Scholarships
Travel Scholarships
The Women’s Travel Club (WTC) was established in 1934 "to promote intelligent travel and exploration by women” and "to provide help to other women travelers.” Today, the WTC has over 60 members, primarily in the Greater Boston area. Every other year, the Club’s Scholarship Committee awards two travel grants of $7,000 each to support women who are passionate about a particular project, a research interest, or a personal or professional goal that requires travel. The next Travel Scholarships will be awarded in April of 2026 for projects to be completed no later than May of 2027.
2018 Travel Scholars
Eligibility
The Scholarship Committee selects candidates based on the compelling and life-enhancing nature of their projects, whether in the arts, humanities, or sciences. Eligible candidates must identify as women and have a strong interest they want to pursue that requires travel. There are no restrictions as to destination, interests, academic background, or age of the applicant; however, we will not support travel to conferences.
The two Scholarship awardees will be required to describe their proposed projects in person at a meeting of the Women’s Travel Club on May 20, 2026. Awardees will also be required to present a report, in person, about their projects at a meeting in May of 2027.
Previous Travel Scholars have included an applicant studying homelessness in Vatican City, a PhD candidate studying chimpanzee behavior in Uganda, a ministerial candidate studying nude protests by rural women in Nigeria, and an applicant studying Italian jewelry techniques in Florence.
Application
The following application material must be submitted no later than February 1, 2026:
• One-page proposal, including a budget. If the total budget is larger than $7,000, please provide proof of additional funding. Funds may cover travel, accommodations, meals, equipment, etc.
• One-page personal statement, outlining travel experiences. Exhibits may be included, if necessary. When permits or permissions are required for the project, they should be acquired in advance.
• One supporting letter, emailed directly by the writer to the Scholarship Committee.
Applications, supporting letters, and any questions should be addressed to: Scholarship Committee, <WTC.travel.scholarships@gmail.com> and received no later than February 1, 2026. Committee members will review applications in mid-February. Finalists will be asked to meet for interviews on March 5 in Cambridge, MA. The two awardees will be notified by the end of March 2026.
Contact: Co-Chairs, WTC Scholarship Committee, WTC.travel.scholarships@gmail.com
All Women’s Travel Club records, including records of Travel Scholars, ultimately reside in the Archives of Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Harvard University.