The GSAO compiles and updates this list annually. Please email the History of Art Graduate Advisor at rfahgradadvising@berkeley.edu to note any errors or broken links.
Dissertation Grants - Offered internally to UC Berkeley |
Description |
Deadline/Notes |
| Doctoral Completion Fellowship (DCF) | Automatically awarded to students who pass the Ph.D. oral qualifying exam and advance to candidacy by the end of their sixth semester. Provides two semesters of support. | No application; see GSAO |
| U.C. Dissertation-Year Fellowship | For doctoral students finishing their dissertations and who demonstrate potential for university teaching. U.S. citizens/permanent residents only. Department nominates one student. $30,000 stipend, in-state fees, $6,000 bonus for early filing. | Applications requested in early spring |
| Townsend Dissertation Fellowship | Awarded to students with projects significantly involving humanistic material or problems bearing on the humanities. Open to students advanced to candidacy. | Early-December deadline |
| Mentored Research Award | For early dissertation research. Must enhance departmental diversity. Department nominates one to two students. $30,000 stipend, in-state fees, $6,000 summer stipend. |
Applications requested in early spring |
Dissertation Grants - Offered externally but Require Departmental Nomination |
Description |
Deadline/Notes |
| CASVA Fellowships | Predoctoral dissertation fellowships support graduate research in the history, theory, and criticism of the visual arts. 10 distinct fellowships with specific requirements and intents, and most fellowships include a one-year residency at the Center. All predoctoral fellowships support the completion of a doctoral dissertation as well as research travel. | Applications requested in early September |
| Dedalus Foundation Dissertation Fellowship | The Dedalus Foundation Dissertation Fellowship is awarded annually to a PhD candidate at a university in the United States who is working on a dissertation related to painting, sculpture and allied arts from the twentieth century. The fellowship carries a stipend of $25,000. | Applications requested in early September |
| Graham Foundation: Carter Manny Award | Established in 1996 by the Graham Foundation, the Carter Manny Award supports the completion of outstanding doctoral dissertations on architecture and its role in the arts, culture, and society. | Applications requested in early September |
| Kress Institutional Fellowship | Advanced training in European art history requires direct exposure to the object of study, prolonged access to key information resources such as libraries and photographic archives, the development of professional relationships with colleagues abroad, and sustained immersion in European cultures. These related needs are often best satisfied by extended engagement with a European art research center. The Kress History of Art Institutional Fellowships are intended to provide promising emerging art historians with the opportunity to experience just this kind of immersion. |
Applications requested in early September. Note that this fellowship is now awarded every other year. |
Dissertation Grants - Offered Externally |
Description |
Deadline/Notes |
| Charlotte Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellowships | 12 months of support for dissertation research/writing on ethical or religious values. | Deadline: Nov. 1 annually |
| Mabelle McLeod Lewis Fellowships | For advanced doctoral candidates in the humanities. Supports dissertation completion. | Deadline: mid-January annually |
| Dolores Zohrab Liebmann Fellowship | For U.S. citizens with financial need and academic excellence. Includes tuition and living stipend of 18K. Open to students "in any recognized field of study in the humanities, social sciences or natural sciences." | See website for deadline |
| AAUW Fellowships | Supports women completing dissertations or career development. Open to all fields. | Annual Deadline of September 30. |
| Gaius Charles Bolin Dissertation Fellowships | In-residence fellowship at Williams College for underrepresented students completing dissertations. | November 15, 2025, 11:59 pm ET |
| Winterthur Dissertation Fellowships | Supports doctoral candidates conducting humanities-based research in material culture. Four-to-eight-month term. $2,500/month stipend. | See website for deadline |
| Women's Studies Dissertation Fellowship (Institute for Citizens & Scholars) | National fellowship for research on women, gender, and sexuality. | See website for deadline |
| Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Innovation Fellowship | Supports early-stage dissertation research with a $42,000 stipend, up to $8,000 for research/travel/training, and $2,000 for mentorship. | Deadline: October 29, 2025, 9:00 PM EDT |
| Luce/ACLS Dissertation Fellowships in American Art | Supports U.S. art history dissertation research with a $38,000 stipend plus up to $4,500 for travel/research. | Deadline: October 29, 2025, 9:00 PM EDT |
| Mellon Mays Dissertation Grants (Citizens & Scholars) | Supports Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship (MMUF) alumni who are completing their doctoral dissertations in the humanities and related fields. | See Citizens & Scholars site for deadlines |
| Thoma Art of the Spanish Americas Curatorial Fellowship | The Carl & Marilynn Thoma Foundation offers predoctoral and postdoctoral fellowships annually in support of projects and research initiatives that will advance the study of the art of the Spanish Americas. The Marilynn Thoma Fellowship is the only unrestricted research funding in the United States devoted exclusively to the field of art of the Spanish Americas. Scholars may come from any discipline, but all projects must relate to the study of art and art history. Exceptionally accomplished scholars holding an MA may also apply. International scholars, particularly from Latin America, are strongly encouraged to apply. | December 15 |
