AAUW International Fellowships 2027–28: $20,000–$25,000 for Women in U.S. STEM Graduate Study
A one-year stipend from the American Association of University Women for international women already admitted to, or enrolled in, a full-time STEM master’s or doctorate in the United States. The 2027–28 window closed on 17 September 2026; results arrive in March 2027.
ScholarshipUnion Editorial
4 min read
Updated Oct 6, 2026
AAUW — the American Association of University Women — has funded international women in full-time graduate study in the United States since 1917. For the 2027–28 award year the official International Fellowships page sets the stipend at $20,000 for a master’s degree and $25,000 for a doctorate, and limits the programme to STEM. It is a one-time cash award paid to you, not to your university.
The 2027–28 application ran from 17 August 2026 (9:00am ET) to 17 September 2026 (5:00pm ET) and is now closed. AAUW will notify applicants in March 2027. The 2028–29 cycle has not been announced; if AAUW keeps the 2026 pattern it will open around mid-August 2027 for roughly one month.
What the fellowship is — and is not
This is a stipend, not a scholarship that covers tuition. AAUW pays the money in two equal instalments, at the beginning and the midpoint of the fellowship term. You decide how to spend it on education and living costs, within a short list of prohibited expenses (research assistants, old debts, publication costs, institutional overhead and dependants’ tuition).
It also does not get you into a university. You must already be admitted to or enrolled in your programme when you apply. That single rule shapes who realistically wins it: most applicants are already studying in the U.S., or hold an admission (or deferral) for the coming year at the time the window opens in August.
It is not renewable. The official FAQ says International Fellowships are “one-time awards”, and AAUW does not sponsor visas or help with J-1 waivers — though your award letter can go into your visa file.
Who can apply
Eligibility →The short version of the official rules:
- You identify as a woman and are not a U.S. citizen. U.S. permanent residents and applicants for permanent residency are excluded, even with another citizenship.
- You are pursuing your first master’s or your first academic or professional doctorate, full-time, at a U.S. institution accredited by the U.S. Department of Education.
- Your degree is in a STEM discipline on AAUW’s list (or the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List).
- You hold a degree equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s and a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale. A 3.49 is not eligible — the FAQ says so in those words.
- You meet the English rule: TOEFL iBT 79, IELTS 6.5, Duolingo 120, Cambridge 176, TOEFL Essentials 8.5, or a published exemption.
- Your programme starts on or before 15 September 2027 and you finish on or after 30 April 2028. (For deferred admissions the FAQ gives 1 September 2027 as the latest start.)
The home-country question
Many blog posts say you must “intend to return home”. The 2027–28 official page is softer than that. It describes the aim as women “applying their expertise, professional skills, and leadership in service of their home countries and/or the communities in which they reside”, and the scored career criterion asks how you will “serve [your] home country or the community in which [you] reside”. There is no signed return pledge. But home-country impact is part of a scored criterion, and residing in your home country when you apply is one of the official tie-breakers. If you cannot go home for humanitarian reasons, the FAQ says your application is still considered. Read more on Eligibility.
What you get
Award & taxes →| Level | Stipend (2027–28) | Paid | After 14% withholding (F-1/J-1)* |
|---|---|---|---|
| First master’s | $20,000 | Two equal instalments | $17,200 |
| First doctorate | $25,000 | Two equal instalments | $21,500 |
*AAUW withholds 14% for F, J, M and Q visa holders, or a lower treaty rate where one applies; 30% for other statuses or if you have no U.S. tax ID. Your final U.S. tax bill can differ.
How selection works
You apply through the AAUW Fellowships & Grants Application Portal with two recommendation letters, transcripts, GPA proof, English evidence and proof of admission, plus written narrative answers. Reviewers score five areas for master’s applicants — academic excellence, a feasible plan, commitment to women and girls, long-term STEM career impact, and your financial plan. Doctoral applicants are also scored on the originality of their research. Where merit is comparable, AAUW may give preference to applicants from under-represented countries, first-generation graduates, carers, single-parent households, first-time international students, home-country residents and students at R2 or lower-resourced institutions.
Where to go next
Eight official gates in one interactive check, plus the home-country rule.
AAUW’s list, the ‘quantitative track’ caveat and the DHS fallback.
How to answer each of the five scored criteria.
Two letters, professional emails, no Interfolio.
2027–28 dates and a plan for the 2028–29 window.
Fulbright, Knight-Hennessy, P.E.O. and others.
Start on the official site
This is an independent guide, not an AAUW publication. Amounts, fields and dates change between cycles. Use the AAUW International Fellowships page and the Fellowships & Grants hub as the source of truth. Between FY20 and FY25 AAUW says it awarded $29.6 million to 1,538 women and community projects across all its programmes. Its 2026–27 awards release gives $6.1 million to 259 recipients in total, but neither it nor the official page states how many International Fellowships are made each year.