Doctoral Student Policy Fellowship

CSWE Social Work Doctoral Student Policy Fellowship

The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) is excited to announce that applications for the 2025 – 2026 CSWE Doctoral Student Policy Fellowship (DSPF) Program are now open! The goal of the two-year DSPF program is to develop a cohort of doctoral level social workers who influence social policy through the federal legislative policy process. 
 

Apply by January 20, 2025!


This two-year fellowship will offer opportunities for experiential learning through placements in congressional offices, with CSWE government relations at Lewis-Burke, or other federal agencies and advocacy groups. This virtual opportunity does not require the fellow to relocate to the Washington, DC area, unless by choice and self-funded, to participate in a DC-based fellowship. 

All placements will center on connecting fellows’ research interests to policy and informing policymakers on how the social work profession can play a key role in the shaping of federal policy. Fellows will work and learn alongside legislative and advocacy professionals on issues of social work and social justice and learn to link their academic research with legislative policies and developing easy to read advocacy materials and policy briefs. Ultimately, this fellowship seeks to cultivate a cadre of social work researchers who can both advocate for investments in social work and adjacent social policy and disseminate this information among their communities of practice. 

Program Purpose 

  1. The objectives of the CSWE Social Work Doctoral Student Policy Forum & Fellowship are to

  2. Create an opportunity for doctoral students to make a stronger link between their research and policy

  3. Expose social work researchers to the ways their research experience and backgrounds are used by practitioners in government to influence and inform policy; 

  4. Promote the value and significance of investments in social work and social work research on Capitol Hill; and 

  5. Cultivate a cadre of social work researchers who can both advocate for investments in social work education and research, as well as disseminate this information amongst their communities of practice.  

Guidelines

Eligibility 

Applicants must be currently enrolled doctoral students at a U.S. domestic higher education institution. They must be at least in their 2nd year of coursework and in the pre-dissertation phase of their program during the 2024–25 academic year.  

Support for Participation 

Up to 20 individuals will be selected to participate in this fellowship. Fellows will receive a $2,000 stipend in year 1 and a $2,000 travel award in year 2.  

Application Process  

There will be a two-part application process. Applicants will apply through an online portal housed in CSWE’s Submittable site (linked above). Applicants will do the following:  

  1. Complete all the questions and a personal statement in the online application; and 
  2. Identify two individuals to submit letters of recommendation on behalf of the candidate. The first recommendation must be from the applicant’s doctoral program director. The second recommendation should be from someone who knows the applicant in a professional or academic setting.  
Successful first round applicants will be selected to undergo an interview process with representatives of each partnering organization, from which the Social Work Policy Fellows will be selected. Applications will be assessed by the applicant’s academic achievements, the strength of the personal statement and letters of recommendation, representation reflecting the breadth and diversity of the social work profession, and the demonstration of a commitment to the inclusion of policy considerations in their dissertation research. 

 Required Events 

See the Program Timeline Overview below for events that require participation of DSPF fellows. There is an expectation that the fellow’s home institution will supplement the fellowship travel award with financial support to ensure full participation in all events.   
 

Program Timeline Overview 
(subject to change) 
January 20, 2025 Application deadline 
February 2025 Fellow interviews and selection
March 2025 Fellow virtual orientation
April- June 2025  Educational Webinars on the following topics:
  • Leadership & Mentorship  
  • Policy Briefs  
  • Policy Analysis  
  • Social Work research and policy organizations.
Fall 2025 Fellowship Placements
Virtual CSWE & Cohort Meeting(s)
January- May 2026  Development of Policy Briefs
May or June 2026 CSWE Fellows Forum (Alexandria, VA)
  • Policy programming (e.g., translating research to policy)  
  • Capitol Hill advocacy visits
Fall 2026  Eduwational Webinars on job search and research/ policy career- related topics. 
October 2026 CSWE Annual Conference (Atlanta, GA)
  • Present policy briefs
  • CSWE and cohort in-person meeting 


Funding Information: The Doctoral Student Policy Fellowship (DSPF) program was previously funded by The New York Community Trust (NYCT). CSWE is applying for continued funding for the DSPF program, which funding for this program is contingent upon. 


For any questions or concerns regarding the application process, please contact [email protected].