The Amelia Earhart Fellowship, established by Zonta International in 1938, is a prestigious award that aims to support and encourage women pursuing Ph.D./doctoral degrees in aerospace engineering and space sciences.
Named after the pioneering aviator Zontian Amelia Earhart, this fellowship has been instrumental in advancing women’s representation in the aerospace industry for over eight decades.
Amelia Earhart Fellowship Overview
In an industry where women make up only about 25 percent of the workforce, the Amelia Earhart Fellowship plays a crucial role in Zonta International’s mission to ensure equal access to resources and decision-making positions for women.
The organization envisions a world where women’s rights are recognized as human rights, and every woman can achieve her full potential without fear of violence.
Benefits
The Amelia Earhart Fellowship offers a substantial financial award of US$10,000 to up to 30 women annually.
You can use this funding at any accredited university or college that offers postgraduate courses and degrees in aerospace engineering or space sciences.
Since its inception, the program has awarded 1,764 fellowships totaling more than US$11.9 million to 1,335 women from 79 countries.
The fellowship is made possible through generous contributions to the Zonta Foundation for Women Amelia Earhart Fellowship Fund.
Eligibility Criteria
- Be a woman of any nationality
- Pursue a Ph.D./doctoral degree in aerospace engineering or space sciences
- Demonstrate a superior academic record
- Applicants must be registered in a full-time Ph.D./doctoral program to be eligible
- Have completed at least one year of the program or hold a master’s degree in an aerospace-applied field
- Not graduate from their Ph.D. or doctoral program before April 2026
Note: All post doctoral research programs are not eligible for this fellowship. Additionally, Zonta International club members, direct members, employees, and their family members are not eligible to apply.
Application Process
- Interested candidates can apply through the official Zonta International AwardSpring portal: https://zontainternational.awardspring.com/
- The Zonta International Amelia Earhart Fellowship Committee carefully reviews all applications and recommends recipients to the Zonta International Board.
- Evaluations are based on the criteria stated in the application requirements, and all details of the evaluations remain confidential.
Official website: https://www.zonta.org/Web/Our_Programs/Education/Amelia_Earhart_Fellowship/Web/Programs/Education/Amelia_Earhart_Fellowship.aspx
Timeline
- Submit your application for the 2025 Amelia Earhart Fellowship by November 15, 2024.
- Applicants will receive a status notification by the end of April.
FAQs:
Q1: Can I apply if I’m in the first year of my Ph.D. program?
Yes, as long as you have completed at least one year of your program by the time of application submission.
Q2: Is the fellowship open to women of all nationalities?
Yes, women of any nationality are eligible to apply.
Q3: Can I use the fellowship for a post-doctoral research program?
No, post-doctoral research programs are not eligible for this fellowship.
Q4: If I’ve received the Amelia Earhart Fellowship before, can I apply again?
No, previous Amelia Earhart Fellows are not eligible to renew the fellowship for a second year.