Dolores Zohrab Liebmann supported students and charitable organizations in her lifetime and created a fund to continue support after her death. The Dolores Zohrab Liebmann Fund supports graduate students with “outstanding character and ability who hold promise for achievement and distinction in their chosen fields of study.” The University of Washington is one of the institutions selected to submit three nominees for this national fellowship.
In 2024–25, the fellowship will provide an $18,000 stipend, plus tuition (no fees or health insurance). This annual award may be renewed for a total of three years.
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Friday, January 9, 2026, noon (Pacific)
Eligibility
All interested applicants must:
- Be a currently enrolled UW doctoral or professional graduate student in a field of study supported by the Liebmann fund. This may include any recognized field of study in the humanities, social sciences, or natural sciences (including law, medicine, engineering, architecture, or other formal professional training). The national selection committee has a strong preference for supporting scholarly endeavors (not practice degrees), and the UW selection process mirrors this strong preference.
- Have already received a baccalaureate degree and have an outstanding undergraduate record.
- Demonstrate a need for financial assistance. This requires a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on file with the UW Office of Student Financial Aid as well as an official financial aid summary/offer from the UW for the current academic year. If you do not already have a FAFSA on file for this year and a resulting UW financial aid summary/offer, you should first check with the UW Office of Student Financial Aid to see if you can submit a FAFSA in time for an official aid summary/offer to be generated. Applicants will not be considered for UW nomination without this documentation.
- Be a U.S. citizen.
- Conduct their studies and research in the United States.
Application process
UW students may apply for nomination consideration through the Graduate School’s Office of Fellowships and Awards. Required materials must be submitted online via the MyGrad link below. Applications will be reviewed, and three nominees will be chosen for submission to the foundation.
Initial applications need only answer some brief questions, then upload items 1-5 below. The three applicants chosen as nominees will be required to provide the final items on the list. Please note: Nominees will have only one week at most to provide the additional items after being notified of nominee status. All applicants should be prepared to provide these items ASAP.
Application materials
By the internal campus deadline (Friday, January 9, 2026, noon Pacific), all initial applicants must provide the following materials:
- Statement of purpose, no more than three pages long (double-spaced) which considers the relationship between your graduate level study and your intended personal and/or professional goals. Your statement of purpose must include a 10-15 line abstract at the top (also double-spaced and included in the three-page limit) that explains in layperson’s terms the essence of your proposed topic of study or dissertation, the methodology of its treatment and its anticipated impact on your field of study.
- UW financial aid summary/offer for the current 2025-2026 academic year (available from MyUW)
- Copy of completed FAFSA form for 2025-2026.
- Letters of recommendation from at least two professors who have taught or worked closely with you.
- Resume or curriculum vitae.
- Unofficial undergraduate and graduate transcripts. (NOTE: Final nominees will be required to submit official copies as listed below; please make sure you have these on hand or can get them quickly.)
Only those selected as final campus nominees will provide:
- Official Liebmann application form.
- Copy of graduate exam test scores printed from the test provider if applicable/available.
- Copies of federal income tax forms for the prior two years (including spouse’s returns, if applicable). Only the main form is required, not all the detailed supplementary schedules or other detailed documentation.
- Official copies of undergraduate and graduate transcripts.
Please note: All final pieces of the application will need to be provided in electronic/PDF format to the Office of Fellowships and Awards. Nominees will have a very short period of time – less than one week – to provide the additional items after being notified of nominee status.
Questions?
The Office of Fellowships and Awards can assist you.