Doctoral Fellowship for Ph.D. and Th.D. Students

FTE offers a one-year fellowship with financial support, mentorship, and community for under-resourced and underrepresented Ph.D. and Th.D. students who have completed the coursework stage.

Award Amount: Up to $35,000 living stipend (historical awards have ranged from $25,000-$35,000)

Geographic Scope: US and Canadian-accredited institutions; applicants must be US citizens, Canadian citizens, or permanent residents

Focus Areas: Ph.D. or Th.D. programs in:

• Religion
• Theological studies
• Biblical studies

Target Populations:

• Scholars of African descent
• Latino/a, Asian, and First Nations doctoral students
• Under-resourced and underrepresented students in theological education

Eligibility:

• Must be enrolled full-time in Ph.D. or Th.D. program in religion, theological, or biblical studies
• Must be US citizen, Canadian citizen, or permanent resident
• Must have completed all coursework by September 1 (beginning of fellowship year)
• Must be at dissertation stage (ABD) or past coursework stage but not yet at candidacy
• For ABD applicants: dissertation committee must have approved dissertation research proposal and writing plan with full approval to proceed before application submission
• Must be studying at US or Canadian-accredited institution
• Must be in position to write full-time during fellowship year
• Ineligible: Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) students and students in doctoral programs with non-US/Canadian accreditation bodies

International Students: International students with citizenship and/or residency outside US or Canada are NOT eligible

Mission Alignment: Fellowship supports scholars whose work:

• Serves and/or addresses concerns of communities underrepresented and underserved in theological education and religious studies
• Contributes to seminary, college, and/or university teaching and scholarship in North America
• Addresses the changing demographics, perspectives, and experiences of students in theological education

Physical Address: WeWork Decatur, Floor 4, 120 West Trinity Place, Decatur, GA 30030

Mailing Address: 2870 Peachtree Rd NW Suite 915 #7080, Atlanta, GA 30305

Application Process

Application Deadline: February 16 by 11:59 pm Eastern Time (Annual)

Award Notification: Applicants will be notified by end of April 2026

Feedback: FTE can only provide personalized feedback to applicants offered a Fellowship due to high volume of applicants

Note: Only complete applications submitted by deadline will be considered

Required Application Materials

All applicants must submit:

1. Curriculum Vitae
   • Most recent CV or resume
   • Must include at minimum:
   • Contact information
   • Education
   • Employment history
   • Awards/fellowships
   • Licenses/certifications/publications
   • Academic presentations
   • Professional affiliations
   • Community and church service
   • Skills/interests
2. Academic Essay (3-page maximum, single-spaced)
   • Situate yourself within your discipline(s)
   • Describe specific research interests, focus, and methodologies
   • Identify scholars whose ideas are most helpful and promising in your work
   • Explain how your project and/or research interests serve and/or address concerns of underrepresented and underserved communities (e.g., African, Asian, Indigenous, Hispanic descent) in theological education and religious studies
   • Describe plans to contribute to seminary, college, and/or university teaching and scholarship in North America
   • Include list of courses you are prepared to teach or would like to teach
   • Describe how dissertation project will contribute to theological education and to the church
3. Vocational Essay (2-page maximum, single-spaced)
   • Indicate vocational commitments as theological educator to specific or multiple underrepresented and underserved communities
   • Describe connection, involvement, and relationship to concerns and interests of aforementioned communities beyond the academy
   • Explain what contributions beyond the academy you hope to make as theological educator
4. Letters of Reference (2 required)
   • One faculty letter of reference
   • One non-academic/community letter of reference
   • Provide names and contact information for both persons
   • Important: Confirm all contact information is correct
5. Budget Statement
   • Completed within application form
   • Based on estimated income and personal expenses for academic year 2025-2026
6. Personal Biography
   • One paragraph, single-spaced
7. Unofficial Transcripts
   • From current doctoral program
8. High-Resolution Headshot
   • Professional photograph
   • No selfies

Additional Materials for Dissertation Stage (ABD) Applicants Only

1. Dissertation Abstract and Summary (1-page maximum, single-spaced)
   • One-page abstract and summary of proposed dissertation project
2. Writing Timeline
   • Table with proposed writing timeline for each dissertation chapter
3. Dissertation Committee Information
   • List of all dissertation committee members with names
   • Indicate name of adviser
   • Submit within application form

Application Features

• Applicants can save and return the application before submission
• Application portal allows uploading of all required materials