Top 23 American Studies Scholarships in December 2023

Easy scholarship open to all high school and college students, as well as anyone looking to attend college or graduate school in the next year. Niche is giving one student $50,000 to help pay for tuition, housing, books and other college expenses — no essay required!

Sallie Mae will award $2,000 each month to eligible entrants. No essay or account sign-ups, just a simple scholarship for those seeking help paying for school.

Open to high school students, college students, community college students, and graduate students.

The King Olav V Norwegian-American Heritage Scholarship aims to fund activities in which the American and Norwegian heritages are explored, studied, and shared by qualified scholarship recipients. Applicants may be any American citizen, age 17 or older, who has demonstrated a keen and sincere interest in Norwegian heritage and/or any Norwegian citizen, age 17 or older, who has demonstrated an interest in American heritage. American graduate or undergraduate students who can provide proof of enrollment in an accredited educational institution in Norway or a Scandinavian Studies program in the United States, as well as Norwegian graduate or undergraduate students who can provide proof of enrollment in an accredited educational institution in the United States, are eligible to apply. To apply, students must submit a short autobiography, in addition to an ~500-word essay.

Discover the Willi Paul Adams Award, a prestigious biennial scholarship presented by the Organization of American Historians. This award recognizes the best book on American history published in a language other than English. Eligible books should focus on the past or issues of continuity and change, with a substantial emphasis on events or processes that occurred in the American colonies and/or the United States. Comparative and international studies are also welcome. Authors of eligible books are invited to nominate their work, with entries published between January 1st of the year two years prior to the deadline, and December 31st of the year prior to the deadline. Submit three copies of the essay and book, labeled "[Scholarship Year] OAH Willi Paul Adams Award Entry," to the awarding committee. Electronic page proofs are also accepted as a placeholder. Don't miss this opportunity to showcase your work and win this prestigious award!

The New England Regional Fellowship Consortium, a collaboration of 31 major cultural agencies, will offer at least two dozen awards in the current application cycle. Each grant will provide a stipend of $5,000 for a minimum of eight weeks of research at participating institutions. Awards are open to U.S. citizens and foreign nationals who hold the necessary U.S. government documents. Grants are designed to encourage projects that draw on the resources of several agencies. NERFC grants support work in a broad array of fields, including but not limited to: history, literature, art history, African American studies, American studies, women's and gender studies, anthropology, sociology, philosophy, religious studies, environmental studies, oceanography, and the histories of law, medicine, and technology. If you have an interest in conducting research in any of these fields, we encourage you to apply!

The We The Future Contest is an amazing opportunity for anyone from elementary school students, to college students, to graduate students, teachers, and even senior citizens to earn money for their knowledge about the Constitution. The Contest offers scholarships of varying amounts to students of different levels (from elementary to college/university level/category, and even graduate and senior adult levels). Depending on their category, applicants will have the choice to submit an essay, short film, social media video, song, PSA, or even a STEM project about the Constitution. To find out which you can submit for, we recommend checking out the different categories on Constituting America's website. If you have a passion for the U.S. Constitution, we encourage you to apply! Keep on reading to learn more.

This John Higham Research Fellowship is open to all graduate students writing doctoral dissertations for a Ph.D. in American history. Applicants pursuing research in those fields most congenial to the research and writing interests of John Higham will receive special consideration. These topics include U.S. social and intellectual history broadly considered, with preference given to research projects on American immigration and ethnic history as well as American historiography, and the cultural history of the nineteenth-century U.S. If you're a graduate student writing a doctoral dissertation related to American history, especially as it relates to the research of John Higham, we encourage you to apply! Keep on reading to learn more.

The Fulbright Distinguished Chair in Applied Public Policy (Democratic Resilience) is funded by Flinders University and designed to increase awareness of the field of applied public policy in Australia. In addition, it's meant to promote comparative and collaborative research between Australia and the United States in the field of applied public policy, especially as it relates to enhancing democratic resilience. The scholarship committee is looking for research that contributes to an advancement in the understanding of the use and regulation of emerging technology for positive social impact. This may include the way that technological changes can shape policy, laws, and political behaviors to enhance national security, governance of society, and democracy. Alternatively, it may address the risks of such technological changes. For more information on how to apply, keep on reading!

The "Fulbright Postdoctoral Award in the Social Sciences" is open to Ph.D. and Terminal Degree holders interested in both conducting research and teaching courses in the social sciences at Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales (EHESS) in Paris, France. Cognitive science is also an eligible discipline. The selected recipient will serve as Chair for a duration of 9 to 12 months. To apply, interested individuals should contact the institution to receive a required letter of invitation. If you're a U.S. scholar interested in studying the social sciences or cognitive science at Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales (EHESS), we encourage you to apply! Keep on reading to learn more.

The Fulbright Postdoctoral Scholarship in Multiple Disciplines (The University of Newcastle) allows postdoctoral candidates to undertake research of importance to the University of Newcastle in New South Wales, Australia. The development of research within the University of Newcastle's four engagement priorities is important to the bilateral relationship between the United States and Australia. This award will provide scholars with an opportunity to contribute to this relationship, and the nominated area of priority that is relevant to the future of the world. Chemistry, Gender Studies, Geology, Neuroscience, Pharmacology, and Physics are among the many eligible disciplines (see full list below). To apply, interested applicants must contact the university to obtain the required letter of invitation, and have completed their Ph.D. within the last five years. If you're a Ph.D. or Terminal Degree holder interested in conducting research at The University of New Castle, we encourage you to apply! Keep on reading to learn more.

