Federal grant aid for graduate study is far narrower than at the undergraduate level — the Pell Grant generally does not cover graduate study, and the TEACH Grant has a narrow use case. Most women funding graduate degrees rely on a combination of federal Direct Loans, employer tuition benefits, institutional assistantships, and competitive fellowships from foundations and federal agencies. This page focuses on the fellowships and grants that are realistically available to women graduate students in 2026.
Federal aid for graduate students
- Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans — up to $20,500/year for graduate students.
- Federal Direct Grad PLUS Loans — up to cost of attendance minus other aid.
- Federal work-study — at participating campuses.
- TEACH Grant — $4,000/year for graduate students entering teaching in high-need fields/schools, with a service obligation; converts to a loan if unmet.
- Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) — after 120 qualifying payments while employed full-time by qualifying public-service employers, remaining federal loan balance is forgiven tax-free.
- NIH Loan Repayment Programs — for biomedical, behavioral, clinical, and health-services researchers.
File the FAFSA for federal loan eligibility, and check each program's own application requirements separately.
AAUW Fellowships (the flagship women-only programs)
The American Association of University Women administers the largest portfolio of fellowships specifically for women graduate students:
- AAUW American Fellowships — for women pursuing full-time study to complete dissertations, postdoctoral research, or final-year research. Doctoral fellowships are typically $20,000+, with postdoctoral and short-term research support also available.
- AAUW International Fellowships — for women who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents pursuing full-time graduate or postdoctoral study in the U.S.
- AAUW Selected Professions Fellowships — for women pursuing master's or first-professional degrees in fields where women remain underrepresented (engineering, computer science, business, law, medicine).
- AAUW Career Development Grants — for women who already hold a bachelor's and are advancing into a new credential.
Awards are competitive and applications close in the fall; verify the current cycle on the AAUW site.
Major multi-group fellowships open to women
These fellowships are not women-only but historically award a significant share to women applicants:
Ford Foundation Fellowships
Administered by the National Academies, the Ford Fellowships support graduate study toward an academic career in eligible fields. There are Predoctoral, Dissertation, and Postdoctoral awards. Predoctoral stipends are about $27,000/year for three years.
Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans
The Soros Fellowship supports immigrants and children of immigrants pursuing any U.S. graduate degree. Awards total up to about $90,000 ($25,000/year stipend plus tuition support up to $20,000/year).
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP)
The NSF GRFP provides three years of support (currently $37,000/year stipend plus $16,000 cost-of-education allowance to the institution) for graduate students in NSF-supported STEM fields. Women have historically been awarded a strong share of GRFP fellowships in many disciplines.
GEM Consortium
The GEM Fellowship funds underrepresented-minority graduate students pursuing master's and PhD STEM degrees, paired with a paid industry internship. Tuition support plus a stipend.
Patsy Takemoto Mink Foundation
Mink Education Support Awards — up to about $5,000 for low-income mothers pursuing any post-secondary education, including graduate study.
Hertz Foundation Fellowships
For PhD students in the applied physical, biological, and engineering sciences; multi-year support that can exceed $250,000 in total value.
P.E.O. Scholar Awards
$20,000 awards for women pursuing doctoral-level degrees, administered by P.E.O. International.
Field-specific fellowships for women
- Society of Women Engineers (SWE) — graduate scholarships for women in ABET-accredited engineering programs.
- Margaret McNamara Education Grants (MMEG) — for women from developing countries pursuing graduate study in the U.S., Canada, or specific other regions.
- American Medical Women's Association (AMWA) — scholarships for women in medical school.
- Ms. JD scholarships, ABA Section scholarships, Women Lawyers Division — for women in law school.
- National Black Nurses Association, AAJA, Women in Public Finance — field-specific graduate scholarships.
See our graduate school grants page for additional field-neutral graduate funding sources.
How to apply
- File the FAFSA for federal loan eligibility — even if you do not plan to borrow, many institutional aid programs require it.
- Apply to your program with full intent to pursue an assistantship or fellowship — at most PhD programs, fully funded admissions packages (tuition + stipend) are standard and should be confirmed before you accept.
- Apply to AAUW in the spring/fall cycle that matches your program timing.
- Apply to NSF GRFP, Ford, Soros, GEM, Hertz, P.E.O. Scholar as applicable; deadlines cluster in September through December of the year before funding begins.
- Apply to field-specific women's associations for your discipline.
There is no application fee for any legitimate fellowship or grant. Any service charging to "match" you with fellowships, "process" an application, or "guarantee" award is a scam. Report scams to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
Common questions
Does the Pell Grant cover graduate school? Generally no. The Pell Grant is for undergraduate students. The exception is the post-baccalaureate teacher certification program in some cases. Most graduate funding comes from loans, assistantships, and fellowships.
Are AAUW fellowships need-based or merit-based? Primarily merit-based, with consideration of professional promise and field of study. Financial need is a secondary factor in some categories.
Can international women apply for these? AAUW International Fellowships are designed for women who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Most other U.S. fellowships have citizenship or residency requirements; read each program carefully.
What if my PhD program is not fully funded? Reconsider the offer. In most U.S. PhD programs in the sciences, engineering, and many social sciences, an admit with no funding is a meaningful signal. Ask your program coordinator about TA, RA, and external-fellowship matching.
A funded graduate program plus one strong external fellowship can mean a debt-free advanced degree. Identify your fellowships early — most deadlines fall a year before the funded year begins.