Graduate Scholarships for
College of Humanities Students

The Steffensen Cannon Scholarship Fund was established in honor of Ellen Christina Steffensen Cannon. These scholarships support study at the University of Utah. Graduate and undergraduate students, including incoming freshmen who are studying in the College of Humanities and the Graduate School of Education, are eligible to apply. Students in other disciplines who intend to go into teacher education as well as descendants of Ellen Steffensen Cannon are also eligible. Renewable for one year.

How to Apply

Applicants must apply using the online application.

Application: Steffensen Cannon Application

Deadline: 3 January 2025 by 5 pm MST

Amount: $28,500

Target: Graduate Students

Type: Merit

Contact Natalie Montoya at natalie.montoya@utah.edu for more information.

The College of Humanities is pleased to announce the availability of a Graduate Research Award in the Humanities. The purpose of the award is to recognize a student whose research has extraordinary merit, as recognized by faculty in their area and/or attention outside the University of Utah. Each department/program may nominate up to two students for this award. Application materials should include the student’s CV, a letter of nomination from the unit’s Director of Graduate Studies, a copy of the student’s research or creative work, and a (optional) brief description of any external recognition (conference award, publication, etc.) the work has received.  Eligible student research or creative works must have been completed in the current or previous academic year. The award is supported by funding from the Dean of the College of Humanities.

How to Apply

Applicants must apply through Academicworks
Application: Graduate Research Award Application

Deadline: 15 January 2025

Amount: $1,000

Target: Graduate students

Type: Need-based

Contact Natalie Montoya at natalie.montoya@utah.edu for more information.

The Kempe Scholarship was established in memory of Johanna Kempe, who returned to school in her sixties and was working on her Ph.D. at the age of 69 when she passed away. At the family's request, this award is given to a College of Humanities graduate student who is 60 years of age or older.

How to Apply

Application: This award is by nomination only. Submit nominations to the College of Humanities Office (2100 LNCO).

Deadline for nominations: 15 January 2025

Amount: $1500 for tuition

Target: Graduate students

Type: Need-based

Contact Natalie Montoya at natalie.montoya@utah.edu for more information.

This prestigious fellowship enables Fellows to focus on the completion of their dissertation research projects relating to political economy within the fellowship appointment year. Fellows are provided with a $28,500 fellowship (paid in two installments, at the beginning of each the Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 academic semesters), tuition coverage, and subsidized health insurance for the academic year. Academic departments are encouraged to supplement this fellowship award with additional funding to bring fellowship support to the stipend standard of your program.

The focus of the Marriner S. Eccles Graduate Fellowship is to increase the visibility of research in political economy, highlighting the practical connection to public policy. Fellows are expected to complete a scholarly manuscript on their unique research topic during their fellowship appointment.

This one-year fellowship is awarded annually to PhD and LLM students with research projects relating to areas of political economy and public policy. This fellowship opportunity is for full-time graduate students pursuing research in banking, business, education, finance, humanities, legal studies, health, and social sciences, and its connection with an impact on politics, public policy, and the economy. Prospective fellows must have passed their qualifying exams and be actively engaged in research and writing.

As a part of the application, students will require three letters of support: 

• General letter of recommendation from an individual who can speak to academic strengths; 
• Letter of recommendation from dissertation chair/faculty advisor who can speak to the strength of the research project and completion timeline; 
• Letter of support from department chair/chair’s designee to note any resources that may be provided to the student, such as additional funding to bring the fellowship award to the standard stipend level of your program.

How to Apply

Applicants must apply using the online application.

Application: Marriner S. Eccles Graduate Research Fellowship Application

Deadline: 10 January 2025

Amount: $28,500

Target: Graduate students

Type: Leadership

Contact Natalie Montoya at natalie.montoya@utah.edu for more information.

The Ramona W. Cannon Award Committee invites departmental nominations for the Ramona W. Cannon Award for Graduate Student Teaching Excellence in the Humanities. Graduate Directors are encouraged to nominate one outstanding graduate student teacher in their department.

All graduate students in the College of Humanities who have completed one year (at least two semesters) of teaching as Teaching Assistants (either as a discussion group leader or in autonomous sections) at the University of Utah are eligible for nomination for the award. Letters of nomination should detail achievements of the student in teaching and should provide a summary of the quantitative data collected from the student's teaching evaluations.  The one-to-two page letter should also include a list of all courses the student has taught or TAed, and may include one or two proposed syllabic of their own design.

How to Apply

Application: This award is by nomination only. Departments please submit your nomination to the Ramona Cannon Committee, c/o Natalie Montoya at the College of Humanities Office (2100 LNCO).

Deadline for nominations: 20 December 2024

Amount: $1,500

Target: Graduate students

Type: Leadership

Contact  Natalie Montoya at natalie.montoya@utah.edu for more information.

The Marie Cornwall Graduate Research Grant supports research on women’s history.  Graduate students in the Humanities are encouraged to apply for up to $3,000 annually to support research activities (e.g. travel expenses, manuscript copies, books, etc.) or travel to academic meetings for the purpose of presenting the results of their work on women’s history.  

Applicants for the grant must prepare a proposal and budget.  The proposal must place the project within an area of study and make a strong case for how funding will contribute to greater understanding of women’s lives and experience. Comparative research and projects that pay attention to the distinctive experiences of women across religious, racial, and ethnic groups as well as sexual orientation, socio-economic status and national origin should be considered.

