Fellowships
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What do I need? Graduate Student Fellowship Application Materials Checklist
We are excited you are interested in graduate fellowships from the University of Kentucky. We are in the process of updating fellowship information for the 2024-2025 academic year. We will be updating that information as soon as possible, which you will be able to find here. Please check back at this site before upcoming deadlines for the latest information.
Note: All applicants must be accepted by their program and The Graduate School and have an activated LinkBlue ID and @uky.edu email address to apply for any fellowship. LinkBlue IDs are provided in students' Graduate School admission letter. Applicants should expect at minimum one week between program admission and admission to The Graduate School, provided they meet the admission standards (Note: International Students take longer to process). Click here for information on your LinkBlue ID and how to activate it. All communications (including award notices) from the Office of Finance, Funding & Analytics will be sent to students' @uky.edu email addresses. Persons having UK employment of 0.75 FTE or higher (considered full time UK employee), whether it is from one payroll assignment or total combined assignments, are not eligible for Graduate School fellowships or for Assistantships. The Graduate School reserves the right to rescind any fellowship award if the awardee is found to have 0.75 FTE or higher employment at UK at any time during the award period.
Several fellowship opportunities are available through the Graduate School for students enrolled and seeking a degree in one of our many graduate departments. These fellowships each have different purposes and eligibility criteria, so you will want to read through the information below carefully. Note that students are responsible for applying to any fellowship for which they are interested and believe they meet the stated criteria, using the Fellowship Portal. This includes fellowships listed as being DGS-nominated; for those types of fellowships the student must include as one of their uploaded files a DGS Nomination Form for that fellowship that was filled out and signed by their DGS. Links to DGS Nomination form templates for each DGS-Nominated Fellowship can be found below in the descriptions for each of those fellowships.
Fellowships that include a tuition scholarship are subject to current tuition policies. Tuition scholarships include the standard graduate tuition, Johnson Center fees and health fees; they do not include student specific fees, such as lab fees, course fees, program fees, music fees, distance learning course fees, or tuition charges above and beyond the standard graduate rate.
Students who are awarded a fellowship should be aware that fellowship stipends (as well as any tuition scholarships that accompany fellowships) will affect eligibility for state and federal financial aid funds, see: https://www.uky.edu/financialaid/overaward-policy . Students who expect to receive financial aid should contact their financial aid counselor to find out what impact a fellowship award will have on an aid package before accepting the fellowship.
Send questions to the Funding Office at grad.fellowships@email.uky.edu or call 859-257-3261.
Recent Fellowship Winners |
Self-Nominating Competitive Fellowships
Association of Emeriti Faculty Endowed Fellowship
Applications Open: August 14, 2023
Application Deadline: October 18, 2023
Applications Open: January 1, 2023
Application Deadline: February 1, 2023
DGS-Nominated Competitive Fellowships
Note: Each DGS-Nominated fellowship you wish to apply to will require a separate DGS Nomination form to be completed. Your application will not be submittable without this document. A link to each form can be found after the description of each fellowship.
Applications Open: August 14, 2023
Application Deadline: October 18, 2023
Lexington Herald-Leader Fellowship
Applications Open: August 14, 2023
Application Deadline: October 18, 2023
Presidential Graduate Fellowship
Applications Open: January 1, 2023
Application Deadline: January 24, 2023
Applications Open: January 1, 2023
Application Deadline: March 1, 2023
Cralle Foundation/Joan Cralle Day Fellowship
Applications Open: January 1, 2023
Application Deadline: April 3, 2023
Northern KY/Greater Cincinnati UK Alumni Club Fellowship
Applications Open: January 1, 2023
Application Deadline: March 15, 2023
Applications Open: January 1, 2023
Application Deadline: March 29, 2023
DGS-Nominated Allocated Fellowships
Max Steckler Fellowship
Application Deadline: Details announced via DGS email each Fall
DGS-Nominated Recruitment Fellowships
Lyman T. Johnson Diversity Fellowship
Applications Open: January 1, 2023
Application Deadlines: February 28, 2023 and March 30, 2023
Important Notice for LTJ Applicants: Applications for each deadline must be complete by that date (including all letters of reference) to be considered for review by that date. No additional reference letters can be accepted beyond the final deadline of March 30, 2023.
Other Fellowships
The following fellowships are available from individual programs. These are not administered by the Graduate School. You may wish to contact your DGS for additional fellowship opportunities.
