Social Science Fellowship Opportunities
Early Career Opportunity
| Institution Name | Fellowship Name | Information on Fellowship | Deadline |
| American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) | ACLS Fellowship Program | ACLS invites applications from scholars researching topics across any time period, world region, or humanistic methodology. The program aims to select a diverse group of fellows representing various fields of humanistic scholarship, emphasizing that diversity enhances academic excellence. ACLS promotes equity and inclusion through its peer review and funding processes. The goal of the fellowship is to produce significant scholarly work, such as a monograph, articles, or a publicly-engaged project, at any stage of development. However, it does not fund works of fiction, textbooks, straightforward translations, or purely pedagogical projects. | September |
| Fulbright | Fulbright Doctoral Awards | Postdoctoral Awards provide recently graduated scholars an opportunity to conduct research and receive professional training abroad. Awards may involve limited teaching. Postdoctoral Awards are open to scholars who will have received a doctoral degree (Ph.D., J.D., M.D., Ed.D., etc.) within five to seven years of the fellowship start date, as noted in the award description. Degree conferment before the start of the award is mandatory. Institutional affiliation in the United States is not required. | September |
Research Resource
| Institution Name | Fellowship Name | Information on Fellowship | Deadline |
| ACLS/ Arthur Vining Davis Foundation | ACLS/AVDF Fellowship for Research on the Liberal Arts | This peer-reviewed fellowship program provides funding and data training for up to five scholarly projects that draw upon the newly available College and Beyond II (CBII) database. | December |
| Folger Shakespeare Library | Folger Institute Long Term Fellowships | Folger Institute fellowships support individual scholarly and artistic research focused on enriching our understanding of the early modern world. The Institute values research that tackles complex historical questions and engages with primary sources to produce diverse histories. Additionally, it promotes equitable access to research funding by offering various fellowship modules and removing barriers to participation. | December |
| Folger Shakespeare Library | Folger Institute Short Term Fellowships | Short-term fellowships at the Folger Institute support scholars needing significant primary research for one to three months, offering a monthly stipend of $4,000. These fellowships facilitate concentrated, full-time work on research projects utilizing the Folger’s collections and programs. They can be conducted on-site, virtually, or in a hybrid format, allowing researchers to engage in collections-based research within an interdisciplinary community and receive regular feedback on their work. | January |
| Hoover Institution | Scholar Research Support | The Hoover Institution Library & Archives Scholar Research Support grant provides an award of up to $10,000 to support research based on our collections. Grant recipients are expected to spend a minimum of ten days at the Hoover Institution Library & Archives directly accessing collection materials in the reading room, and complete their research and post-visit summary report within the one year of the cohort. | February |
| Library of Congress | Kluge Fellowships | The Kluge Center encourages humanistic and social science research that makes use of the Library’s large and varied collections. Interdisciplinary and cross-cultural research is particularly welcome in the Kluge Fellowship program. The fellowship is open to scholars in the humanities, social sciences, and professional fields such as architecture or law. | September |
| New York Public Library | Cullman Center Fellowship | The Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers offers an international fellowship program for individuals whose work benefits from access to the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building’s collections. This includes academics, independent scholars, creative writers (novelists, playwrights, poets), and visual artists with book projects. The Center appoints 15 Fellows annually for a nine-month term, from September to May. Fellows work on their individual projects while also engaging in an exchange of ideas within the Center and participating in public forums at the Library. | September |
| Smithsonian Institution | Smithsonian Institution Fellloship Program | The Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program offers opportunities for independent research or study related to Smithsonian collections, facilities, and/or research interests of the Institution and its staff. Fellowships are offered to graduate students, predoctoral students, and postdoctoral and senior researchers to conduct independent research and to utilize the resources of the Institution with members of the Smithsonian professional research staff serving as advisors and hosts. | October |
| Smithsonian Institution | Museums, Research Institutes, Centers, and Office’s Fellowship Programs | The Smithsonian Institution heads up many museums, research programs, centers, etc. Many of these entities have field-specific fellowship opportunities. The comprehensive list of these unique opportunities can be found at the link. Most include residency in DC at a given institution and require that the proposed project benefit from that institution’s resources. | varies |
