Charlotte W. Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship

About this scholarship

The Charlotte W. Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship provides $33,500 for the final year of dissertation writing to Ph.D. and Th.D. candidates whose projects centrally engage religion, ethics, morals, or values. Twenty fellowships will be awarded. Applicants must attend an accredited, campus-based graduate program in the United States, be ABD, and have completed all pre-dissertation requirements—including approval of the dissertation proposal—by the November 1 deadline. Most research should already be complete, writing must have begun, and candidates should expect to finish the dissertation between April 1 and August 31 of the fellowship year. Humanities and social-science projects are the program’s primary focus, but candidates in STEM fields may apply when religious understanding, ethics, or values are central rather than incidental. International students at eligible U.S. institutions may apply. Professional doctorates such as the D.Min., J.D., Psy.D., and Ed.D. are excluded, as are online or distance-dependent programs and candidates who have already held a comparable national final-year dissertation award. Phase 1 asks for a dissertation overview, fit statement, progress and writing plan, scholarly preparation, CV, transcript, and two recommendation rubrics. Finalists later submit a full proposal, two statements, and two full recommendation letters. Use program key CWNF in the official ISTS application.

Eligibility

• Be a Ph.D. or Th.D. candidate at an accredited graduate institution in the United States
• Be completing a first doctoral degree in a campus-based program
• Be ABD with all pre-dissertation requirements and dissertation-proposal approval completed by the deadline
• Have a dissertation in which religion, ethics, morals, or values are central organizing concerns
• Be in the writing stage with most fieldwork or other research complete
• Expect to complete the dissertation between April 1 and August 31 of the fellowship year
• Not have held a similar national award supporting the final year of dissertation writing
• Submit the Phase 1 materials and two recommendation rubrics through ISTS
• Complete the Phase 1 application by November 1, 2026