James S. Brown Graduate Grants for Research on Appalachia
Margaret Ingels Society of Women Engineers Graduate Fellowship
Spencer Dissertation Fellowship for Research Related to Education
Fellowship Descriptions
Association of Emeriti Faculty Endowed Fellowships
For Currently Enrolled Graduate Students
Applications Open: Monday, August 14, 2023
Application Deadline: Wednesday, October 18, 2023
Amount: $2,500
Students are invited to apply for fellowships offered by the University of Kentucky Association of Emeriti Faculty, in conjunction with the Graduate School. These awards are made possible by generous donations from UK emeriti faculty members as well as support from the Research Challenge Trust Fund. These fellowships express the commitment of emeriti faculty to the preparation of outstanding future college and university teachers.
Criteria for Eligibility:
- Currently enrolled, full-time, fully admitted Ph.D., Ed.D., D.M.A., or D.S. students
- At least two semesters completed in current Graduate School academic program
- Preparing for career in college/university teaching
To view this, and other fellowships on the University of Kentucky Graduate School Fellowship Portal, follow the link at the top of this page.
Charles T. Wethington, Jr./W.L. Matthews Jr./Otis A. Singletary Fellowships for Graduate or Professional Study
For First Year Graduate Students and professional students
Applications Open: Sunday, January 1, 2023
Application Deadline: Wednesday, February 1, 2023
Fellowship Amount
Wethington $20,000
Matthews $12,000
Singletary $20,000 (plus a tuition scholarship and student health plan enrollment for students enrolled in Graduate School)
Note: Only one nomination is required to apply for all three fellowships. The selection committee will decide the award recipients for each fellowship from the pool of applicants.
Charles T. Wethington Jr. Fellowship
In honor of Charles T. Wethington Jr., the president of the University of Kentucky from 1989 to 2001, the University will annually provide funding for fellowships up to $20,000 to be awarded to UK graduating seniors who plan to continue their post-baccalaureate education in one of the University's graduate or professional programs. The fellowships will be awarded for the first year of graduate or professional study at UK and are not renewable for subsequent years. Preference will be given to Kentucky residents and first-generation college students.
Criteria for Eligibility:
- UK seniors, having graduated at the end of the previous fall semester, or expecting to graduate by the end of the current spring semester or the second summer session following the current spring semester. Please note: Students that have graduated in May the previous year are not eligible for this fellowship.
- No previous enrollment in a graduate or professional program
- Meet the academic and other criteria required for admission to program of study
- Demonstration of high academic achievement in an undergraduate program of study at the University of Kentucky
- Evidence of participation and leadership roles in university and community life during undergraduate study
W.L. Matthews Jr. Fellowship
The Board of Directors of the University of Kentucky Athletics Association has established quasi-endowment funds in memory of W.L. Matthews Jr. The funds will provide annually for $12,000 fellowships to be awarded to UK graduating seniors who plan to continue their post-baccalaureate education in one of the University’s graduate or professional programs. The fellowships will be awarded for a first year of graduate or professional study at UK and are not renewable for subsequent years.
Criteria for Eligibility:
- UK seniors, having graduated at the end of the previous fall semester, or expecting to graduate by the end of the current spring semester or the second summer session following the current spring semester. Please note: Students that have graduated in May the previous year are not eligible for this fellowship.
- No previous enrollment in a graduate or professional program
- Meet the academic and other criteria required for admission to program of study
- Demonstration of high academic achievement in an undergraduate program of study at the University of Kentucky
- Evidence of participation and leadership roles in university and community life during undergraduate study
Otis A. Singletary Fellowship
The Board of Directors of the University of Kentucky Athletics Association has established quasi-endowment funds in honor of Otis A. Singletary. The funds will provide annually for $20,000 fellowships to be awarded to UK graduating seniors who plan to continue their post-baccalaureate education in one of the University’s graduate or professional programs. The fellowships will be awarded for a first year of graduate or professional study at UK and are not renewable for subsequent years. Recipients enrolled in graduate (not professional) programs will also be eligible for a tuition scholarship and health plan enrollment.
Criteria for Eligibility:
- UK seniors, having graduated at the end of the previous fall semester, or expecting to graduate by the end of the current spring semester or the second summer session following the current spring semester. Please note: Students that have graduated in May the previous year are not eligible for this fellowship.
