Supporting Women in PhD Programs: Scholarships and Resources to Optimize Success
Don’t let financial barriers hinder your academic potential. This guide highlights the best scholarships, financial aid, and resources available to women pursuing PhDs. Keep reading to explore your options and take the next step toward your doctorate.
Although women are joining the ranks of the country’s most educated, they remain underrepresented in several PhD fields.
Prestige segregation, the phenomenon where prestigious professions or programs disproportionately favor certain demographics, is especially visible in academia.
According to Inside Higher ED, mathematics is the most segregated field, with a male over-representation factor of 1.5 and a 6% male advantage in elite programs.
Math is just one example of fields with structural barriers limiting women’s access to top doctoral programs. To create equity, these fields must first be identified, and then targeted opportunities developed to bridge the gaps. This guide focuses on those opportunities: scholarships, grants, and resources that help women succeed in their PhD journeys.
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Scholarships for Women: Funding Your PhD
Pursuing a PhD can cost close to $100,000, making out-of-pocket funding unrealistic for most students. Scholarships play a crucial role in making advanced education attainable — especially for women balancing careers, family, or caregiving responsibilities.
According to The Conversation, many women pursuing doctorates are also mothers or primary earners, which makes financial support critical to academic success. The following scholarships can help women reduce financial stress and stay focused on achieving their degrees.
AAUW American Fellowships
- Amount: $25,000
- For women completing full-time postdoctoral research, dissertations, or publication projects. Open only to graduate-level degrees.
AAUW Short-Term Research Publication Grant
- Amount: $8,000
- Supports women conducting research in medicine, engineering, or the physical/biological sciences. Must have a 3.2 GPA or higher.
AWIS Distinguished Doctoral Research Scholarship
- Amount: $10,000
- Funds dissertation projects with potential for major impact. Applicants must be members of the Association for Women in Science (AWIS).
Bank of America Merrill Lynch Diversity Fellowship
- Amount: $40,000
- For women, LGBTQIA+, or BIPOC MBA students—especially in investment banking or finance.
BHW Women in STEM Academic Scholarship
- Amount: $3,000
- For women pursuing STEM degrees at the undergraduate or graduate level.
Chicana Latina Foundation Scholarship Program
- Amount: $1,500
- Supports Latina students in graduate or professional programs with a 2.7 GPA or higher.
Chronic Boss Scholarship
- Amount: $1,000
- For women who have overcome significant personal challenges while pursuing higher education.
Chrysalis Scholarship
- Amount: $2,000
- For geoscientist mothers returning to graduate school after interruptions due to family responsibilities.
Dr. Jade Education Scholarship
- Amount: $500
- For African American women attending graduate school while working full-time.
Eitel Scholarship
- Amount: $500
- For women attending Baptist colleges, awarded based on need and ambition.
Erin Aaberg Givans Memorial Scholarship
- Amount: $2,500-$5,000
- For women pursuing MPA, public policy, or public health master’s degrees at a California university with a 3.0 GPA or higher.
Congressional Fellowships on Women & Public Policy
- Amount: $3,500/month
- For graduate women interested in advocacy and public policy. Must have completed at least 12 graduate credits.
Gertrude M. Cox Scholarship
- Amount: $1,000
- For women in graduate-level statistics programs. Open to U.S. and Canadian citizens or residents.
Graduate Women in Science National Fellowship Program
- Amount: $7,500
- For women pursuing natural or social science careers, including hypothesis-driven research in the U.S. or abroad.
Graduate Women International
- Amount: Various
- For women worldwide seeking PhD funding opportunities.
Ida Foreman Fleisher Fund
- Amount: $2,000-$8,000
- For women (preferably Jewish) from the Philadelphia, New Jersey, or Delaware area pursuing graduate degrees.
INSEAD Women’s Scholarship
- Amount: About $10,500
- For international women pursuing MBAs in finance at INSEAD Business School.
Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarship
- Amount: $5,000
- For women studying business management at the undergraduate or master’s level.
APA Judith McManus Price Scholarship
- Amount: $5,000
- For minority women pursuing graduate degrees in urban planning with demonstrated financial need.
Laurels Fund
- Amount: Up to $3,000
- For women pursuing PhDs in accounting, based on merit, research, and financial need.
Microsoft Research Graduate Women’s Scholarship
- Amount: $25,000
- For women in their fourth year or later of PhD study at a U.S. or Canadian university. Research must align with Microsoft focus areas.
National Women’s Studies Association Graduate Scholarship
- Amount: $1,000
- For graduate women completing a thesis or dissertation in women’s studies that advances NWSA’s mission.
Paybotic Women in Finance and Technology Scholarship
- Amount: $2,500
- For women pursuing STEM or finance-related degrees.
PEO PCE Program for Continuing Education
- Amount: Up to $4,000
- One-time grant for U.S. or Canadian women pursuing graduate degrees. Requires PEO member nomination.
PEO Scholar Awards
- Amount: Up to $25,000
- For women within two years of completing a doctoral degree, nominated by a local PEO chapter.
Society of Women Engineers Scholarship
- Amount: Various
- For women studying engineering, technology, or computer science at the graduate level.
