th.D. or Ph.D. program in religious, theological, or biblical studies.

Applicants must be a U.S. citizen, Canadian citizen or permanent resident of either country. International students who hold citizenship and/ or residency outside the U.S. or Canada are not eligible for a fellowship.

Applicants must be finished with coursework by the beginning of the fellowship year (September 1, 2024).

Applicants at the dissertation stage must be in a position to write full-time during the fellowship year.

All pre-dissertation applicants must be past the coursework stage but have not yet reached candidacy [ABD].

To be classified at the dissertation stage [ABD], applicant’s dissertation committee must have approved the dissertation research proposal and writing plan and given the student full approval to proceed before submission of an application.

Students enrolled in or applying to Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) programs are ineligible for this opportunity.

Applicants must be studying at a U.S. or Canadian accredited. Please note that doctoral programs that receive their accreditation by bodies beyond the U.S. and Canada, even if their institution is located in the U.S. or Canada, are not eligible for this opportunity.

A completed application includes the following:

• One-paragraph biographical profile

• High-resolution headshot (no selfies)

• Curriculum vitae

• Two-page vocational essay (maximum length, single spaced)

• Completed budget statement

• One faculty letter of reference

• One non-academic letter of reference

• Transcript from current Doctoral institution

Dissertation Stage (ABD)Applicants Only

• One-page abstract of Dissertation

• Writing timeline

• Provide a list of all members on your dissertation committee, indicating the name of the adviser (to be submitted within the application form)

Applicants must be a U.S. citizen, Canadian citizen or permanent resident of either country. International students who hold citizenship and/ or residency outside the U.S. or Canada are not eligible for a fellowship.

Applicants will be notified of selections by the end of April 2023.

Applicants are able to save and return to the application prior to submission. You will be prompted to upload the following items:

CURRICULUM VITAE

Please submit your most recent curriculum vitae or resume. It should include at a minimum the following: contact information, education, employment history, awards/fellowships, licenses/certifications/publications, academic presentations, professional affiliations, community and church service, skills/interests.

VOCATIONAL ESSAY

Include an essay (two page maximum, single spaced) that indicates:

- your core vocational commitments and aspirations as a theological educator

- how your core commitments relate to the concerns of a specific community or multiple communities beyond the academy; and

- what contribution(s) beyond the academy you hope to make as a theological educator.

DISSERTATION COMMITTEE LIST (ABD APPLICANTS ONLY)

Provide a list of all members on your dissertation committee, indicating the name of the adviser (to be submitted within the application form).

DISSERTATION ABSTRACT AND WRITING TIMELINE (ABD APPLICANTS ONLY)

Include a one-page abstract of the dissertation with the title of the dissertation included.

BUDGET STATEMENT

The budget statement is based on estimated income and expenses for the upcoming academic year 2023-2024.

Only copies of transcripts from your current graduate school must be submitted. Student copies of transcripts are acceptable and can be uploaded in the application.

Please contact Elsie Barnhart or send a message to us on our contact page.