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Graduate Student Fellowships

The Science and Scholarship Funding Committee is pleased to announce the Call 3 for the 2026 Graduate Fellowships. The fellowships – Armour and Women in Science support two outstanding Ph.D. students enrolled in a graduate program in Chicagoland who have completed their qualifying exams and whose research actively engages with the Field Museum’s scientific community.

A Museum sponsor must serve as member or chair on the applicant’s academic committee, and their research should rely heavily upon our Field Museum collections, facilities, and/or expertise.

To assist in preparing your application, we have included a proposal template to help structure your graduate fellowship application. We encourage all eligible Ph.D. candidates to apply and to take advantage of this one-year fellowship opportunity.

Key Dates & Submission Info

  • Submission deadline: February 27 2026.
  • Submission platform: Google Form

Funding Details

  • Number of Awards: Two fellowships, providing a $45,000 stipend plus moderate research funds.
  • Earliest Start Date: July 2026. 
  • Funding Period: Funds are available only between academic calendars during the 2026–2027 period.

What We’re Looking For

  • Outstanding Ph.D. candidates enrolled in a Chicagoland graduate program who have completed qualifying exams and are conducting research aligned with the Field Museum’s mission.
  • Research projects that make substantial use of the Field Museum’s collections, facilities, and scientific community, with clear scholarly and institutional impact.
  • Applicants who demonstrate strong independence, a clear research plan, and the potential to contribute meaningfully to publications, collections-based outputs, and the broader Field Museum research community.
  • Candidate’s Eligibility & Fellowship Terms:
    • United States citizenship or permanent resident status (with a valid SSN).
    • International graduate students may apply but must be enrolled at a U.S. institution in Chicagoland and have a valid Social Security number and an authorized I-20 form from their school prior to onboarding.
    • Previous Field Museum recipients are not eligible for a second graduate fellowship.
    • The awarded graduate fellows may not hold or accept teaching assistantships during the fellowship period.

  • Field Museum Sponsor’s Eligibility:
    • Must hold a full-time, regular staff position at the Field Museum (Postdoctoral Scientists and term Research Scientists are not eligible to serve as advisors).
    • Must be one of the following:
      • A Curator (any rank) or Adjunct Curator at the Field Museum
      • A faculty member at an accredited university with a graduate program
      • A scholar with at least five years of post-Ph.D. experience in a relevant field
    • Must have an active and strong record of peer-reviewed publications.
    • Prior experience advising or supervising graduate students is preferred.
    • Please note that a given Field Museum sponsor can support only one Graduate Student Fellowship application per cycle. 

Application Documents

Proposals must be submitted by the Ph.D. candidate and must include the following materials (items 1–5), submitted as a single PDF file, to be considered for funding:

  1. Proposal (maximum 2 pages): A proposal template is provided to help structure your ideas.
  2. Approved Thesis Proposal: A copy of the thesis proposal approved by the Ph.D. committee. 
  3. Curriculum Vitae (CV) or Résumé.
  4. CAT Communication: If the proposal requires use of Collections, include a brief letter or email copying all CAT members confirming their awareness and approval of the proposed project. Sponsors are responsible for notifying the relevant CAT of the research plans and sharing this confirmation with the applicant.
  5. Museum Facilities Approval Communication: If your proposal includes use of Field Museum laboratories (e.g., Grainger Bioinformatics Center, Pritzker DNA Lab, Negaunee Integrative Research Center Core Labs, or other specialized resources), include approval from the appropriate facility manager confirming feasibility of the work, budget alignment, and permissions and logistics. Sponsors are responsible for notifying the relevant facility manager and sharing this confirmation with the applicant. 

Letters of Endorsement and Recommendation

Candidates are responsible for contacting their letter writers directly. Please share the designated submission link with your Field Museum Sponsor and external referee to ensure timely submission. All letters must be received by February 27, 2026. Applications missing any required letters will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed. Letters must be submitted through the official submission link; emailed or hard copy letters will not be accepted.

  • Letter of Endorsement from Field Museum Sponsor: The letter must confirm the sponsor’s role on the applicant’s academic committee, verify the applicant’s academic status, and describe their commitment to support and collaborate on the proposed project. It should briefly explain how the project aligns with the Field Museum’s research priorities and outline the sponsor’s role during the one-year fellowship. Only one endorsement letter per sponsor is permitted per application cycle.
  • One External Letter of Recommendation: The applicant must request one letter from an external referee (not affiliated with the Field Museum) who can speak to the applicant’s qualifications, research potential, and readiness for an independent research fellowship.

If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to scholarship@fieldmuseum.org. We look forward to seeing your exciting proposals!