The NAEd/Spencer Dissertation Fellowship encourages a new generation of scholars from a wide range of disciplines and professional fields to undertake research relevant to the improvement of education. These $27,500 fellowships support individuals whose dissertations show potential for bringing fresh and constructive perspectives to the history, theory, or practice of formal or informal education anywhere around the world. Fellows will also attend professional development retreats and receive mentorship from NAEd members and other senior scholars in their field. This highly competitive program aims to identify the most talented emerging researchers conducting dissertation research related to education. The Dissertation Fellowship funds 35 promising young scholars.

The NAEd/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship supports early-career scholars working in critical areas of educational scholarship. Fellows receive $70,000 for one academic year of research, or $35,000 for each of two contiguous years, working half time. Fellows will also attend professional development retreats and receive mentorship from NAEd members and other senior scholars in their fields. This fellowship is non-residential, and applications from all disciplines are encouraged. The Postdoctoral Fellowship funds 25 early-career researchers.