Autistic Scientist Predoctoral Fellowship Grant

The Autistic Scientist Predoctoral Fellowship by Autism Speaks aims to empower autistic doctoral students pursuing careers in autism research. This fellowship provides financial support of $37,000 per year, comprising a stipend and an annual allowance for research-related expenses. By funding these early career scientists, Autism Speaks seeks to bridge the gap between research and the autistic community, ensuring that lived experiences inform autism research and ultimately enhancing its impact.

NOTE:

• The Pre-Proposal deadline represents when the Letters of Recommendation are due.The Full Proposal deadline represents when the Application is due.
• Autistic Scientist Predoctoral Fellowship
• Autism Speaks invites applications from autistic doctoral students interested in pursuing careers in autism research.

The historical absence of autistic voices from autism research has contributed to a growing disconnect between researchers and the communities they hope to serve. Alongside recent calls for more stakeholder involvement in all stages of the autism research process, a greater number of openly autistic people have begun to pursue careers in autism research.
Autism Speaks believes that a critical first step to increasing autistic research career success is financial support. We therefore developed a new predoctoral fellowship that will support a promising cadre of autistic early career scientists who will choose and remain with autism research. By providing financial support to autistic researchers during their doctoral training, we hope to increase success for individuals whose combination of academic expertise and lived experience can greatly impact the broader field of autism research.
Award
The Predoctoral Fellowship Awards for autistic researchers will be granted to qualified predoctoral students.The Autism Speaks two-year Predoctoral Fellowship awards $37,000 USD per year.
This includes a stipend of $26,000 USD plus a $11,000 annual allowance.
The annual allowance can be used for research costs and supplies, professional travel, fringe benefits and/or tuition reimbursement. Indirect costs are not allowed.During the two-year fellowship, awardees are ineligible to accept other grants and awards that fund the fellow’s stipend without explicit permission from Autism Speaks.