Applicants who are eligible may apply to both SHC Dissertation Prize and the Mellon Dissertation fellowship, or to just one. The key distinguishing feature between these two fellowships is physical residency at the Humanities Center; applicants who are unable or unwilling to be in residence at the Center for the full academic year should not apply to the SHC Dissertation Prize. Depending on their year in program and dissertation status, they should instead apply to the Mellon or the Career Launch.
Applicants cannot apply to both the SHC Dissertation Prize/Mellon Dissertation and the SHC Career Launch fellowship.
The same selection committee of Stanford faculty evaluates applications for all three fellowships, in two pools: one pool for the SHC Dissertation Prize and Mellon, and another pool for the Career Launch.
For the SHC Dissertation Prize and Mellon Foundation fellowships: applicants are typically (but not exclusively) in their 5th or 6th year of the doctoral program. From the applicant pool, a top group of approximately 45 potential awardees is identified for the approximately 20 fellowship spots. Only at the very end of the selection process are specific applicants matched up with specific fellowships. Designating both fellowships gives the selection committee more award options, and thus increases the likelihood of receiving a fellowship. However, applicants should only designate both options if they are able to commit to accepting either fellowship if awarded.
For the SHC Career Launch Fellowships: the selection committee will award fellowships based on eligibility (applicants in year 6+) and demonstration of exceptional scholarly promise.