| Japan Foundation Japanese Studies Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship Center for Japanese Studies Award | Programs in this field aim to encourage a greater understanding of Japan thorough supporting and promoting Japanese studies overseas. The Japan Foundation promotes dialogue about international common issues and develops human resources who play key roles in future dialogue and exchange initiatives. | See website for deadline |
| Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program, Spain | Fulbright Spain's Open Study/Research awards are available to applicants from all academic disciplines. These awards aim to foster cultural, educational, and scientific exchange between the United States and Spain, providing grantees with opportunities for ongoing research collaboration. | Spring |
| Taiwan Governmental fellowship | The goal is to support the socio-economic growth of partner countries through the cultivation of highly talented individuals. This program also enhances the internationalization of Taiwan's universities and expands Taiwanese youth's global perspective. | March 15 |
| Simon Keay Fellow the British School in Rome | Rome Fellowships (for nine months) and Rome Awards (for three months): These fellowships are normally offered to early career scholars and are for research on any aspect of the social, religious, political and economic cultures of the Italian peninsula and their wider textual, visual, and material dissemination from early prehistory to the modern period. Candidates may apply for both nine-month and three-month opportunities, but must submit a separate application for each. | December 2 |
| Smithsonian American Art Museum Fellowships | Scholars from any discipline whose research engages the art, craft, and visual culture of the United States are encouraged to apply, as are those who foreground new perspectives, materials, and methodologies. | October 15 |
| Tyson Scholar of American Art, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art | The Tyson Scholars of American Art program is a residential research and writing-focused fellowship for interdisciplinary scholars expanding the boundaries of investigation into American art from any time period. | Mid December |
| American Institute of Indian Studies Dissertation Fellowship | Junior Research Fellowships are available to doctoral candidates at U.S. universities in all fields of study. These grants are specifically designed to enable doctoral candidates to pursue their dissertation research in India. | December 15 |
| Gettty Pre-doctoral Fellowships | Getty Pre- and Postdoctoral Fellowships are intended for emerging researchers to complete work on projects related to the Scholars Program’s annual theme. | October 1 |
| German Academic Exchange Service | DAAD scholarships are aimed primarily at graduates, doctoral students and postdocs and are awarded for study and research visits to universities and non-university research institutions in Germany. | See website for deadline |
| Metropolitan Museuam of Art Fellowships | Join a community of scholars from various disciplines, backgrounds, perspectives, and training. Their individual interests and research, requiring close study of objects, collectively activates and uplifts 5,000 years of human creativity represented in The Met collection. | Mid October |
| Menil Drawing Institute Pre-Doctoral Fellowship | Applications are welcome from American and international researchers pursuing a doctorate in art history whose work pertains to the study of modern and contemporary drawing practices or adopts a transhistorical approach to the medium of drawing. | December 15 |
| Forsyth Visiting Graduate Student Fellowship | The Forsyth Visiting Graduate Student Fellowship received a $2.5 million endowment from Ilene Forsyth in 2021. This fellowship provides up to three Master's and PhD students, located at any university in the world, financial support to join our Tappan community for an academic year of study, writing, and interaction. Our cohort members will each receive a stipend equivalent to the current GSI rate for the academic year (roughly September 1 to April 30). | Nov 1 |
| Japan Society for the Promotion of Science | Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) provides opportunities for pre-/post-doctoral researchers from abroad to engage in cooperative research under the guidance of their hosts with leading research groups in universities and other Japanese institutions. | |
Travel Grants, Small Grants - Offered at UC Berkeley |
Description |
Deadline/Notes |
| Conference Travel Grants | For M.A./M.S. and doctoral students attending professional conferences. Awards vary by location: up to $600 in California, $900 in North America, $1,500 internationally. M.A. students get 1 grant, doctoral students get 2 during their academic careers. Includes FAQ(link is external). | Rolling; see Graduate Division page |
| Graduate Student Parent Grant | For graduate student parents with financial need. Up to $11,000 annually ($5,500/term), if funding permits. | Deadline: Late June |
| Tuition Support for External Fellowships | Supports students with external fellowships that only partially cover fees. The Graduate Division covers the gap where possible. | Apply upon receiving external fellowship |
| Townsend Center Working Groups | Supports collaborative research in the humanities/social sciences. Grants range from $250–$750. | Academic year cycle |
| Center for British Studies Grants | Dissertation Research Grant: $2,000 for advanced doctoral students conducting research in the UK. Graduate Travel (Pre-Dissertation) Grant: Round-trip airfare for second/third-year students not yet advanced to candidacy. |
Deadline: March 1 |
| Graduate Assembly Grad Student Parent Travel Award | Supports graduate student parents who must bring their children or caregivers to academic conferences outside the Bay Area. | See Graduate Assembly website, awarded on a rolling basis. |
| Jim Fahey Safe Homes for Women Fellowship | Supports graduate students with financial need and a commitment to combating domestic violence. Preference for students close to graduation. | See portal for application info |
| Bancroft Library Study Awards | Supports advanced research using Bancroft Library materials. Open to UC students. Apply online or at the Administrative Office. | Deadline: First Monday in February by 5 pm. |