| The Newberry | Newberry Long-Term Fellowships | Researchers with long-term fellowships spend four to nine months immersed in the Newberry collection and in our community of learning. While pursuing significant works of scholarship, they make discoveries, present works in progress, and take their projects to the next level. | November |
Sabbatical & Project Funding
| Institution Name | Fellowship Name | Information on Fellowship | Deadline |
| John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation | Guggenheim Fellowship | Guggenheim Fellowships are intended for mid-career individuals who have demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the arts and exhibit great promise for their future endeavors | September |
| National Endowment for the Arts | Division of Research Programs Fellowships | NEH Fellowships are competitive awards for individual scholars engaged in exceptional research, rigorous analysis, and clear writing. Applicants must articulate their project’s value to both humanities scholars and general audiences. The fellowships provide recipients with time to conduct research or produce various scholarly works, including books, monographs, peer-reviewed articles, e-books, digital materials, annotated translations, or critical editions. Projects can be at any stage of development. | April |
| Carnegie Corporation of New York | Andrew Carnegie Fellows Program | Since 2015, the Andrew Carnegie Fellows Program has supported high-caliber scholarship and research in the social sciences and humanities that address important and enduring issues confronting our society. For at least the next three years, the fellows will aim to help Americans understand how and why our society has become so polarized and what can be done to strengthen American democracy. ***Requires a nomination from the University President (1 junior and 1 senior faculty per cycle) | November |
| Public Religion Research Institute | PRRI Public Fellows | This 11 month fellowship includes a stipend, support for a course release during the spring semester, and access to microgrants to support collaborative research. The PRRI fellowship will benefit those who want to shape their work for broader public consumption, receive communications support for placing public-facing work in top-tier media outlets, and integrate quantitative data into their research and teaching. Successful fellows will be eligible to apply for a one-time renewal at the end of the program year, but are not guaranteed renewal. | July |
| The James McKeen Cattell Fund | Cattell Sabbatical Awards | For over half a century, the James McKeen Cattell Fund has provided support for the science and the application of psychology. The Fund offers a program of supplementary sabbatical awards (“James McKeen Cattell Fund Fellowships”). These awards supplement the regular sabbatical allowance provided by the recipients’ home institutions, to allow an extension of leave-time from one to two semesters. Information on the history of the fund, as well as application materials, requirements for award eligibility, and a list of previous recipients are available on this site. See topics listed in the left hand column. | January |
Travel & Residency
| Institution Name | Fellowship Name | Information on Fellowship | Deadline |
| American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) | Summer Institute for the Study of East Central and Southeastern Europe | The Summer Institute for the Study of East Central and Southeastern Europe (SISECSE) is a two-week residential workshop, that provides scholars of Eastern Europe time and space to dedicate to their own research and writing in a collaborative and interdisciplinary setting. | November |
| American Councils for International Education | Title VIII Research Scholar Program | Funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Program for Research and Training on Eastern Europe and the Independent States of the Former Soviet Union (Title VIII), the American Councils Research Scholar Program provides full support for U.S. graduate students, faculty, and independent scholars seeking to conduct in-country, independent research for three to nine consecutive months throughout Eurasia and Eastern Europe. | October |
| American Institute for Economic Research | Long Term Harwood Visiting Research Fellowship | At AIER, you’ll have the chance to present your work to research scholars and fellow participants, receiving valuable feedback while engaging in the institute’s intellectual community. You’ll also have access to AIER’s library, including Inter-Library Loan privileges and IT support, and can submit research tasks to interns on a voluntary basis. Located in the serene Berkshires, AIER offers comfortable accommodations, handles airport and rail transfers, and provides weekday lunches, creating a conducive environment for both work and relaxation. | Quarterly Review: April, July, September, and January |
