National Academy of Education: Fellowships Guide

The National Academy of Education (NAEd) is an honorific society of education scholars, and it also administers a small set of research fellowships. The two are easy to confuse: the society elects members, while the fellowships are open to applicants who are not members and are funded by the Spencer Foundation. This guide separates the two and sets out what each fellowship requires, as described on the official page on 2026-10-29.

What the National Academy of Education is and who runs it

The Academy describes itself on its home page as an honorific society consisting of U.S. members and international associates, with members elected for outstanding education-related scholarship. Its stated mission is advancing high-quality research to improve education policy and practice. Programs listed on the site include the NAEd/Spencer Dissertation Fellowship, the NAEd/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship, the NAEd/Spencer Research Fellowship and Equity in Math Education Research Grants, and the site also lists research initiatives such as generative AI in assessment, human learning and development, and balanced assessment systems.

Who pays and who runs it

For the Dissertation Fellowship, the Spencer Foundation’s own program page states that Spencer funds the fellowship and the Academy administers it. That distinction matters for compliance: the fellowship rules below come from the Academy’s program pages, and the funder is a separate organization. See the Spencer Foundation grant guide and the Spencer Foundation dictionary entry for the funder’s own grant types.

Eligibility

Each fellowship has its own eligibility rules, as described on the official page on 2026-10-29. Both are for individual applicants.

NAEd/Spencer Dissertation Fellowship

Doctoral candidate at a U.S. graduate school. Citizenship is not required, but international universities with U.S. charters do not qualify.
All pre-dissertation requirements completed by June 1, 2027 (for the 2027 cycle).
A plan to finish the dissertation within one to two years.
An education research project. The Spencer Foundation’s page describes the target as promising doctoral students from a wide range of disciplines whose dissertations bring fresh perspectives to the history, theory, analysis or practice of formal or informal education anywhere in the world.

NAEd/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship

A PhD, EdD or equivalent received between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2025 (2027 cycle).
Not tenured at the application deadline.
Research experience in education.
Non-U.S. and non-resident citizens are eligible.

What the fellowships fund and require

The Dissertation Fellowship provides $30,000 for one academic year, paid in two installments, with a tenure of at least 9 and no more than 24 months and an earliest start of September 1. The Postdoctoral Fellowship provides $80,000 for one academic year, also in two installments, is non-residential, includes three professional development retreats, and pairs the fellow with a mentor who is an NAEd member or another esteemed scholar.

Item	Dissertation Fellowship	Postdoctoral Fellowship
Award	$30,000, one academic year, two installments	$80,000, one academic year, two installments
Career stage	Doctoral candidate, U.S. graduate school	Doctorate received 2021 to 2025, not tenured
Recommendation letters	Two (dissertation chair plus another faculty member; no extensions)	Three, submitted online
Concurrent funding	External fellowships not concurrent; internal funding case by case	No other concurrent funding for the project and no separate Spencer Foundation grant
Indirect costs	No overhead	No overhead or indirect costs
Unspent funds	Returned to the Academy	Returned to the Academy

Conditions that come with the money

Dissertation fellows may work, but the Academy recommends no more than 10 hours a week and requires staff approval.
Postdoctoral fellows must be on leave from full-time teaching or administrative duties, and the stipend replaces salary.
For both fellowships, there is no overhead and unspent funds go back to the Academy.

Application steps

Applications are submitted online, and the components differ by fellowship.

Dissertation Fellowship components

Background information and a personal statement.
A work plan with milestones and a one-paragraph abstract.
A narrative of up to 10 pages plus a bibliography of up to 2 pages (12 pages in total).
A graduate transcript (an unofficial copy is accepted).
Two letters of recommendation, one from the dissertation chair and one from another faculty member.

Postdoctoral Fellowship components

Background information and a career statement.
A one-paragraph abstract.
A project description of up to 10 double-spaced pages and a bibliography of up to 2 pages (narrative plus bibliography up to 12 pages).
A writing sample of up to 20 pages and a CV.
A project summary, which repeat applicants provide.
Three recommendation letters submitted online.

Typical timeline phases

The Academy publishes dates for each cycle on its program pages, and they change, so check the current page rather than relying on a copy. The sequence of phases is stable.

Application window. Both fellowship pages currently show applications as closed, and the Academy’s news item says applications are open for the 2027 NAEd/Spencer Fellowships. Both pages list an “Expected August 2027” entry as the expected date applications open.
Letters. Recommenders submit online; the Dissertation Fellowship states there are no extensions for letters.
Award. The Academy announces awards after review; check the program page for the current decision schedule.
Award year. Payment arrives in two installments over one academic year; dissertation tenure may run from 9 to 24 months.
Close-out. Unspent funds are returned to the Academy.

Common mistakes

Treating the society and the fellowships as one thing. Applicants do not need to be NAEd members; the fellowships are separate programs.
Copying an old stipend figure. The Academy’s Dissertation Fellowship page shows $30,000 while the Spencer Foundation’s page for the same fellowship showed $27,500 as of 2026-10-29. Cite the figure from the Academy’s current program page for the cycle you are applying to.
Stacking funding. Postdoctoral applicants cannot hold other funding for the same project or a separate Spencer Foundation grant, and dissertation fellows cannot hold concurrent external fellowships.
Budgeting overhead. Neither fellowship pays indirect costs, so an institution that expects overhead recovery should plan around it. See the guide to private foundation funders for institutional research for how foundation policies on indirect costs differ.
Ignoring the work cap. Dissertation fellows who take on outside work beyond the recommended 10 hours a week need staff approval.
Missing the doctoral-timing window. Dissertation applicants must finish pre-dissertation requirements by the stated date, and postdoctoral applicants must hold a degree conferred inside the stated window.

Related programs

Program	What the official site says
NAEd/Spencer Dissertation Fellowship	$30,000 for doctoral candidates; details above.
NAEd/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship	$80,000 for early-career scholars; details above.
NAEd/Spencer Research Fellowship	Listed in the Academy’s navigation; the site shows no program details.
Equity in Math Education Research Grants	Listed in the Academy’s navigation; the site shows no program details.

For other fellowships at the same career stages, see early-career foundation fellowships compared, the postdoctoral fellowship definition and the early-career fellowships guide.

FAQ

What is the National Academy of Education?

It is an honorific society of U.S. members and international associates elected for outstanding education-related scholarship, and it runs research fellowship programs.

Do I have to be a member to apply for a fellowship?

No membership requirement appears in the eligibility sections of the Dissertation or Postdoctoral Fellowship pages. Eligibility there is defined by degree status and research focus.

How much does the Dissertation Fellowship pay?

The Academy’s page states $30,000 for one academic year in two installments. The Spencer Foundation’s page for the same fellowship showed $27,500 on the same date, so confirm the figure on the Academy’s current page.

Can postdoctoral fellows keep their salary?

No. The page states the stipend replaces salary and fellows must be on leave from full-time teaching or administrative duties.

Are international applicants eligible?

For the Postdoctoral Fellowship, non-U.S. and non-resident citizens are eligible. For the Dissertation Fellowship, citizenship is not required, but the applicant must be at a U.S. graduate school.