James Madison Graduate Fellowship
Offered by James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation
About this scholarship
The federal James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation provides up to $24,000 for graduate study to current and future secondary-school teachers committed to teaching the United States Constitution. Applicants compete only against candidates from their legal-residence state, and the Foundation plans to select one Fellow per state when funding permits. Junior Fellowships serve college seniors and graduates who lack teaching experience and expect to finish qualifying graduate study within two full-time academic years. Senior Fellowships serve current teachers completing the degree part-time within five calendar years. Eligible master’s programs include American history, political science, government, or teaching and education degrees with an approved concentration in those subjects. The award reimburses actual tuition, required fees, books, and limited required living costs, never more than $12,000 in one academic year. Fellows must complete at least 12 semester credits of approved constitutional study, including the required residential four-week Summer Institute in Washington, D.C. After earning the degree, each Fellow must teach qualifying subjects in person in grades 7–12 for one full year per funded academic year. The live 2027 application requires academic history, transcripts, essays, a constitutional-course plan, activities, honors, work history, recommendations submitted as surveys, and certification that artificial intelligence was not used in the application. Applications and recommendations are due March 1, 2027.
Eligibility
- Be a United States citizen
- Hold a bachelor’s degree or expect to receive one by August 31, 2027
- Teach or plan to teach American history, government, civics, social studies, or political science in grades 7–12
- Pursue a qualifying master’s degree at an accredited United States institution
- Include at least 12 semester credits of Foundation-approved study of the United States Constitution
- Attend the required four-week residential Summer Institute in the Washington, D.C. area
- Complete the post-degree teaching obligation of one year for each funded academic year
- Submit the application, transcripts, essays, and recommendation surveys by March 1, 2027