| American Institute for Economic Research | Short Term Visiting Research Fellowships | Get feedback from other scholars. You will have the opportunity present your work to AIER’s research scholars and other fellows and to participate in the intellectual life of the institute. You will have access to AIER’s library, which enjoys full borrowing privileges through Inter-Library Loan, and IT support. You will also be eligible to submit research tasks to the intern pool. Interns accept research tasks on a voluntary basis. Our unique campus in the Berkshires affords both a peaceful environment to work in and opportunities for relaxation. You will stay in our world-class accommodations, while AIER takes care of airport and rail transfers and weekday lunches. | Rolling |
| American Political Science Association | Congressional Fellowship Program | The American Political Science Association Congressional Fellowship Program is a highly selective, nonpartisan program devoted to expanding knowledge and awareness of Congress. Since 1953, it has brought select political scientists, journalists, federal employees, health specialists, and other professionals to Capitol Hill to experience Congress at work through fellowship placements on congressional staffs. | January |
| Bank of England | Houblon-Norman and George Fellowships | At AIER, you’ll receive feedback from research scholars and peers by presenting your work and engaging in the institute’s intellectual community. You’ll have access to the library with Inter-Library Loan privileges, IT support, and the option to submit research tasks to voluntary interns. The Berkshires campus provides a tranquil setting for work and relaxation, along with world-class accommodations, airport and rail transfers, and weekday lunches provided by AIER. | late fall 2024 |
| Congressional Budget Office | Visiting Scholars | CBO’s visiting scholars strengthen vital links between the agency and the broader community of public policy analysts. Visiting scholars have a unique opportunity to address complex budgetary and economic issues. The agency is especially interested in collaborating with scholars who specialize in macroeconomics, health economics, financial economics, and public economics, though it welcomes applications from analysts in all areas. | TBD |
| Council of American Overseas Research Centers | Multi-County Research Fellowship | The Multi-Country Research Fellowship supports U.S. scholars conducting trans-regional and comparative research in countries affiliated with Overseas Research Centers and beyond. It is aimed at advanced research in the humanities, social sciences, and allied natural sciences for U.S. doctoral candidates who are “all but dissertation” and scholars with a PhD or terminal degree. Preference is given to comparative and cross-regional studies. Applicants can apply individually or in teams, with twelve awards of $12,600 each available, funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. | December |
| DAAD German Academic Exchange Service | Research Stays for University Academics and Scientists | This programme offers you the opportunity to network amongst colleagues and exchange experience in the framework of short-term research stays in Germany. The scholarships are funded by the German Federal Foreign Office. The programme provides funding for research stays at state or state-recognised institutions of higher education or non-university research institutes in Germany. A research stay can also take place at several host institutions. | October & May |
| Diverse Intelligences Summer Institute | Diverse Intelligences Summer Institute | The Diverse Intelligences Summer Institute (DISI) brings this nascent community together for a few intense weeks each summer. Admitted fellows and storytellers engage with our world-class faculty in a rigorous program of lectures, seminars, projects, meals, salons, and more. Beyond the residential program, DISI alums enjoy access to programming and opportunities throughout the year, as well as lifelong membership in a one-of-a-kind research network. | March, rolling |
| European University Institute | Fernand Braudel Senior Fellowships | Fernand Braudel Senior Fellowships support established academics with an international reputation in pursuing research at the European University Institute (EUI). While in residence, fellows are encouraged to connect with fellow researchers, participate in teaching and thesis supervision alongside EUI professors, and engage with ongoing research projects at the institute. | September |
| Fulbright | Fulbright Scholar Award | The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program provides over 400 awards in more than 135 countries for U.S. citizens to teach, conduct research, and undertake professional projects globally. It is open to college and university faculty, artists, and professionals from various fields, contributing to a network of over 400,000 Fulbrighters who gain enhanced skills, new connections, and increased mutual understanding. The majority of awards are Fulbright Scholar Awards, which cater to professionals, artists, and scholars at all career stages. Eligibility and location details vary, with some awards restricted to specific career levels or types of scholars, as outlined in the award descriptions. | September |
