External awards requiring nomination
The following awards either require a nomination from Yale, or a certification that can be obtained from the Graduate School. Please contact robert.harper-mangels@yale.edu if you have questions abou these fellowships.
ACLS/ Mellon Dissertation Innovation Fellowships – The ACLS/Mellon research grants support outstanding scholarship in the humanities and interpretive social sciences for PhD candidates in the formative stage of dissertation development. Applications are normally due mid-fall. While an applicant does not require a nomination from Yale to apply, Yale does need to sign a statement confirming the eligibility of the student to accept this award, including a non-cumulative year of registration while on the fellowship. Applicants requiring this statement can designate Associate Dean Robert Harper-Mangels as the point of contact for this statement.
DAAD Research Grants – The DAAD German Exchange provides travel and fellowship support for students who wish to conduct research, artistic projects, or pursue degrees in Germany. For most awards, students will apply on-line directly through the DAAD application. However, Yale doctoral students interested in extended (7+ months) research grants in Germany and submitting an application in the Fall cycle may solicit a nomination from Yale. Instructions for obtaining a nomination will be provided when the fall application opens. Please note that the nomination does not guarantee an award, nor is a nomination required for a student to apply. The nomination, however, may provide an additional boost to an application. For the spring application cycle, no nomination is required or available. Interested students should apply directly through the DAAD portal, whether or not they also receive a Yale nomination.
Google PhD Fellowship – This fellowship supports the stipend and research of doctoral students studying computer science or conducting innovative research in areas relevant to computer science-related fields. Applicants must be nominated by Yale. When the next application becomes available, instructions for submitting an internal application for a nomination will be provided here. Last year, the deadline was in mid-April. The instructions for applying for a Google fellowship in Spring 2026 are available here, but be aware that requirements could change with future applications.
Liebmann Fund - Open only to US citizens, the Dolores Zohrab Liebmann fund is a need-based fellowship that pays tuition and a small stipend. As such, most PhD students are not eligible. For masters-degree and other professional degree students who can demonstrate need, Yale can nominate up to three applicants per year. The application deadline is usually in January. Interested students should contact Robert.harper-mangels@yale.edu to register their interest, and will be notified when the internal nominating process opens.
National Institute of Social Sciences - The NISS awards up to $5,000 each year through their Dissertation Grants Program to assist late-stage students to complete their dissertation. Yale is permitted to nominate two students for this award. This fellowship is generally announced in the Spring. Instructions for applying in 2026 (now closed) can be found here, and will be updated when the new competition is announced in 2027.
Schmidt Science Fellowship – The Schmidt Science Fellowship funds recent graduates in STEM fields who are interested in postdoctoral study that represents a significant shift away from the field or techniques used in their doctoral studies. This fellowship requires a nomination from Yale. The competition for the Fall 2027 award is now closed. We expect that the next competition, for Fall 2028, will be announced in Spring 2027, and will be open to those expecting to receive their PhDs between May 2027 and May 2028. Application information for a nomination (below) will be updated when the new competition is announced.
Application instructions for Spring 2026 (now closed): Please submit your internal application to GSASadministrativedean@yale.edu no later than noon on Friday, April 24th, 2026. Full details on how to apply can be accessed here and you can also download the required cover sheet. Applicants will be notified mid-May as to whether they have been nominated by Yale. For questions and further information please email robert.harper-mangels@yale.edu.