Fellowship Eligibility

Eligibility Requirements:

Fellowship applicants compete only against other applicants from the state of their legal residence with the exception of some privately funded fellowships. To be eligible to apply for a fellowship, you must:

• Be a U.S. citizen
• Be a teacher, or plan to become a teacher, of American history, American government, or civics at the secondary school level (grades 7-12).
• Possess a bachelor's degree or plan to receive a bachelor's degree no later than August 31 of the year in which you are applying.

Professional Teaching Obligation:

After receiving the master's degree, each Fellow must teach American history, American government, or civics in grades 7-12 for one full year for each academic year of funding received under a fellowship, preferably in the state from which the recipient won the fellowship.

Financial Aspects of the Award:

The maximum amount of each award is $24,000, prorated over the period of study, and in no case shall the award exceed $12,000 for one academic year of study. Normally, Fellows receive less than these maximum amounts. Payments are made only for the actual costs of tuition, required fees, and books (as well as room and board if required to live away from your principal residence), and are made only for the minimum number of credits required for the award of the degree for which a Fellow is registered.

Failure to complete the study for which the fellowship is awarded, to attend the Summer Institute on the Constitution, or to teach qualifying subjects in grades 7-12 for the requisite amount of time entailed by the award will result in forfeiture of the fellowship and require the return of all funds paid under the fellowship, plus applicable interest under federal law.

Types of Fellowships:

The Foundation offers two types of fellowships:

• Junior Fellowships are awarded to outstanding college seniors and college graduates without teaching experience who intend to become secondary school teachers of American history, American government, or civics in grades 7-12. Junior Fellows are expected to complete graduate study within two academic years of full-time study.
• Senior Fellowships are awarded to outstanding current teachers who are required to complete graduate study within 5 calendar years of part-time study.

Specially Funded Fellowships:

• The Frederick Douglass-James Madison Fellowship is a privately funded, $24,000 graduate fellowship, offered to people of color who are United States citizens and who are secondary level teachers or prospective teachers of American history, American government or civics to earn a master’s degree studying the Constitution. This fellowship aims to encourage people of color to become outstanding teachers and honor Frederick Douglas, himself a constitutional scholar. With this new education, they will be able to take this knowledge into their classrooms. The awardee of this fellowship will be required to follow all of the rules and regulations of a traditional James Madison Fellowship. Those who would like to compete for the Frederick Douglass-James Madison Fellowship should mark the appropriate box on the fellowship application. Candidates will only compete against others who have also marked this box. Once the Frederick Douglass-James Madison Fellowship awardee is selected by the Fellowship Selection Committee, all remaining applicants will compete in their own home state competition for standard James Madison Fellowships.
• The Admiral Paul A. Yost, Jr.-James Madison Fellowship is awarded to an individual who meets the Fellowship eligibility criteria above and has served honorably in the U.S. military. Those who would like to compete for the Admiral Paul A. Yost, Jr.-James Madison Fellowship should mark the appropriate box on the fellowship application. Candidates will only compete against others who have also marked this box. Once the Admiral Paul A. Yost, Jr.-James Madison Fellowship awardee is selected by the Fellowship Selection Committee, all remaining applicants will compete in their own home state competition for standard James Madison Fellowships

Choice of Graduate School and Degree:

Each Fellow will be expected to pursue and complete a master's degree from an accredited university in one of the following disciplines (listed in order of the Foundation's preference):

• Master of Arts (MA) in American history, political science, or government
• Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) concentrating on either American Constitutional history (in a history department) or American government, political institutions, and political theory (in a political science department). MAT degrees without required constitutional coursework will not be approved.
• Master of Education (MEd) or the Master of Arts or Master of Science in Education with a concentration in American history or American government, political institutions, and political theory. MEd degrees without required constitutional coursework will not be approved.

Constitutional Coursework:

The Fellow’s proposed plan of graduate study must contain substantial constitutional coursework. Whatever institution and whichever degree a Fellow selects, at least 12 semester credits (or 18 quarter credits) of constitutional study must be part of the Fellow’s program. Six of these semester credits are earned by the Fellow at the Foundation's Summer Institute on the Constitution, a six-credit graduate course held in Washington, D.C.

Foundation's Summer Institute on the Constitution:

A major component of the James Madison Fellowship Program is successful completion of the four-week Summer Institute on the Constitution, "The Foundations of American Constitutionalism," held in Washington, D.C. Fellows attend the Summer Institute after they have matriculated in a graduate program and commenced coursework. The Summer Institute is also an opportunity for interaction with other secondary teachers whose varied interests and knowledge can lead to enduring friendships and professional associations. Expenses for the Summer Institute are included in the fellowship. 

The academic focus of the Institute is a graduate course taught by constitutional scholars. This course is a study of the principles, framing, ratification, and implementation of constitutional government in the United States. It is designed only to be six credits of your Master’s Degree program and will not subsume all other courses on the Constitution funded by your Fellowship. It will, however, provide a more in-depth focus on the Foundations of the Constitution.

The James Madison Fellowship Program does not discriminate against any individual on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age or individuals with disabilities.