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Biographers International Organization (BIO) invites applications for the Kitty Kelley Dissertation Fellowship in Biography. The fellowship provides $25,000 to a doctoral student in any department who is writing a dissertation in English focused upon the life of another person or upon the lives of two or more individuals. It cannot be fictionalized nor should the focus be primarily autobiographical. It need not cover the entire life of its subject or subjects. The fellowship is endowed by Kitty Kelley, a founding member of BIO, the author of seven best-selling biographies, and a long-time advocate for biography and biographers.
BIO is a nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting the art and craft of biography, cultivating a diverse community of biographers, encouraging public interest in biography, and providing educational and fellowship opportunities that support the work of biographers worldwide.
The purpose of the Kitty Kelley Dissertation Fellowship in Biography is to provide financial support so that a doctoral candidate may devote a year to completing a dissertation in the field of biography. A fellow is expected to pursue the dissertation project on a full-time basis during the funding period.
Eligibility: Applicants must have completed all course work, passed all preliminary examinations and received approval for a dissertation proposal. Students who have already received a dissertation fellowship are not eligible. The fellowship is open to students in all fields, provided that the dissertation is biographical in its methods and focus.
Amount: $25,000
Timeline: The application period opens September 1 and closes January 15. The winner will be announced no later than May 1, with funding to be used for the upcoming academic year.
Selection Criteria and Review Process: A committee composed of published biographers who are BIO members will review the applications. The committee will consider the following criteria:
- Scholarly significance of the proposed biography
- Caliber of the applicant’s writing
- Qualifications of the applicant
- Feasibility of the project and proposed schedule
BIO does not provide feedback to the applicants nor reconsider applications once a decision has been announced. Unsuccessful applicants may reapply in the future.
Application Components:
- A. Narrative description of dissertation topic, no more than 1,000 words
- B. Writing sample, ideally part of a dissertation chapter, not to exceed 15 double-spaced pages
- C. Applicant’s background in the form of a CV, no more than 3 single-spaced pages
- D. Projected timeline for completion of the dissertation
- E. Transcript of graduate coursework
- F. Recommendation from the applicant’s dissertation advisor written on university letterhead. The advisor must verify acceptance of the dissertation proposal and submit the letter directly to BIO by email to execdirector@biographersinternational.org. The subject line should read “BIO Kitty Kelley Fellowship” followed by the applicant’s last name.
The entire application (A-E) should be submitted as a single PDF file. The adviser’s recommendation (F) should be sent separately. The document should be titled “Kitty Kelley Fellowship” followed by the applicant’s last name.
The application should be formatted with one-inch margins on 8.5 x 11-inch (letter-size) paper.
Each component should be clearly delineated, with page breaks between separate components.
Components from the applicant (A, B, C, D and E) should be submitted via this form by January 15. The adviser’s letter should be emailed no more than two weeks after this date.
Additional Provisions:
A fellowship recipient must notify BIO of acceptance of the fellowship by May 15 and must give BIO notice of any significant change of plans for the fellowship year. At the end of the fellowship year, the recipient will submit a report, letting BIO know the current status of the dissertation and how it progressed during the year. Questions regarding income tax matters should be addressed to a financial advisor or the IRS. BIO cannot provide tax advice.