Dartmouth Postgraduate Project Fellowships 2027 of $25,000 for Research and Creative Projects Open

A Dartmouth graduate with a serious idea for a year of independent research does not necessarily have to turn that idea into another university degree. The Dartmouth Postgraduate Project Fellowships are designed precisely for that gap: graduating seniors and recent Dartmouth undergraduate alumni can seek roughly $5,000 to $25,000 to undertake substantial research, creative work or certain international travel projects in the United States or overseas.

There is one eligibility restriction worth putting ahead of everything else: this is not an open scholarship for graduates from universities worldwide. Applicants must be graduating Dartmouth seniors or Dartmouth undergraduate alumni who graduated within the previous five years.

Dartmouth currently states that applications are due April 1 each year. Students preparing for projects during the 2027–28 academic period should therefore work toward April 1, 2027, while checking the fellowship portal in case Dartmouth subsequently changes the schedule.

Applicant Answer Box

What Could Dartmouth Actually Fund?

The attraction here is flexibility, but not unlimited flexibility.

Applicants can propose a well-conceived independent research or creative project, with projects generally lasting anywhere from one month to a year. Some funding sources are specifically reserved for longer projects.

For shorter projects of approximately one to nine months, candidates may be matched with a Dartmouth General Fellowship. Longer overseas projects of roughly nine to twelve months can potentially fit the Reynolds or H. Allen Brooks funding streams, depending on the project.

The H. Allen Brooks Travelling Fellowship is particularly specialised. It supports up to a year of international travel and intellectual exploration for applicants planning careers connected with areas such as architecture, urban planning, land conservation, historic preservation, architectural or urban history, and art history.

This Is Not Money for a Master’s or PhD

One of the easiest mistakes is seeing “postgraduate” and assuming Dartmouth will finance graduate-school tuition.

It will not.

The project fellowships cannot be used for postgraduate degree study, postdoctoral study, graduate-school projects or dissertation work. The proposal must stand on its own as an independent project.

Dartmouth operates separate postgraduate fellowships for graduate study, so applicants should make sure they are applying to the correct funding route.

How Much Could You Receive?

Awards generally range from $5,000 to $25,000, but Dartmouth explicitly warns that the fellowship may not cover the entire cost of the proposed project.

That makes the budget an important part of the application rather than an administrative afterthought.

Applicants should show what the project realistically costs, what the fellowship money would finance and whether any additional resources will be needed. Financial need can also be considered during selection.

How to Apply for a 2027 Dartmouth Project Fellowship

Step 1: Check Your Dartmouth Graduation Date

You should either be graduating from Dartmouth or be a Dartmouth undergraduate alumnus/alumna within five years of graduation.

Step 2: Design an Independent Project

Define what you actually intend to investigate, create, document or experience.

The project should have a clear intellectual purpose rather than reading like an extended holiday or an undeveloped research idea.

Step 3: Decide Where and How Long the Project Will Run

Projects can take place inside the United States or overseas, with duration affecting which Dartmouth endowment may ultimately fund the award.

Applicants do not normally select the individual endowment themselves; Dartmouth’s selection process determines the appropriate funding source.

Step 4: Prepare the Proposal and Budget

All applicants submit the same core application, including a project proposal and budget.

This is where an ambitious idea has to become a credible plan: what will you do, where will you do it, why does it matter and what will it cost?

Step 5: Submit Through Dartmouth’s Online System

Application instructions and materials are provided through Dartmouth’s Canvas fellowship site. The Fellowships Office states that applications are due April 1 and recipients are selected by the Committee on Graduate Fellowships.

Why Otherwise Good Applications Can Lose Ground?

A strong academic record does not rescue a vague project.

Applicants are likely to weaken their chances when the proposal lacks a defined outcome, the budget looks unrealistic, the project is actually disguised graduate or dissertation research, or the applicant cannot explain why travel to a particular location is necessary.

Previous Dartmouth postgraduate funding can matter too. Preference is given to candidates who have not previously received Dartmouth postgraduate funding, while previous Brooks or Reynolds recipients cannot apply again under the stated rules.

Deadline in 2027—and Preparing for the Batch After It

Dartmouth’s standing application instruction says all applications are due April 1. For candidates targeting the next academic-year project cycle, April 1, 2027 should therefore be treated as the preparation deadline unless Dartmouth publishes a revised date.

If you discover this article after April 1, 2027, the guidance is still useful for the following competition. Start developing the project proposal, destination, research contacts and realistic budget early, then verify the next official April deadline when Dartmouth updates its fellowship materials.

If you are a Dartmouth senior or recent graduate and are unsure whether your research idea, creative project, graduation year, overseas travel proposal or planned budget fits these fellowships, leave your question in the comments below the article. Describe the project briefly so the eligibility issue can be considered in practical terms.