Bilinski Foundation Fellowship
A dissertation-completion fellowship for full-time doctoral students in A&S humanities programs who have advanced to candidacy. Recipients receive a stipend plus health insurance support and commit to defending their dissertation within the term of the award.
Applications open for the 2026 award cycle.
Submit all materials through the UNM Bilinski Fellowships Qualtrics application.
Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
Stipend
$36,000
per award period
Period
14 months
May 15 – July 15
Also Included
Health Insurance
stipend support
A dissertation-completion award
The Bilinski Fellowship supports doctoral candidates in A&S humanities programs as they finish their dissertations. The award covers a 14-month period from May 15 to July 15, includes a stipend for health insurance, and is intended to fund full-time dissertation effort during that window.
Applicants must have completed all qualifying examinations and course requirements, advanced to candidacy, and defended their dissertation prospectus in the semester before applying or earlier. Recipients commit to defending their dissertation within the term of the award.
2027 Bilinski Fellowship applications pending funding availablity--check back for updates
Before You Apply
To be awarded a Bilinski Fellowship, and to remain a Bilinski Fellow, recipients must meet and agree to all of the following:
- Be a full-time doctoral student in one of the A&S humanities graduate programs, having passed all qualifying examinations and course requirements at UNM and advanced to candidacy.
- Maintain good academic standing at all times.
- Have demonstrated exceptional ability and potential in the field of study.
- Need financial support to complete the degree.
- Devote full-time effort toward dissertation completion for each semester (including summer periods) in which fellowship funds are provided.
- Abide by the University of New Mexico Academic Code of Conduct.
Citizenship requirement: Recipients must be a United States citizen or a Permanent Resident eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship.
All twelve items below must be submitted online by 5:00 p.m. on March 16, 2026. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
- Bilinski Fellowship Application Cover Sheet — signed by the applicant and the applicant's advisor
- FAFSA confirmation — submit at studentaid.gov no later than March 16, 2026; include the email confirmation
- Financial Disclosure Form
- Professional Goals Statement — one page on professional goals as they relate to the advancement of the humanities
- Dissertation Proposal — proposal narrative (10 pages), bibliography (2 pages), timetable for completion (1 page), all double-spaced
- Transcripts — unofficial transcripts from all post-secondary academic coursework
- CV — previous education, teaching and research experience, awards and honors
- Candidacy Status — letter from the Department Graduate Program Director or UNM Office of Graduate Studies certifying advancement to candidacy by the March 16 deadline
- IRB Statement — status statement on the dissertation proposal's IRB submission, or a statement of why the proposed research is not subject to IRB review
- Recommendation Letters — two letters on departmental letterhead, submitted confidentially by the recommender to bilinski@unm.edu. One must be from the dissertation chair, addressing the applicant's ability to complete the dissertation in the time period allowed by the fellowship.
- Signed Fellow's Agreement Form for Use of Bilinski Fellowship Funds
- Signed Statement from the Applicant's Dissertation Chair
Open the UNM Bilinski Fellowships Application in Qualtrics. Complete all required fields and upload your application materials in PDF format where prompted. Select Submit to send. The Back button within the survey lets you review and update entries before final submission.
https://unm.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_d3SlYGjygt0bWvA
File naming. Before uploading, convert all documents to PDF and label them with the applicant's last name:
- Cover Sheet _Last Name.pdf
- FAFSA Confirmation _Last Name.pdf
- Financial Disclosure _Last Name.pdf
- Goals _Last Name.pdf
- Dissertation Proposal _Last Name.pdf
- Transcripts _Last Name.pdf
- CV _Last Name.pdf
- Candidacy Status _Last Name.pdf
- IRB _Last Name.pdf
- Use of Funds _Last Name.pdf
- Chair Statement _Last Name.pdf
The Bilinski Fellowship Selection Committee selects top doctoral fellows based on the eligibility criteria above, with an emphasis on both merit and financial need, plus additional information included in the application packet.
The duration of the fellowship may be determined at the discretion of the Selection Committee.
Notification: Fellowship recipients will be announced the first week of May 2026.
Past Bilinski Fellows
Browse by year to see the doctoral candidates and dissertation projects supported by the Bilinski Foundation Fellowship.
About the Bilinski Educational Foundation
Russell J. and Dorothy S. Bilinski's goal in life was to be independent and challenged intellectually. They strongly believed in people being self-sufficient, ambitious, and above all, responsible. Russell was a researcher, academician, and entrepreneur; Dorothy was an accomplished artist and patron of the arts. They believed education was a means to obtain independence, and this is the legacy they wished to pass on to others.
When Russell and Dorothy died, they left a significant gift for the formation of a nonprofit corporate foundation. The Bilinski Educational Foundation fulfills this legacy by providing fellowship funds for post-secondary students who have demonstrated, and are likely to maintain, both high academic achievement and good character, but who lack the financial resources to complete their post-secondary education.
Questions about the Bilinski Fellowship?
For application questions, eligibility clarification, or follow-up on submitted materials, contact Alice Hollow Horn. Recommendation letters from referees should go to bilinski@unm.edu.
Direct all student inquires to asadvise@unm.edu or (505) 277-4621.
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