| Fulbright | Fulbright Distinguished Scholar Awards | Distinguished Scholar awards are the most prestigious appointments in the Fulbright Scholar Program, aimed at scholars with over seven years of experience in their field, though some awards may have additional eligibility restrictions. Recipients are expected to engage actively with host institutions to promote mutual understanding and share knowledge. Awards are available for one or two academic semesters (four or ten months) across all academic disciplines. Distinguished Scholars are anticipated to participate in the academic life of their department and teach one course (graduate or undergraduate) each semester of their residency. | September |
| Fulbright | Fulbright Specialist Program | The Fulbright Specialist Program, part of the larger Fulbright Program, was established in 2001 by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA). The program pairs highly qualified U.S. academics and professionals with host institutions abroad to share their expertise, strengthen institutional linkages, hone their skills, gain international experience, and learn about other cultures while building capacity at their overseas host institutions. | September & November |
| Harvard Radcliffe Institute | Radcliffe Fellowship | Radcliffe fellows are individuals at different stages of their careers who come to the Institute from across the United States and around the world and represent a broad range of academic, professional, and artistic fields. Fellows work on an individual project—a novel, a film, a map of the Milky Way—while mining and deepening the knowledge, ingenuity, and talent of the Harvard University community. | Varies |
| Institute for Advanced Study | Visiting Fellowship | Each year, the Institute for Advanced Study selects around 200 Members from over 1,500 applicants across its four Schools: Historical Studies, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social Science. Members can stay for terms ranging from one term to several years. The selection process considers young scholars with potential, applicants from non-traditional backgrounds, and established senior scholars. A key criterion for appointment is the expectation that each Member’s time at the Institute will produce significant and original work. Many Members align their research with the Faculty’s interests, while others explore areas not currently represented. | October |
| Luce/ACLS | Luce/ACLS Program in China Studies | The Luce/ACLS Program in China Studies offers various fellowship types, including early career flexible and long-term fellowships, travel grants, and collaborative grants. The program aims to: – Expand the scope of China studies by funding diverse research methods and supporting a broader range of scholars and institutions. – Promote publicly engaged scholarship that enhances understanding of Chinese cultures, histories, and their global impacts. – Develop effective long-term change strategies through collaborative working groups and community-building activities.and community-building activities. |
November |
| National Endowment for Democracy | Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellowship | The Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellows Program, named after former President Ronald Reagan and late Congressman Dante Fascell, is a federally funded international exchange initiative. It invites democracy activists, journalists, civil society leaders, and scholars to spend five months at the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) in Washington, D.C. There, they conduct independent research on democracy in specific countries or regions. Hosted within NED’s International Forum for Democratic Studies, the program fosters a collaborative environment for educational exchange and professional growth. | TBD |
| National Humanities Center | The Fellowship Experience | A fellowship year at the National Humanities Center is an opportunity to make significant progress on scholarly projects, socialize and share ideas with other scholars, and be reinvigorated by a hiatus from the regular demands of academic life for time spent in deep thought and reflection. | October |
| Notre Dame Institute for Advanced Research | Faculty Fellowships | The Notre Dame Institute for Advanced Study awards 8-10 residential Faculty Fellowships annually to researchers whose work addresses the Institute’s yearly Research Theme. | October |
| Paris Institute for Advanced Study | Research Residencies | The 2025-2026 research residencies call at the Paris IAS offers exceptional researchers in the social sciences and humanities the opportunity to develop a research project in ideal conditions that include: a full academic year (10 months) of time for research away from teaching and administrative responsibilities, insertion in an international and interdisciplinary community of top-level researchers and the largest concentration of scientists in Europe, within an excellent work and living environment in the heart of Paris. | May through October |
| Robert Wood Foundation | Health Policy Fellows | The RWJF Fellowship is comprised of two unique experiences: an immersive orientation period and a hands-on placement working as a senior advisor to an elected or appointed federal government official. Starting with an intensive three-and-a-half-month orientation arranged by the NAM, fellows have the opportunity to meet with national leaders well-versed in health, health care policy, health equity, social determinants of health, and structural racism; think tanks and interest groups; key executive branch officials; and members of Congress and their staffs. | October |