The "Fulbright-Oxford-Pembroke Distinguished Scholar" award is open to Ph.D. and Terminal Degree holders interested in both conducting research and teaching courses in any discipline related to politics and/or international relations at the University of Oxford in England. Selected scholars are expected to contribute to the intellectual life of the college through seminars, public lectures, and curriculum development. During their three-month award, the Fulbright Visiting Professor will be expected to design a one-term (8-week) program of academic activities to continue the legacy of Senator Fulbright's commitment to internationalism in relationships between nations and their diplomacy in bringing together individuals across the globe. Applicants must currently hold the title of senior Associate or Full Professor. If you're a scholar interested in studying politics/international relations at the University of Oxford, we encourage you to apply! Keep on reading to learn more.

The "Fulbright-Scotland Distinguished Scholar at the Glasgow School of Art" Award is open to artists and academics interested in conducting projects (including artistic ones) and teaching courses in select arts, humanities, and social science fields at the Glasgow School of Art in Scotland. The selected scholar will be expected to contribute to the intellectual life of the university through seminars, public lectures, and curriculum development in any discipline within the institution for six months. To apply, interested individuals must submit a Project Statement, a CV or Resume, and two Letters of Recommendation. Keep on reading for more information!

The "Fulbright-Uppsala University Distinguished Scholar Award in American Studies" is open to Ph.D. and Terminal Degree holders interested in both conducting research and teaching courses in American Studies at Swedish universities. The selected Scholar will be required to teach one introductory course for undergraduates, as well as a more specialized course for senior or graduate students (or both) in the grantee's area of expertise at the Swedish Institute for North American Studies (SINAS), Department of English at Uppsala University. The scholars will also give an inaugural lecture during the year, and will be encouraged to give lectures at other Swedish universities and outside Sweden. As for research, the scholar can participate in collaborative research with the department faculty or conduct their own project. If you're a doctorate or terminal degree holder wanting to teach in Sweden, we encourage you to apply! Keep on reading to learn more.

The "Laszlo Orszagh Distinguished Award in American Studies" is open to Ph.D. and Terminal Degree holders interested in teaching post-secondary courses and assisting in curriculum development at Hungarian universities. Associate and full professors with at least ten years of graduate teaching experience will be given preference. Applications will be accepted from any discipline, so long as they relate to American studies. Selected scholars must agree to teach one lecture or seminar course per semester at the undergraduate and/or graduate levels. Additional activities may include advising students, overseeing student research and thesis work, participating in research projects, doing local outreach, or giving talk(s) at the American Corners in Hungary and select Hungarian universities. Interested students must submit a Project Statement, a CV or Resume, and two Letters of Recommendation to apply. For more information on the scholarship, keep on reading!

The "Postdoctoral Research Award" is open to Ph.D. and Terminal Degree holders interested in carrying out a research, professional, or artistic project at a Canadian university. Eligible topics for projects include environmental studies, Black history in North America, and Indigenous studies. Selected recipients can choose to conduct a research project designated by the host institution, conduct a research project of their choosing, or conduct a professional and/or artistic project. They can also propose any of the listed activities. A list of eligible universities in Canada is available on the scholarship's website. While letters of invitation are optional, applicants are encouraged to contact their preferred host institution to discuss research interests. Interested scholars must submit a Project Statement, a CV or Resume, and two Letters of Recommendation to apply. For more information on the scholarship, keep on reading!

The "Postdoctoral Scholar Award" is open to Ph.D. and Terminal Degree holders interested in both conducting research and assisting faculty and students in the arts, education, humanities, geology, or the social sciences at Taiwanese universities. As part of the research requirement, selected scholars may expect to collaborate with Taiwanese faculty, and present lectures, seminars, and workshops as arranged by the host institution. To apply, interested students should obtain a letter of invitation from their potential host institution. Applicants without an invitation letter may indicate preferred affiliations, but Fulbright Taiwan will arrange and finalize all affiliations in consultation with potential hosts. If you're a doctorate or terminal degree holder wanting to work at an educational institution in Taiwan, we encourage you to apply! Keep on reading to learn more.

The "Fulbright Bicentennial Chair in American Studies" award is open to Ph.D. and Terminal Degree holders interested in both conducting research and teaching courses in American Studies at universities throughout Finland. Selected scholars will be required to teach one survey course per semester to third-year Bachelor's students, as well as teach one seminar per semester in their area of expertise to master's level students. Scholars will also be invited to participate in the program's Ph.D. seminar and in the development of the North American Studies program in general, be encouraged to give occasional guest lectures at other Finnish universities, and be invited to participate in Fulbright Finland Foundation activities as an application reviewer and interviewer. To apply, submit a Project Statement, a CV or Resume, and two Letters of Recommendation. To learn more about the scholarship, keep on reading!

The "Distinguished Scholar in Humanities and Social Sciences at Adam Mickiewicz University" award is open to Ph.D. and Terminal Degree holders looking to conduct research and teach courses at the Faculty of English at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poland. Selected scholars will be expected to teach one regular course for undergraduate or graduate students in one of the humanities and social sciences, as well as engage in research/scholarly activities at the institution. This may include giving talks, running workshops, and being available to meet with the researchers for consultation and mentoring. This award is intended for eminent scholars with an excellent record of publications in their respective (humanities and social science) fields, significant teaching experience, and experience mentoring Ph.D. students. To apply, submit a Project Statement, a CV or Resume, and two Letters of Recommendation. For more information on the scholarship, keep on reading!