The American Educational Research Association (AERA) Council in 1991 established the AERA Minority Dissertation Fellowship in Education Research to enhance the racial and ethnic diversity of faculty, scholars, and researchers who study topics in education research. This fellowship is targeted for members of racial and ethnic groups historically underrepresented in higher education (e.g., African Americans, Alaskan Natives, American Indians, Asian Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islanders).
The Fellowship Program aims to provide support for doctoral dissertation research, to advance education research by outstanding minority graduate students, and to enhance these students competitiveness for academic appointments at major research universities. It supports fellows conducting education research and provides mentoring, capacity building activities, and guidance toward the completion of their doctoral studies.
The Program Fellows have produced rigorous research that is published in peer reviewed journals, books, and edited volumes. Many of the recent Program Fellows are in postdoctoral positions and assistant professor positions at Research I institutions including Georgia State University, Harvard University, University of Georgia, the University of Southern California, and Southern Methodist University. Other fellows have careers in applied research and policy positions at various organizations.
Learn more about the 2021-2022 AERA Minority Dissertation Fellowship Recipients!
The AERA Minority Dissertation Fellowship in Education Research Online Application is now available. The application deadline for the 2022-2023 competition is Wednesday, December 1, 2021.
The AERA Minority Dissertation Fellowship Program in Education Research seeks proposals from advanced graduate students who are from racial and ethnic groups that are underrepresented in higher education. The Fellowship Program encourages studies that examine a wide range of education research topics such as students’ school experiences, STEM education and learning, ethnic studies/curriculum; tracking; measurement of achievement and opportunity gaps; English language learners; or bullying and restorative justice. These studies may focus on students, teachers, schools, and/or educational contexts across multiple educational stages including early childhood education and development, k-12 education, postsecondary education, and the workforce. Studies should use rigorous scientific research methods within quantitative, qualitative, archival, and/or mixed method techniques. Studies that examine issues of specific racial and ethnic groups, social classes, genders, or persons with disabilities are encouraged and supported by the Fellowship Program.
Informational Webinar and Frequently Asked Questions
AERA encourages all potential applicants to attend the Informational Webinar for AERA Minority Dissertation Fellowship on Thursday, September 23, 2021 to learn more about program goals, the application process, and details about the competition. You can register for the Informational Webinar HERE.
Potential applicants may also want to view ‘Answers to Frequently Asked Questions’ (PDF).
Eligibility The AERA Minority Dissertation Fellowship in Education Research is open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents who are members of racial and ethnic groups historically underrepresented in higher education (e.g., African Americans, Alaskan Natives, American Indians, Asian Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islanders). Applicants can come from graduate programs and departments in education research, the humanities, or social or behavioral science disciplinary or interdisciplinary fields, such as economics, history, political science, psychology, public policy, or sociology. Eligible graduate students will be at the writing stage of their dissertation by the beginning of the fellowship.
Fellows are required to provide proof of advancement to candidacy at the beginning of the award period. Applicants must work full-time on their dissertations and course requirements.
Award Period
Each fellowship award is for 1 year, beginning July 2022 or later, and is nonrenewable. This fellowship program is intended as a write-up fellowship. Fellowships are awarded for doctoral dissertation research conducted under faculty sponsorship in any accredited university in the United States.
AERA Minority Dissertation Fellowship in Education Research Award
Award Component 1, $25,000 Stipend. AERA awards each Fellow up to a $25,000 stipend to study education, teaching, learning, or other education research topic. The fellowship funds can be used for tuition and/or institution fees, books, living expenses, equipment, travel, supplies, software, and other expenses that are directly related to conducting this research. Fellows must include travel and lodging expenses to the Annual Meeting in their budget. AERA encourages cost sharing from universities in the form of tuition assistance, office space, university fees, and other expenses. Institutions cannot charge overhead or indirect costs to administer the fellowship funds.
Award Component 2, Present Research at Invited AERA Poster Session. Fellows present their research in an invited poster session during the 2022 AERA Annual Meeting. This poster session is a hallmark of the AERA professional development program and features promising research from graduate students who are supported by AERA funded programs. This is an excellent opportunity to showcase the developing research from the next generation of scholars and for the Fellows to receive feedback from senior scholars, education school deans, foundation officers, and others across the education research community.
Award Component 3, AERA Minority Fellows Mentoring and Career Development Workshop. During the 2022 AERA Annual Meeting, Fellows participate in a mentoring and career development workshop with current and former members of the AERA Minority Selection Committee and other senior scholars. The workshop focuses on topics such as making the transition from graduate school to a postdoctoral program, faculty position, or a career in applied research.
Application Requirements and Procedures
All applications for the AERA Minority Dissertation Fellowship in Education Research must be completed using the AERA online application portal by 11:59 p.m. Pacific time on Wedneday, December 1, 2021. Late applications and supporting materials will not be accepted.
Click here to apply for the AERA Minority Dissertation Fellowship in Education Research
In order to save your application you will need to create a username and password. Record your username and password because AERA cannot retrieve this information. Each application must include:
Contact information. Each applicant must enter their name, address, phone number, e-mail address, and information about their doctoral institution into the online application form.
Dissertation research prospectus. Provide a general overview of your dissertation research with the following information: (text is limited to eight (8) single-spaced)
Curriculum vitae. Applicant's curriculum vitae, no longer than two (2) pages, to include the following:
Budget. Awards are up to $25,000 for 1year projects. The budget must include funds to attend the AERA Annual Meeting. The funds can be used for research-related expenses such as tuition, living expenses, travel to secure data enclaves or scholarly conferences, books, computer equipment, and other expenses directly related to conducting this research. AERA encourages cost sharing from universities in the form of tuition assistance, office space, university fees, and other expenses. Institutions cannot charge overhead or indirect costs to administer the award funds. There is no specific template for the budget. It may be a simple 2column format or a more complex spreadsheet. (no page limit)
Transcripts. One unofficial graduate school transcript.
Combine your dissertation research prospectus, curriculum vitae, budget, and transcript into one PDF document. The dissertation research prospectus text is limited to eight (8) single-spaced pages and the curriculum vitae should be no longer than two (2) pages. The order of the documents should be the dissertation research prospectus text first, the curriculum vitae second, the budget, and the transcript last.
Letters of recommendation. Two (2) letters of recommendation are required. Letters should come from your dissertation advisor and/or other major professors who are familiar with your work. In the letter of recommendation from your advisor, the dissertation advisor will attest to your proposal constituting research for the doctoral degree. AERA will only accept two letters of recommendation. Letters may be sent electronically (fellowships@aera.net).
Questions Direct any questions about the fellowship program, eligibility requirements, or submission process to fellowships@aera.net or 202-238-3200.