Taylor Coleman’s “More than a Conqueror” Scholarship Award
- Amount: $500
- For women in health sciences, science, or creative arts diagnosed with autoimmune diseases.
How to Find & Apply for PhD Scholarships
Finding the right scholarships requires strategy, persistence, and attention to detail. Follow these steps to strengthen your search and application process.
Researching Scholarships & Funding Options
- Start early and use multiple sources. Some applications require essays or recommendations with specific formats.
- Check your university or department first. They often know of niche opportunities or can help with your application.
- Use online scholarship databases. Search by field, degree level, and demographic to filter the best matches.
- Refine your keywords. When searching, include both your field (e.g., “psychology PhD scholarships”) and identity (e.g., “for women”).
Preparing Your Application
- Follow all guidelines carefully. Missing even one requirement may disqualify you.
- Customize each application. Highlight the skills and experiences most relevant to that award.
- Showcase achievements and leadership. Emphasize what makes you stand out academically or personally.
- Secure strong recommendations. Choose mentors or professors familiar with your work and potential.
Maximize Your Chances
- Apply widely. The more you apply, the better your odds—some students win multiple awards.
- Focus on quality. Review and edit your applications to ensure clarity and professionalism.
- Demonstrate passion. Convey enthusiasm and commitment to your field.
- Leverage your network. Faculty, peers, and professionals can alert you to opportunities or provide guidance.
- Seek feedback. Have mentors review your materials before submission.
Resources for Female Ph.D. Students
Access to high-quality resources can make or break your scholarship search. Below are trusted blogs, podcasts, websites, books, and organizations designed to support women in graduate education.
Blogs
- Personal Finance for PhDs: Created by Emily Roberts, PhD, this blog empowers early-career PhDs to manage money wisely and includes tax tips and a podcast.
- The Pretty PhD: A lifestyle and STEM blog by Allie, PhD in Toxicology, featuring free budgeting tools and advice for women in science.
- Student Debt Warriors: Offers candid financial advice from a college grad navigating student loan repayment.
- The Thesis Whisperer: By Professor Inger Mewburn, this blog supports graduate students with research and writing advice.
Podcasts
- BiggerPockets Money Podcast: Financial strategies from real estate investors with unconventional saving and investing insights.
- Personal Finance for PhDs: Hosted by Emily Roberts, PhD, focusing on the unique financial challenges of graduate students.
- Planet Money: NPR’s podcast explaining the economy in an engaging, accessible way for students and professionals alike.
Websites
- Cait Flanders: Chronicles a “shopping ban” journey and offers debt repayment strategies.
- Federal Student Aid: The U.S. Department of Education’s portal for loans, grants, and FAFSA information.
- Investopedia: Financial education for all levels, including investing, saving, and budgeting.
- Mad Fientist: Focused on achieving financial independence through saving, investing, and early retirement.
- Nerdwallet: Practical guides for paying off loans, financing grad school, and managing money.
Books
- Getting What You Came For: The Smart Student’s Guide to Earning a Master’s or a Ph.D.: Tips for applying, finding funding, and finishing your degree efficiently.
- Why Didn’t They Teach Me This in School?: 99 Personal Money Management Principles to Live By: Financial literacy for young professionals and students.
Organizations
- Scholarship America: Offers extensive scholarship listings and financial aid resources for all education levels.
- Scholly: A mobile app that simplifies scholarship searches and application tracking.
- Unigo: Helps students at all levels find scholarships, grants, and funding opportunities.
Interview with a (Female) Ph.D. Funding Expert
We sat down with Dr. Jolie, a three-time tenured California State University Professor to ask for her input on funding a PhD. Here is what she had to say:
What factors do scholarship and grant committees usually consider when awarding financial aid to Ph.D. students?
Committees consider many things. Some of the top categories are potential for success, forward momentum, and promise.
What are some tips for preparing a strong grant proposal or research project proposal to secure funding for Ph.D. research?
Applicants should select research that is not only relevant and problem-solving but also that will center the researcher as the expert in the field five years down the road. Address the assumptions.
Are there any unconventional or lesser-known sources of financial aid and scholarships for women that a student should consider when looking for funding for Ph.D. studies?
Yes, there is discipline-specific funding. For example, there is a demand for women in the business PhD fields (e.g., business, marketing, etc.). There are even fully funded opportunities for women and minorities in some of those areas. Look for forgivable loans: a promise to work in the industry at the institution UC/CSU for a minimum number of years and the loan is forgiven.
What are some tips for networking with other Ph.D. students and professionals to learn about potential scholarship and funding opportunities?
Ask questions and join discipline-specific research forums and discussions. Ask a lot of questions!
How can students negotiate for additional financial support if a scholarship or grant does not cover all academic or personal expenses?
Graduate assistantships often exist for students to conduct research with professors in their discipline for pay.
Are there any scholarships or funding opportunities specifically targeted toward women from underrepresented or marginalized groups in academia?
Yes of course, mostly discipline-specific and in areas where women are in demand.
Can you recommend any strategies for reducing the overall cost of pursuing a Ph.D., such as seeking out low-cost or free research materials or travel options?
It is never only about where you go; it’s about where you go and who will support you academically, mentally, and financially. Select a program and campus that offers support, forgivable loans, and graduate assistantships.