Graduate Student Fellowships

The Science and Scholarship Funding Committee at the Field Museum offers two annual graduate fellowships - Armour and Women in Science - to support outstanding Ph.D. students enrolled in graduate programs in Chicagoland who have completed their qualifying exams. These one-year fellowships provide $45,000 stipends plus moderate research funds to support doctoral research that actively engages with the Field Museum's scientific community. The fellowships are designed for Ph.D. candidates whose research relies heavily upon the Field Museum's collections, facilities, and/or expertise. A Museum sponsor must serve as a member or chair on the applicant's academic committee. The program seeks candidates 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. The fellowship period runs between academic calendars during a single academic year, with the earliest start date in July. Recipients may not hold or accept teaching assistantships during the fellowship period. The program requires U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status, though international graduate students enrolled at U.S. institutions in Chicagoland may apply if they have a valid Social Security number and authorized I-20 form. Previous Field Museum fellowship recipients are not eligible for a second graduate fellowship.