The Madison Foundation awards Junior Fellowships to college seniors and college graduates without teaching experience who intend to become secondary school teachers of American history, American government, or social studies in grades 7–12. Junior Fellows are expected to complete graduate study within two academic years of full-time study and will receive up to $24,000 to continue their education. Upon receiving this award, students will be expected to pursue a degree pertaining to both education and American history or politics.
A successful candidate must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. national; be a teacher or intend to be a teacher of American history, American government, or social studies at the secondary school level (grades 7–12) and possess a bachelor's degree or plan to receive a bachelor's degree no later than August 31 of the year in which one is applying.Applicants compete only against other applicants from the states of their legal residence. Applicants are evaluated on their demonstrated commitment to a career teaching American history, American government, or social studies at the secondary school level; demonstrated intent to pursue and complete a program of graduate study that emphasizes the Constitution and offers instruction in that subject; demonstrated devotion to civic responsibility; demonstrated capacity for study and performance as classroom teachers and their proposed courses of graduate study.