- No previous enrollment in a graduate or professional program
- Meet the academic and other criteria required for admission to program of study
- Demonstration of high academic achievement in an undergraduate program of study at the University of Kentucky
- Evidence of participation and leadership roles in university and community life during undergraduate study
To view this, and other fellowships on the University of Kentucky Graduate School Fellowship Portal, follow the link at the top of this page.
Cralle Foundation/Joan Cralle Day Fellowship
For First Year Graduate & Professional Students
Applications Open: Sunday, January 1, 2023
Application Deadline: Monday, April 3, 2023
Amount: $15,000, plus a tuition scholarship and student health plan enrollment (students in Professional programs will not receive tuition or health plan enrollment)
Endowed by a gift from the Cralle Foundation, named to honor Joan Cralle Day, the Cralle Foundation/Joan Cralle Day Fellowship is available for graduate or professional study at the University of Kentucky for an entering student who is a graduate of one of the 18 four-year independent colleges and universities in the Commonwealth affiliated with the Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities. The eligible independent institutions are: Alice Lloyd College, Asbury University, Bellarmine University, Berea College, Brescia University, Campbellsville University, Centre College, Georgetown College, Kentucky Christian University, Kentucky Wesleyan College, Lindsey Wilson College, Midway College, Spalding University, Thomas More University, Transylvania University, Union College, University of the Cumberlands, and University of Pikeville. Preference will be given to candidates graduating from Bellarmine University, Georgetown College, Lindsey Wilson College, or University of the Cumberlands. Candidates must be nominated by their baccalaureate institutions. Applicants will enter the name of the Chief Academic Officer (or equivelant) of their undergraduate institution and that individual will receive an email asking them to provide more information about the candidate.
Criteria for Eligibility:
- Senior at one of the 18 four-year independent colleges and universities in Kentucky, as listed above.
- Enrolling for their first term of study in the program in an upcoming summer session or the upcoming fall semester
- Undergraduate grade point average of 3.2 or above
Cralle Foundation/Joan Cralle Day Fellowship - DGS Nomination Form
To view this, and other fellowships on the University of Kentucky Graduate School Fellowship Portal, follow the link at the top of this page.
Note to baccalaureate institutions: Each baccalaureate institution may nominate no more than one incoming UK graduate student and one professional student each year. Please coordinate with the program DGS to submit nominations.
James Still Fellowship for Graduate Study in the Humanities and Social Sciences
For First Year Graduate Students
Applications Open: Sunday, January 1, 2023
Application Deadline: Wednesday, March 1, 2023
Amount: $15,000, plus a tuition scholarship and student health plan enrollment
Endowed by a gift from the Bingham Fund and named to honor author James Still, the James Still Fellowship is available for graduate study in the humanities and social sciences at the University of Kentucky for an entering graduate student who graduated from a high school in the Appalachian region. Eligible programs include: Accounting, Agricultural Economics, Anthropology, Art Education, Art History, Art Studio, Business Administration, Communication, Community & Leadership Development, Diplomacy, Economics, Curriculum & Instruction, Educational & Counseling Psychology, Special Education, English, Educational Policy Studies, Exercise Science, Family Studies, French, Gender & Women’s Studies, Geography, German, Health Administration, Hispanic Studies, Interior Design, Linguistics, Historic Preservation, History, Hospitality Management & Tourism, Library Science, Merchandising Apparel & Textiles, Modern & Classical Languages, Music, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Public Administration, Rehabilitation Counseling, Social Work, and Sociology. Non-traditional students and those with financial need (as demonstrated in the student statement) are encouraged to apply.
Criteria for Eligibility:
- Graduate from a high school in the Appalachian region (for a list of qualifying counties, please refer to the Appalachian Regional Commission website at https://www.arc.gov/counties
- Must be enrolling for their first term of study in the program in an upcoming summer session or the upcoming fall semester
- Undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 or above
- Graduate grade point average of 3.2 or above on any previous graduate work
To view this, and other fellowships on the University of Kentucky Graduate School Fellowship Portal, follow the link at the top of this page.
Note to Directors of Graduate Studies: Programs may submit two nominations for the James Still Fellowship.
Lexington Herald-Leader Fellowship
See eligible programs below
Applications Open: Monday, August 14, 2023
Application Deadline: Wednesday, October 18, 2023
Amount: $6000 stipend, plus a spring tuition scholarship and student health plan enrollment
Endowed by a gift from the Lexington Herald-Leader, this spring fellowship will support one currently enrolled or newly admitted student pursuing a graduate degree outside of the field of journalism (see eligible programs below). The aim of the fellowship is to retain excellent Kentucky students from minority and poverty backgrounds in the local community. The fellowship provides a $6,000 stipend, tuition scholarship for the upcoming spring term, and student health plan enrollment.
