Predoctoral Fellows

About

The University of Pennsylvania is pleased to invite applications for the 2023-24 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 support graduate students in the final stages of dissertation research or writing at Penn for an academic year, normally September through August. They offer an opportunity for scholars who plan an academic career to take advantage of Penn programs and faculty expertise and afford access to libraries and the resources of the Philadelphia region. Each scholar will be selected and hosted by a department or school and assigned a faculty mentor. Recipients will be in the stage of advanced dissertation research or writing.

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.

Resources

Readings and Resources for Academics – A list created by Lindsey Cameron, Ph.D.  Professor Cameron is Assistant Professor of Management in the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and also a member of the 2017-2018 Penn Predoctoral Fellowships for Excellence Through Diversity cohort.

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 who 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 letter head. 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.

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.