Amelia Earhart Fellowship Grant

The Amelia Earhart Fellowship, established by Zonta International in 1938, supports women pursuing Ph.D. degrees in aerospace engineering and space sciences. With an annual award of $10,000, up to 30 fellowships are granted each year. This initiative aims to increase the representation of women in the aerospace workforce, which currently stands at only 25%. Since its inception, over 1,700 fellowships have been awarded, empowering women across 79 countries.

Note: The 2025 Amelia Earhart Fellowship application is closed.
Amelia Earhart Fellowship description
In an effort to carry out its mission that women have access to all resources and are represented in decision-making positions on an equal basis with men, Zonta International offers the Amelia Earhart Fellowship.
The Amelia Earhart Fellowship was established in 1938 in honor of famed pilot and Zontian, Amelia Earhart. The US$10,000 Fellowship is awarded annually to up to 30 women pursuing Ph.D./doctoral degrees in aerospace engineering and space sciences.
Since the program’s inception in 1938, Zonta has awarded 1,764 Amelia Earhart Fellowships, totaling more than US$11.9 million, to 1,335 women from 79 countries.
Funding
Amelia Earhart Fellowships are made possible by generous contributions to the Zonta Foundation for Women Amelia Earhart Fellowship Fund.

Eligibility

Funds may be used at any university or college offering accredited post-graduate courses and degrees in these fields.Women of any nationality pursuing a Ph.D./doctoral degree who demonstrate a superior academic record conducting research applied to aerospace engineering or space sciences are eligible. It is imperative that students be registered in a full-time Ph.D./doctoral program and have completed at least one year of that program or have received a master’s degree in an aerospace-applied field at the time the application is submitted. Applicants must not graduate from their Ph.D. or doctoral program before April 2026.

Ineligibility

Please note that post-doctoral research programs are not eligible for the Fellowship.Club members and individuals with direct membership with Zonta International and employees of Zonta International and Zonta Foundation for Women, and their family members (ancestors, descendants, adoptees, siblings, nieces or cousins, and those of their spouse or co-habiting partner), are not eligible to apply for the Fellowship. Note that previous Amelia Earhart Fellows are not eligible to apply to renew the Fellowship for a second year.