Contact
Further information can be found under Eligibility/Application Information. Other questions that are not answered in the information posted on this site can be directed by email to Susan Billmaier, Program Associate, or by phone: (609) 452-7007, ext. 310.
The Charlotte W. Newcombe
Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: I am a foreign citizen. Can I apply for the Charlotte W. Newcombe Fellowship?
A: Yes, foreign citizens may apply if they meet the following criteria: 1. are enrolled in a doctoral program at an American university located in the United States and 2. have completed all pre-dissertation requirements.
Q: I am a U.S. Citizen studying abroad. Am I eligible to apply for the Charlotte W. Newcombe Fellowship?
A: No. Only students currently enrolled in a graduate program in the US are eligible.
Q: If I have applied previously, can I re-apply?
A: No. Neither may you apply if you have already received funding from another national competition for the final year of dissertation writing.
Q: Who should apply for the Charlotte W. Newcombe Fellowship?
A: Candidates should apply only if ethical or religious values are central to their dissertations and they can reasonably expect to complete their dissertations during tenure of the award.
Q: Is the deadline for the supporting materials the same as the deadline for the online application?
A: Yes, the deadline is the same for all materials.
Q: How many letters of recommendation should I submit?
A: You should have three letters, one from your dissertation director and two from faculty members who are familiar with your work. Please note that only recommendation letters that are submitted through our automated-online system will be accepted.
Q: Can the Newcombe Fellowship be held concurrently with other fellowships?
A: No, applicants who have held a similar national award for the final year of dissertation writing, such as an ACLS, AAUW, Ford, MacArthur, Mellon, Pew, Spencer, or Whiting fellowship, are not eligible. Please note that any award supported by a national funder, even if it is subsequently allocated by a local institution, is considered to be a national award. It may be possible to combine some local awards with the Newcombe Fellowship, upon approval by the Newcombe Fellowship Director.
Q: What materials are required for a completed application?
A: The online application, graduate school transcript(s), and three letters of recommendation. Included in the online application are these five required narrative components: an abstract, a statement of relevance to religious and ethical values, a full proposal, a selected bibliography, and a timetable for completion.
Q: Should I include primary sources in the bibliography?
A: Yes. Keep in mind that you need to demonstrate that you are familiar both with the literature in your field and with any other works that a scholarly reader would consider definitive for your topic. As the bibliography is limited to two pages, it is important to include the works that most clearly demonstrate your preparation to carry out the work you propose.
Q: How do I know that my online application was received?
A: Once you have successfully submitted your application, it will move from the Saved tab on your dashboard to the Submitted tab on your dashboard. You will not be bale to view your paplication after it has been submitted. If you can still view and edit your application, it has not been submitted.
Q: How do I know that my recommendation letters and transcripts have been received?
A: After you submit your application, you may login at any time to check the status of the receipt of your documents. At the top right corner of your application, there are check boxes that indicate what we have received; if a box is not checked your document is still missing.