Apply to the MMUF at the University of Chicago

Below you will find information on eligibility, info sessions, and the link to our application hosted on Slideroom. Be sure to read our guidelines and suggestions for how to prepare a competitive application. If you wish to receive more information about the fellowship, please fill out our interest form.

MMUF Eligibility Requirements

The Mellon Mays Undergraduate Program at the University of Chicago is open to applicants of all backgrounds. Applicants will be evaluated based on their prior coursework, their plans for a major, the depth of interest they communicate for a field of inquiry, and the potential of their future scholarship to offer fuller narratives of human experience. Applicants interested in the University of Chicago Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship should reflect on how their academic research will express our complex humanity, nourish imagination, and foster critical thinking. Successful applicants reflect upon and can clearly communicate responses to questions such as:

“Why do I want to earn a PhD in this field?” | “How and why does this field excite me?” | “How do I envision the Mellon Mays program assisting me in my future goals?” | “Why am I uniquely qualified to participate in the University of Chicago’s Mellon Mays Program?”

Basic Eligibility:

  • U.S. citizens and permanent residents. 
  • Second-Year students (The Mellon Foundation requires those admitted to the MMUF to participate for two full years.) 
  • Intent to pursue a research PhD in the arts, humanities, or qualitative social sciences. (See below the list of Mellon-eligible fields of study.)  

The MMUF is equally open to all students who meet the program’s eligibility requirements and does not use preferences or criteria based on any trait protected under applicable law.

For more information on MMUF Eligibility, consult https://www.mellon.org/article/mmuf-eligibility-requirements

Additional Eligibility Requirements  

  • University of Chicago second-year students studying and interested in pursuing a Ph.D. in a Mellon-designated field (see below) are eligible to apply. 
    • Mellon-designated fields include:  
      • Anthropology, Area/Cultural/Ethnic/Gender Studies, Art History, Classics, Geography, English Language & Literatures, Cinema and Media Studies, Music, Foreign Languages and Literatures, History, Linguistics, Theater & Performance Studies, Philosophy, Political Theory, Religion, Sociology. 
    • Areas of study that the MMUF does not support are: 
      • Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics, or any other science, Economics, Psychology, Political Science (except Political Theory), and Public Policy 
  • Concerning Ph.D. fields that one may be considering, interdisciplinary areas of study may be eligible if one or more of the above eligible fields are at their core, but please note that the MMUF does not support Ph.D. programs in Education. 

Selection Criteria 

  • Superior academic achievement, particularly in courses relevant to one’s eventual Ph.D. field 
  • Ability to formulate insightful and innovative research questions 
  • Clarity and grace as a writer  
  • Demonstrable facility for interpretive complexity as evidenced by one’s writing sample 
  • Potential to contribute to and enlarge one’s chosen field  
  • Potential for success beyond post-graduate training 
  • Desire to be guided and mentored by program leaders and faculty 
  • Responsiveness to feedback 
  • Enthusiasm for participating in programming and training offered by the University of Chicago’s MMUF Program 

Please note that financial need and GPA are not considered when deciding who we admit to the program.

2026 Information Sessions

*** To attend the following sessions, please register here.*** If you do not see a time that fits your schedule needs, write to Elise LaRose at mmufatuchicago@gmail.com to set up a meeting.

  • Thursday, January 22 at 4:30pm CT
  • Wednesday, January 28 at 4:30pm CT
  • Wednesday, February 4 at 4:30pm CT
  • Wednesday, February 18 at 4:30pm CT
  • Wednesday, February 25 at 4:30 PM CT
  • Monday, March 9 at 4:30pm CT
  • Thursday, March 12 at 4:30pm CT
  • Wednesday, April 1 at 4:30pm CT

Deadline and Application

The deadline to apply is April 15th. Please ensure you have read all the information on this page before proceeding with the application below. A PDF version of the application is also available below for viewing and downloading.

Apply Here

Additional Information

  • Concerning the MMUF Summer Research Training Program: If you are a University of Chicago student who is applying to or has already been admitted to the MMUF, then you are automatically admitted to the MMUF Summer Research Training Program (SRTP). You do not need to complete the SRTP application. So, if you are a current University of Chicago second-year student, please make sure you complete the application linked above, NOT the SRTP application intended for MMUF students joining us from other schools. 
  • Additional Note: If we admit you to the MMUF, then you will be required to complete the SRTP. Typically, University of Chicago Mellon Mays fellows complete the SRTP during the summer following their second year in the College. We will consider permitting sophomores who have secured another summer opportunity to pursue it if we believe this opportunity will deepen their research. In such cases, Mellon Mays will be required to complete the SRTP after their junior year in the College.
  • Declaring your Interest in the MMUF: If you are a University of Chicago undergraduate interested in applying to be a Mellon Mays Fellow, please fill out the interest form and email Elise LaRose here.
  • Program Brochure: View the printable application brochure here.
  • Questions? Again, please address any questions that you may have about the application to Elise LaRose. You are encouraged to make an appointment by emailing mmufatuchicago@gmail.com.

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