"Pre-Doctoral Fellowship"

Pre-Doctoral Fellowship

The Carter G. Woodson Institute’s distinguished fellowship is a two-year residential fellowship for pre-doctoral students (ABD) whose work focuses on African American and African Diasporic Studies, including but not limited to research pertaining to African American, Caribbean, Latin American, African, and/or Diasporic contexts. Scholars selected for the fellowship are required to relocate to the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia to join a cohort of interdisciplinary scholars.

Fellows receive funding for two calendar years through a twelve-month appointment. The fellowship comes with an annual stipend of $36,000, plus health insurance. All fellows receive a one-time relocation reimbursement (up to $1,000). Additionally, each fellow receives an annual allowance for research and travel-related expenses (up to $2,000, annually). We recommend that Fellows complete the majority of research toward their dissertation prior to the fellowship.

Deadline

December 1, 2025 at 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time

Application Materials

• CV/Resume (file naming protocol: LASTNAME_CV)
• Cover Letter (file naming protocol: LASTNAME_COVER LETTER)
• Writing Sample 1 (file naming protocol: LASTNAME_SAMPLE1)
  • Please submit 1 attachment containing the following information:
    • Project title
    • Abstract or short-description of project (should not exceed 50 words)
    • Project description (should not exceed 7 double-spaced pages or 1,750 words)
• Writing Sample 2 (file naming protocol: LASTNAME_SAMPLE2)
  • Bibliography (should not exceed 4 double-spaced pages)
  • The working bibliography must be attached through the WorkDay application under "Writing Sample 2"
  • 3 Letters of Recommendation by persons qualified to evaluate the proposals for which support is being sought.

Note: The application does not require an additional academic writing sample (a paper or dissertation chapter). The review committee will assess the abstract and project description as an example of one's writing.

As of 2023, the application includes an optional personal statement. This is not required as part of the application to the Fellowship program. If you choose to submit a personal statement, please limit your response to 750 words.

Submission Information

To apply:

1. Please visit UVA's Apply Central Application Management website
2. Create an account as a first time user or as a returning user
3. Start a new application (for 2026 term)
4. Select "Woodson Fellowship" under drop-down menu
5. Create application
6. Upload necessary documents*
7. Complete background information, in-state and military status (if applicable)
8. Add names for 3 recommenders**
9. Review and submit application

*Statement on personal background is entirely optional, declining to do so will not negatively impact your application package. The review committee will focus primarily on the required application materials (CV, Cover Letter, Writing Sample 1 and 2, Letters of Recommendation)

**Letters of recommendation may be requested prior to the submission of the full application. Once you input the recommender's information, an automated message will invite the recommender to submit a letter on your behalf. This can take place prior to the submission of the full application. Please note: all letters of recommendation must be received by December 8, 2025

Applications that do not contain all the required documents will not receive full consideration.

Timeline

• Application deadline: December 1, 2025
• Recommendations deadline: December 28, 2025
• Review Period: December 2025 - January 2026
• Notification of Awards: March 2026
• Fellowship Residency Begins: July 2026

Eligibility and Terms/Conditions

The Woodson Institute fellowship is open to qualified candidates without restriction as to citizenship or current residence.

The pre-doctoral fellows must be in residence at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia for the duration of the award period. Fellows are expected to participate in the series of workshops held during the academic year and to present their work periodically to the larger academic community.

Fellows are encouraged to consult with the Director of the Woodson Institute to discuss additional employment, fellowships, or consulting obligations during the fellowship period.

International students are eligible for the Fellowship program. If admitted, we recommend that international students be proactive in communicating with the Woodson Institute to facilitate coordination between UVA and the student's home institution. The selected candidate will be required to complete a background check at time of offer per University Policy.