The University of Pennsylvania Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellowship is a prestigious program aimed at enhancing diversity within the university’s academic community. Designed to support early career postdoctoral scholars interested in faculty and research careers, this program contributes to diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education through teaching, research, and service. It expands efforts to diversify the postdoctoral community and cultivate a pool of exceptional candidates for future careers in academia and industry. Recipients receive research fellowships, faculty mentoring, travel and research funding, and academic networking opportunities within their respective schools, fostering their professional development and research independence.
Eligibility for the fellowship program mandates that candidates possess US citizenship, permanent residency, or DACA recipient status. Additionally, prospective applicants must fulfill specific educational criteria: graduate students hailing from the University of Pennsylvania or other academic institutions are eligible if they have either completed their Ph.D. requirements or anticipate fulfilling them by the fellowship’s commencement. Furthermore, postdoctoral scholars from external institutions qualify if they have obtained their doctoral degree within the preceding two years. Professional applicants, encompassing those with degrees such as M.D., D.M.D., V.M.D., or J.D., are eligible if they are within one year of concluding their post-degree professional training. It is important to note that individuals currently holding positions as postdocs, residents, or fellows at the University of Pennsylvania or Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) are deemed ineligible for participation in this program. Individuals currently in a faculty position at any institution of higher education are also ineligible to apply.
Consistent with the University’s postdoctoral trainee policy, appointments are for one year. Renewals to the second and third year of the program are made annually and will be based on satisfactory performance and mutual agreement between the fellow and the postdoc’s primary mentor. Annual reports on the postdoc’s progress are required.
The current 2024-2025 stipend rate begins at $66,300 in year one with $2,000 increases in years two & three. Additionally, the fellow will receive annual allowances for research and travel-related expenses of $7,000. The University and CHOP also provide a benefits package to their respective fellows. Successful candidates will receive highly mentored scholarly and research training and have access to courses and workshops provided by partners on campus to enhance their research skills and prepare them for faculty positions in a major university.
The program is designed to provide postdocs with time to focus on research and publishing activities that will enhance their career prospects for either a faculty appointment in an academic institution or an appointment in other sectors of the economy such as industry, government, or nonprofit organizations. Start dates will be arranged in consultation with the faculty mentor and will begin as early as July 2025.