Criteria for Eligibility:
- Candidates for the Herald-Leader fellowship must be nominated by the program's director of graduate studies.
- Candidates may be enrolling for their first term of study in the program in an upcoming Fall Semester, or may be currently enrolled graduate students.
- Candidates must have an undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 or above.
- Candidates must have a graduate grade point average of 3.5 or above on any previous graduate work.
- Students whose most recent degree is from a college or university outside the U.S. are ineligible.
- Students applying to either master's or doctoral programs in the following programs are eligible: Accounting, Business Administration, Communication, Computer Science, Data Science, Diplomacy, Economics, Electrical Engineering, English, Family Science, Finance, History, Library Science, Manufacturing Systems Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Political Science, Public Administration, Sociology, and Spanish.
Lexington Herald-Leader Fellowship - DGS Nomination Form
To view this, and other fellowships on the University of Kentucky Graduate School Fellowship Portal, follow the link at the top of this page.
Note to Directors of Graduate Studies: Programs may submit two nominations for the Lexington Herald-Leader Fellowship.
Lexmark Fellowship
See eligible programs below
Applications Open: Monday, August 14, 2023
Application Deadline: Wednesday, October 18, 2023
Amount: $7500 stipend, plus a spring tuition scholarship, and student health plan enrollment
Endowed by the Lexmark Corporation, the Lexmark Graduate Fellowship is a $7,500 award designed to assist students who are pursuing graduate degrees in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or Computer Science. Preference shall be given to minorities and females so long as they remain disproportionately represented in the above disciplines. The fellowship carries a tuition scholarship for the upcoming spring term and student health plan enrollment.
Criteria for Eligibility:
- Candidates must be nominated by the program's director of graduate studies.
- Candidates may be enrolling for their first term of study or may be currently enrolled graduate students.
- Candidates must be pursuing a graduate degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or Computer Science.
- Candidates must have an undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 or above.
- Candidates must have a graduate grade point average of 3.5 or above on any previous graduate work.
- Awards will be made based on academic achievement.
- Preference shall be given to minorities and females so long as they remain under-represented in the above disciplines.
- New students applying to a program whose most recent degree is from a college or university outside of the U.S. are ineligible.
- All nominees must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the U.S.
Lexmark Fellowship - DGS Nomination Form
To view this, and other fellowships on the University of Kentucky Graduate School Fellowship Portal, follow the link at the top of this page.
Note to Directors of Graduate Studies: Programs may submit two nominations for the Lexmark Fellowship.
UK McNair Fellowship
For First Year Graduate Students
Applications Open: Sunday, January 1, 2023
Application Deadline: Wednesday, March 29, 2023
Amount: $15,000, plus a tuition scholarship and student health plan enrollment
The McNair Program was named in honor of Ronald E. McNair, the African-American astronaut who died in the 1986 explosion of the space shuttle Challenger. First-year UK graduate students from undergraduate universities and colleges who are participants in the McNair program are eligible to be nominated for this competitive fellowship.
Criteria for Eligibility:
- Undergraduate university or college participation in the McNair Scholarship Program
- Acceptance to the UK Graduate School—professional programs not eligible
- Enrolling for their first term of study in the program in a an upcoming summer session or the upcoming fall semester
- No previous graduate or professional degrees from UK
- Undergraduate grade point average of 3.2 or above
UK McNair Fellowship - DGS Nomination Form
To view this, and other fellowships on the University of Kentucky Graduate School Fellowship Portal, follow the link at the top of this page.
Note to Directors of Graduate Studies: Programs may submit two nominations for the McNair Fellowship.
Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati UK Alumni Club Fellowship
For First Year or Continuing Graduate Students
Applications Open: Sunday, January 1, 2023
Application Deadline: Wednesday, March 15, 2023
Amount: $5,000, plus a tuition scholarship for one term
Endowed by a gift from the Northern Kentucky Greater Cincinnati UK Alumni Club, this fellowship will be given to support a full-time, degree seeking graduate student who is a resident of Northern Kentucky (defined as residents of Boone, Campbell, Gallatin, Grant, and Kenton Counties) and considered an in-state resident by the University of Kentucky standards. The student may choose to receive the fellowship in the fall term or the spring term.
