Fellowship opportunities | School of Literatures, Cultures & Linguistics

Please note: the maximum length of nomination letters for Graduate College fellowships is 6,600 characters, including spaces.

Illinois Distinguished Fellowship

The Graduate College's Illinois Distinguished Fellowship program is intended to help the University of Illinois recruit exceptional applicants into its doctoral programs.

Admission decision must be submitted as soon as — or before — fellowship nomination is made.

Round 1: SLCL deadline Jan. 6; Graduate College deadline Jan. 10
Round 2: SLCL deadline Feb. 14; Graduate College deadline Feb. 19

Graduate College Equity Doctoral Fellowship

The Graduate College Fellowship program at the University of Illinois aims to strengthen the institution and its doctoral programs by increasing the enrollment of outstanding students from populations that have been historically underrepresented in graduate study.

Admission decision must be submitted as soon as — or before — fellowship nomination is made.

Round 1: SLCL deadline Jan. 6; Graduate College deadline Jan. 10
Round 2: SLCL deadline Feb. 14; Graduate College deadline Feb. 19

Graduate College Equity Master's Fellowship

The Graduate College Master's Fellowship program is a counterpart to the Graduate College Fellowship program mentioned above.

Admission decision must be submitted as soon as — or before — fellowship nomination is made.

Round 1: SLCL deadline Jan. 6; Graduate College deadline Jan. 10
Round 2: SLCL deadline Feb. 14; Graduate College deadline Feb. 19

Distinguished Graduate Fellowships in the Humanities and Arts

DGF-HAs are intended as campus recruitment fellowships for first-time students being offered admission into a PhD program. Only those students who are seeking first-time graduate-level admission to UIUC are eligible.

Admission decision must be submitted as soon as — or before — fellowship nomination is made.

Deadlines are identical to the Illinois Distinguished Fellowship above

SLCL Dissertation Completion Fellowship

With the support from the estates of Donald and Barbara Smalley and Edward McBroom, the School of Literatures, Cultures & Linguistics Dissertation Completion Fellowship aims to support students in SLCL doctoral programs to complete their dissertation.

Eligible candidates must be nominated by their home department. See here for complete information and application instructions.

Deadline for departments: March 7, 2025 (send complete application materials to slclgradservices@illinois.edu)
Deadline for students: please contact your DGS for your department's internal deadline

Graduate College Dissertation Completion Fellowship

The Graduate College's Dissertation Completion Fellowships help outstanding UIUC graduate students complete their doctoral degree.

SLCL deadline March 28, 2025 ; Graduate College deadline April 2, 2025.

Conference Presentation Award

The Graduate College provides awards for students to travel to professional conferences to present papers, posters, or creative work. Awards may be offered as reimbursement for recently-completed travel or for upcoming travel.

Note: Check with your department for internal deadlines.

Fall 2024 application period

October 14: Application period opens.
November 7: Deadline for departments to submit applications to the Graduate College.
December 2: Anticipated date that funds will become available.

Spring 2025 application period

February 20: Application period opens.
March 14: Deadline for departments to submit applications to the Graduate College.
April 8: Anticipated date that funds will become available.

Graduate College Dissertation and Master's Project Travel Grants

These grants provide reimbursement to students for travel-related costs incurred during off-campus travel related to their master's thesis or doctoral dissertation. Details vary between PhD- and master's-level grants, so please see the appropriate page at the link above.