Zonta International Amelia Earhart Fellowship
Zonta International
Up to 30 fellowships of US$12,000 a year for women of any nationality in a full-time PhD doing research applied to aerospace engineering or space sciences. The 2027 round closes 15 November 2026.
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Eligibility
- Who can apply
- All nationalities
- Education required
- Bachelors completed
- Open to
- Women only
- Fields
- Engineering, Natural sciences
- Language
- All non-English documents must be translated into English to be considered
- Also required
- Women of any nationality
- Registered in a full-time PhD/doctoral programme and have completed at least one year of it, or hold a master's degree in an aerospace-applied field at the time of application
- Research must be applied to aerospace engineering or space sciences
- Must be registered in a full-time PhD/doctoral programme by 15 November 2026 and must not graduate before April 2028
- Post-doctoral research programmes are not eligible
- Zonta club members, direct members and employees of Zonta International or the Zonta Foundation for Women may not apply
About this opportunity
The Amelia Earhart Fellowship is a women-only award from Zonta International, established in 1938 in honour of the aviator and Zonta club member Amelia Earhart. Each year up to 30 Fellows receive US$12,000 to support doctoral study, and the page states the Fellowship "may be used at any university or college offering accredited post-graduate courses and degrees" in aerospace engineering or space sciences. Women of any nationality are eligible, so African and Ghanaian doctoral researchers can apply on the same terms as everyone else; the 2026 cohort listed by Zonta includes a Fellow from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
To apply you must already be registered in a full-time PhD or doctoral programme and have completed at least one year of it, or hold a master's degree in an aerospace-applied field at the time you apply. You must be registered full time by 15 November 2026 and must not graduate before April 2028. Post-doctoral research programmes are not eligible, and previous Amelia Earhart Fellows cannot apply for a second year.
The application runs through Zonta's AwardSpring portal and asks for biographical information, plans for intended study, official transcripts from every institution attended (translated into English where needed), a list of up to five publications, employment history, a 500-word essay on your research programme and professional goals, three recommendations from university professors or supervisors, and a verification-of-enrolment form. At least one referee must be able to describe how your research applies to aerospace engineering or space science, and your thesis supervisor and a university professor must each be one of the three referees. Fellows are notified by the end of April 2027 and the US$12,000 is paid in September-October; it may be spent on tuition, books and fees, or living expenses such as room, board or travel.
- Level
- PhD
- Where
- Multiple countries
- Duration
- One year; not renewable (previous Amelia Earhart Fellows may not apply for a second year)
- Number of awards
- Up to 30 per year
- Difficulty
- High · about 8 weeks to prepare
Funding
Partially funded
- tuition
- books
- stipend
- accommodation
- travel
US$12,000, paid September-October. The Fellowship may be used for tuition, books and fees, or living expenses (room, board or travel). Recipients may not defer the Fellowship, but may accept additional grants and scholarships from other sources.
What you will need
- Academic transcripts
- Reference letters (3)
- Essays
- Publications
- CV / résumé
- Other documents
Biographical information; plans for intended study; official transcripts (in colour, scanned, with English translations where applicable) from every institution attended; list of scholarships and honours; up to five previous publications cited (not attached); employment history; a 500-word essay on the research programme and professional goals; three recommendations from university professors or supervisors, limited to 500 words and one page each on letterhead; and a Zonta International Verification of Current Enrollment form or an official registrar statement (acceptance letters are not accepted).
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