Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship
Fellowship details
The Newcombe Fellowship supports doctoral candidates in their final year of writing, who are working in areas of religion, ethics, values, or morals.
Now in its fifth decade, the Newcombe Fellowship has become a nationally recognized award that distinguishes recipients within their fields. The Newcombe Fellowships have supported over 1400 graduate students who have written dissertations which respond to and participate in, deep and meaningful conversations within religion, values, and ethics. Those awarded a Newcombe Fellowship are often at the forefront of creative and original scholarship, proposing new insights and ground-breaking work in the questions and conversations surrounding religion, ethics, and values.
More information: https://newcombefoundation.org/fellowships/
- $31,000 for 12 months of full-time dissertation writing (No deferments, half-year, or partial awards)
- Fellows’ graduate schools will be asked to waive tuition and fees while maintaining health insurance for Newcombe Fellows
Candidates are evaluated based on scholarly excellence; quality and originality of the project; and commitment to research that advances religious understanding, ethics, and values.
The purpose of the Charlotte W. Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship is to offset living expenses while the dissertation is completed. Fellows must use the award for the final year of writing the dissertation. Fellows’ graduate schools will be asked to waive tuition and fees while maintaining health insurance for Newcombe Fellows.
- Application (phase 1) opens: August 1
- Application closes: November1
- All applications under review: November 15 – January 15
- Status notification to finalists and other applicants: January 15 – January 21
- Finalist submission of application (phase 2):January 23 – February 13
- Finalist reviews begin: February 17
- Fellows chosen by April 1; all finalists notified of status:the first week of April
Information Sessions via Zoom for Students who are applying or thinking about applying:
Two opportunities:
Monday September 22, 2025
11 am EST
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86541120257
Monday October 6, 2025
4 pm EST
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83041933203
All applications are reviewed using the same core criteria and rigorous standards of scholarly merit.
Please review the evaluation criteria on the Fellowship webpage:
Start the application process by clicking Apply Now (Use Program Key: CWNF) to create an account through our vendor site and access the application.
There are two rounds of application submission. The initial round opens with the application available to all candidates on August 1 and closes November 1.
First-round applicants are required to submit:
- basic demographics and contact information
- description of the project’s engagement with religion, ethics, or values
- description of the candidate’s career goals
- personal statement
- description of the project including abstract, design and methodology, timeline, and short proposal
- name and contact information for two recommenders (no letters need to be submitted at this time)
- curriculum vitae
- transcripts (official or unofficial)
These initial applications will be evaluated, and finalists will be selected for additional review.
Finalists will be required to submit:
- a full proposal
- two letters of recommendation