| Russell Sage Foundation | Summer Institutes | RSF offers intensive, multi-day summer institutes on various topics for doctoral students and early-career scholars. Most participant costs during the institute, including housing and most meals, are covered, and travel expenses are reimbursed up to a set cap. Participants are required to fully attend all sessions of the program and some institutes require participants to complete some assignments in advance. | March |
| School for Advanced Research | Wenner Gren Fellowship in Anthropology and Black Experiences | The fellowship aims to enhance the field of anthropology by elevating underrepresented perspectives, particularly those related to Black studies, critical race studies, and diasporic Africana studies. The School for Advanced Research (SAR) seeks to support researchers who draw on the insights of communities of color and global Black experiences, encouraging scholarship across various subfields of anthropology. They are particularly interested in applicants working within Black communities and other diverse contexts. | November |
| Scoville Peace Fellowship | Scoville Peace Fellowship | The Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellowship was established in 1987 to recruit and train the next generation of policy and advocacy leaders on a range of international peace and security issues. The fellowship ensures a pipeline of the brightest, most dedicated, and diverse next-generation experts into leading think tanks and advocacy groups in order to inspire creative new approaches to the pervasive challenges to peace and security. Its goal is to bridge the gap between academia and the professional world by providing an entree for mission-driven grads eager to learn about and contribute to public-interest organizations. | October & January |
| Stanford Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences | CASBS at Stanford University Individual Residential Fellowships | The Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences (CASBS) offers a residential fellowship program for scholars from a wide array of disciplines, including social sciences, humanities, education, and various sciences. The program emphasizes collaboration and the benefits of cross-disciplinary interactions, aiming to foster transformative thinking and research. CASBS seeks fellows who are both influential and open to influence within a diverse, multidisciplinary cohort. | November |
| Stanford Humanities Center | Fellowships for External Faculty | External fellowships are intended primarily for individuals currently teaching in or affiliated with an academic institution, but independent scholars may apply. Faculty fellowships are awarded across the spectrum of academic ranks (assistant, associate, and full professor) and a goal of the selection process is to create a diverse community of scholars. Applicants who are members of traditionally under-represented groups are encouraged to apply. There are no citizenship requirements for these fellowships; non-U.S. nationals are welcome to apply. | October |
| The Newberry | Newberry Short-Term Fellowships | Researchers with short-term fellowships spend one to two months investigating specific collection items that are essential to their scholarship. These fellowship opportunities are open to scholars at the ABD stage and beyond. | December |
| The Rockefeller Foundation | Bellagio Center Residency Program | For over 60 years, the Bellagio Center has served as a collaborative space for academics, artists, and practitioners to enhance their creativity and pursue groundbreaking projects. Unlike a typical retreat, the residency focuses on advancing specific projects while fostering cross-disciplinary and cross-cultural connections among residents. Participants form lasting relationships and remain connected through the Bellagio Network, continuing their engagement with The Rockefeller Foundation after their residency. | Varies |
| The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars | Wilson Center Fellowship | Through an international competition, the Center offers 9-month residential fellowships. The Wilson Center invites scholars, practitioners, journalists and public intellectuals to take part in its flagship international Fellowship Program. Fellows conduct research and write in their areas of interest, while interacting with policymakers in Washington and Wilson Center staff and other scholars in residence. The Center accepts policy-relevant, non-advocacy fellowship proposals that address key challenges confronting the United States and the world. | October |
Other
| Institution Name | Fellowship Name | Information on Fellowship | Deadline |
| American Sociological Association | Carla B. Howery Teaching Enhancement Fund Grants | The Carla B. Howery Teaching Enhancement Fund provides small grants to support projects that advance the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) within the discipline of sociology. The Carnegie Foundation has defined SoTL as “problem posing about an issue of teaching or learning, study of the problem through methods appropriate to the disciplinary epistemologies, applications of results to practice, communication of results, self-reflection, and peer review” (Cambridge, 2001). | February |