| Diversity and Community Fellows Program | Supports underrepresented graduate students. Fellows work on diversity/inclusion across campus. $7,500 stipend. | Annual call, check program website |
| Center for Japanese Studies | The current maximum award ceiling per student is $10,000 per year. As an exception, if you are in the final year of dissertation writing in 2026-2027, you are allowed to make a one-time, final request for up to $15,000. CJS awards are insufficient to cover a full year of funding for any applicant. CJS strongly encourages applicants to apply for funding from other campus and extramural sources and to apply to CJS for the additional funding that may still be needed for the project or study period. | April 1 |
| Metropolitan Museum of Art Fellowships | Join a community of scholars from various disciplines, backgrounds, perspectives, and training. Their individual interests and research, requiring close study of objects, collectively activates and uplifts 5,000 years of human creativity represented in The Met collection. | Annual call, check program website |
| Bibliotheca Hertziana – Max Planck Institute for Art History's Predoctoral Fellowship | The Bibliotheca Hertziana – Max Planck Institute for Art History is committed to promoting research projects for scholars at various career levels. | Annual call, check program website |
| Edward E. Hildebrand Graduate Research Fellowship | The fellowship competition is open to graduate students of any citizenship enrolled at Berkeley whose research focuses primarily or comparatively on Canada. | Rolling |
| Graduate Fellowships in International Studies, UC Institute of International Studies | The Institute of International Studies offers two graduate student fellowships to support research in international studies. | March |
| Phi Beta Kappa Graduate Fellowship | Thanks to the generous support of past Berkeley members of Phi Beta Kappa, each year the chapter is able to award a limited number of fellowships to members of Phi Beta Kappa currently enrolled as doctoral students at UCB. |
February 1 |
Travel Grants, Small Grants - Offered Externally |
Deadline/Notes |
|
| Huntington Library Fellowships | Awards over 150 research fellowships annually. Fellows are in residence at the Huntington and participate in its scholarly community. | See Huntington website |
| William L. Clements Library Research Fellowships | Supports historical research using the Clements Library collections at the University of Michigan. Offers short-term, long-term, and digital fellowships. | January 15, 2026 |
| AAUW Fellowships | Grants and fellowships for women pursuing graduate education. Includes dissertation and career development support. | Deadlines vary |
| Institute for Humane Studies Fellowship | Up to $10,000 in funding for graduate students pursuing liberty-advancing careers in academia and thought leadership. | Rolling; see IHS website |
| Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans | Supports immigrants and children of immigrants in graduate school. $25,000 stipend and tuition support. | October 30, 2025, 2 pm. |
| Stephanie G. Hoffman Scholarship | For students majoring in library science, literature, or related fields. $1,000–$5,000. Renewable. Qualifications: Financial need, major in library science, English, literature, education, or a related field with the intention of working with underserved children. | Annual application, see site |
| Eudora Welty Fellowship | $5,000 summer research fellowship using the Eudora Welty Collection at the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. | See MDAH website |
| American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) – Programs & Deadlines | Gateway to ACLS fellowships and grants across humanities and social sciences; includes the competitions & deadlines(link is external) page. | Varies by program |
| Thoma Foundation Research and Travel Award | The Carl & Marilynn Thoma Foundation is pleased to offer travel awards of up to $5,000 to PhD students who want to travel to Latin America to visit archives, museums, and art collections and connect with local scholars. | January 15 |
| Huntington Library junior fellowship | Recipients of all fellowships are expected to be in continuous residence at The Huntington and to participate in, and contribute to, its intellectual life. Long-term fellows are expected to present at a two-day introductory symposium in September and to participate in weekly working group sessions from October to May. | Mid November |
| Florence Tan Moeson Fellowship at the Library of Congress | The Florence Tan Moeson Fellowship Program looks to provide individuals with the opportunity to pursue research in the area of Asian studies, using the unparalleled collections of the Asian Division and the Library of Congress in Washington, DC. | December 14 |
| DARTS Research Grant, Decorative Arts Trust | Each year since 2003, the Decorative Arts Trust has awarded Research Grants to graduate students working on a Master’s thesis or PhD dissertation in a field related to the decorative arts. These research travel grants range from $500 to $2,000. The Trust encourages projects that advance diversity in the study of American decorative arts. | April 30 |
| Walter Read Hovey Memorial Fund | The Walter Read Hovey Memorial Fund was established at The Pittsburgh Foundation to provide scholarships to advance the professional career of young persons with talent in the field of art history and related fields. | April 1 |
| American Institute of Indian Studies Junior Fellowship | Junior Research Fellowships are available to doctoral candidates at U.S. universities in all fields of study. These grants are specifically designed to enable doctoral candidates to pursue their dissertation research in India. With AIIS support, Junior Research Fellows establish formal affiliation with Indian universities and research supervisors. AIIS provides administrative support for Fellows before, during, and after their award period. The Junior Fellowship Award is $7000. | December 15 |