NAEd/Spencer Fellowship Programs
Dissertation Fellowship
The Dissertation Fellowship Program seeks to encourage a new generation of scholars from a wide range of disciplines and professional fields to undertake research relevant to the improvement of education. These $27,500 fellowships support individuals whose dissertations show potential for bringing fresh and constructive perspectives to the history, theory, or practice of formal or informal education anywhere around the world. Fellows will also attend professional development retreats and receive mentorship from NAEd members and other senior scholars in their field. This highly competitive program aims to identify the most talented emerging researchers conducting dissertation research related to education. The Dissertation Fellowship program will fund 35 promising young scholars for the 2023-24 academic year.
Postdoctoral Fellowship
The Postdoctoral Fellowship Program supports early-career scholars working in critical areas of educational scholarship. Fellows will receive $70,000 for one academic year of research, or $35,000 for each of two contiguous years, working half time. Fellows will also attend professional development retreats and receive mentorship from NAEd members and other senior scholars in their fields. For the current application cycle, applicants must have received their PhD, EdD, or equivalent research degree between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2021. This fellowship is non-residential, and applications from all disciplines are encouraged. The Postdoctoral Fellowship program will fund 25 early-career researchers for the 2023-24 academic year.
Research Development Award
The Research Development Award funds six awardees chosen from the pool of postdoctoral semi-finalists. This award provides these scholars with a research stipend and funds them to attend a professional development retreat where they receive mentorship from NAEd members and other senior scholars in their fields. Please note you cannot apply directly to the RDA; only semi-finalists of the Postdoctoral Fellowship are considered for the award.