Criteria for Eligibility:
- Undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 or above
- Graduate grade point average of 3.2 or above on any previous graduate work
- Northern Kentucky residency as defined above (county residency will be determined by the high school from which the student is a graduate)
Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati UK Alumni Club Fellowship - DGS Nomination Form
To view this, and other fellowships on the University of Kentucky Graduate School Fellowship Portal, follow the link at the top of this page.
Note to Directors of Graduate Studies: Programs may submit two nominations for the Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati UK Alumni Club Fellowship.
Presidential Graduate Fellowship
For Currently Enrolled Graduate Students
Applications Open: Sunday, January 1, 2023
Application Deadline: Tuesday, January 24, 2023
Amount: $20,000, plus a tuition scholarship and student health plan enrollment
The Presidential Fellowship is available for a continuing student who demonstrates outstanding academic merit and research capabilities in their field of study. Students enrolling for their first term of study in the fall semester are not eligible for this fellowship.
Criteria for Eligibility:
- Currently enrolled in a UK graduate program
- Graduate grade point average of 3.7 or above for each institution at which you have been enrolled
Presidential Fellowship - DGS Nomination Form
To view this, and other fellowships on the University of Kentucky Graduate School Fellowship Portal, follow the link at the top of this page.
Note to Directors of Graduate Studies: Programs may submit two nominations for the Presidential Fellowship.
For First Year or Continuing Graduate Students, Doctoral Only
Thanks to a generous bequest from the estate of Max Steckler, the seven graduate programs below have funding available for awards in the amount of $3,000.00 or as determined by the program for doctoral students selected by the department. The programs are: Biomedical Engineering, Biochemistry, Business Administration, Chemistry, Economics, Mathematics, and Physics. Steckler Awards will be disbursed to the recipient’s student account as one lump sum payment.
Criteria for Eligibility:
- Must be in a participating PhD program, and in good standing
Lyman T. Johnson Diversity Fellowship
For First Year or Continuing Graduate Students
Applications Open: January 1, 2023
Application Deadlines: February 28, 2023 and March 30, 2023
Amount: $15,000. A standard graduate tuition scholarship (excludes all course, lab, instrument and distance learning fees). The student health plan (SHP) enrollment is provided for all recipients.
The University of Kentucky believes that recruiting and retaining a diverse student body is central to our success as an institution. Diversity may include race, color, ethnic origins, national origins, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, or physical or mental disability. Towards that goal, the Lyman T. Johnson (LTJ) Diversity Fellowship is available for students entering or enrolled in one of the many programs at the University of Kentucky Graduate School. Applicants must be nominated by their DGS (see below for the DGS Nomination Form). Awards are competitive, and we receive more applications than can be funded each year. The LTJ award does NOT provide funding May through August.
LTJ Fellowship awards are renewable for recipients who maintain a minimum 3.2 GPA. Master's students are eligible for two years of funding and doctoral students are eligible for three years of funding, based on availability of funds. An annual renewal application is not required.
Criteria for Eligibility:
New students must be admitted to both the Graduate School and an academic program and have an activated LinkBlue and UK email address before they can apply. Applications will be evaluated based on holistic, individualized assessment of each applicant in such areas as:
- Contributions to the University of Kentucky's compelling interest in diversity
- Leadership experience, extracurricular activities, awards and recognition, and/or community service
- Academic preparation and promise
- Letters of recommendation
Students must include in their online application for a new LTJ:
- A completed DGS Nomination Form.
- Undergraduate and Graduate (if applicable) GPAs.
- A copy of the unofficial transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended.
- A resume or Curriculum Vitae.
- A statement of how the student contributes to the diversity of their discipline and the University of Kentucky community.
- The names and emails of two individuals who can serve as references (References will receive an email from Blackbaud Award Management asking them to provide a letter in support of the student’s application).
- The name and email of the student’s Director of Graduate Studies. DGS’s will also receive an email from Blackbaud Award Management to provide a recommendation, which should include an assessment of the student's potential to succeed in their program and how the student contributes to the university's commitment to diversity.
If DGSs nominate multiple students for this fellowship, they may provide the fellowship committee with a ranking of their candidates. This information must be submitted by the application deadline to grad.fellowships@email.uky.edu, with a copy to Brady Stein (james.stein1@uky.edu).