How to Apply

Applicants must apply through Academicworks

Application:Marie Cornwall Graduate Research Grant

Deadline: 15 January 2025

Amount: varies

Target: Graduate Students

Type: Merit

Contact Natalie Montoya at natalie.montoya@utah.edu for more information.

The American West Center at the University of Utah is pleased to offer two graduate student fellowships honoring the late Professor Floyd A. O'Neil (1927-2018), Director Emeritus of the Center and Professor Emeritus of History. 

O'Neil fellowships provide up to $2,000 to pursue research on an aspect of the American West, including the region’s history, politics, environment, society, culture, literature, geography, or peoples. Students from all disciplines are encouraged to submit applications. All applicants must be currently enrolled in a graduate program at the University of Utah and remain so throughout the period of the fellowship.

Students are required to complete a research paper within the academic year. This paper may also be used as a seminar paper, thesis chapter, journal article, etc. A copy of the paper must be given to the American West Center, and the student is required to acknowledge the American West Center’s support in that paper, and all subsequent research and publications that might result. The recipient will also give a presentation on their research. Upon request the recipient may be provided office space at the Center and may receive individual guidance from the Center's faculty and staff.

How to Apply

Application: Floyd O'Neil Fellowship Application (Application link coming soon)

Deadline: 31 May 2025

Amount:  Varies

Target: Graduate Students

Type: Merit

Questions: Please email michelle.judd@utah.edu

The College of Humanities is pleased to announce the availability of a Graduate Scholar-Activism & Community Engagement Award in the Humanities. The purpose of the award is to recognize activist and/or community-oriented scholarship from graduate students across the College that have demonstrated a commitment to supporting communities through community organizing, service or scholar advocacy. Each department/program may nominate up to two students for this award. Application materials should include the student’s CV, a letter of nomination from the unit’s Director of Graduate Studies, and a statement from the student providing evidence of their efforts relevant to this award. Evidence may include but is not limited to: class projects/papers, conference activity, public education projects, political organizing, community-engaged pedagogy, popular press publications, creative projects, campus/disciplinary involvement/leadership. The award is supported by funding from the Dean of the College of Humanities.

How to Apply

Applicants must apply through Academicworks

Application: Graduate Scholar-Activism & Community Engagement Award Application

Deadline: 15 January 2025

Amount:  $1,000

Target: Graduate Students

Type: Merit

Questions: Contact Natalie Montoya at natalie.montoya@utah.edu for more information.

The College of Humanities (COH) Graduate Student Conference/Research Travel Award supports graduate students attending conferences to present research and/or conducting research that requires travel (e.g., fieldwork, archival visits, etc.). Graduate students in the Humanities are encouraged to apply for the award. The award matches funds secured from other entities, e.g., the student’s department, the Graduate School, ASUU, etc. Successful applicants will receive up to $500 in matching funds. 

Award Criteria

1. Must be enrolled in a COH graduate program.
2. Must provide either proof of conference acceptance OR letter from the student’s Director of Graduate Studies supporting research travel.

3. Students may only receive a COH Conference/Research Travel Award once during their degree program. MA students who are accepted to a PhD program in COH may receive a second travel award.

4. Only national/international conferences are eligible for funding.
5. Funds will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis, based on the availability of funds.
6. Students may only access funds for one disbursement; unused funds are not rolled over/preserved for the student.

How to apply:

1. Complete the following form
   1. Required Materials
      1. Cover Letter briefly explaining how funds will contribute to research progress. 
      2. CV/Resume
      3. Proof of Conference Acceptance (can be uploaded when completing the form)

Supports excellence, innovation, and creativity in teaching. Students propose a course – an innovative, creative revamp of an existing course or a brand-new course – and, if appointed, will create and teach that course during the appointment year (Fall 2025/Spring 2026).

UTA Eligibility: 

A) Must be a current graduate student at the time of application.

B) Must be in good academic standing.

C) Has this is a teaching excellence award, students should have some teaching training or experience (such as TA experience).

D) Must be one of the department’s two endorsed candidates.

UTA Benefits: 

- $28,500 UTA salary (0.50 FTE, August 16, 2025, thru May 15, 2026) – please note that the department can add to this salary to bring up to department levels

- Health insurance coverage (August 16, 2025, thru August 15, 2026)

- UTA salary will count towards TBP minimum support (department will provide waiver).

Apply to the University Teaching Assistantship

Student Deadline: January 3, 2025

Questions: Contact Matthew Plooster at fellowships@gradschool.utah.edu for more information.

Provides fellowship (non-work) support for graduate students who are conducting research or creative projects while pursuing the terminal graduate degree. Awarded fellows will have the opportunity to focus more on their research or creative projects with a reduced burden of employment.

GRF Eligibility: 

A) Must be a current graduate student at the time of application.

B) Must be in good academic standing.

C) Must have passed qualifying exams by September 1, 2025.

D) Must be one of the department’s two endorsed candidates.

GRFP Benefits: 

- $28,500 fellowship (paid in two installments, at the beginning of each the Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 academic semesters) – please note that the department can add to this stipend to bring up to department levels

- Health insurance coverage (August 16, 2025, thru August 15, 2026),

- GRFP fellowship will count towards TBP minimum support (department will provide waiver). 

APPLY TO THE Graduate Research Fellowship

Student Deadline: January 3, 2025

Questions: Contact Matthew Plooster at fellowships@gradschool.utah.edu for more information.