The National Humanities Center Fellowship Program

The National Humanities Center welcomes fellowship applications from scholars engaged in advanced humanities research regardless of citizenship or national origin. Each year, several scholars from countries other than the United States come to the Center as part of the cohort of Fellows.

Eligibility

Successful candidates typically earned a Ph.D. in a humanities discipline from an accredited university at least five years prior to applying for a fellowship. Fellowships are awarded to established scholars, meaning that successful candidates usually have published at least one single-author monograph or a significant body of peer-reviewed scholarship. The Center does not fund post-docs. There is no upper age limit, but senior candidates must be actively engaged in scholarly research which will eventuate in significant publication.

Fluency in written and spoken English is required.

Preparing the Application

Project descriptions should emphasize the scholarly significance of the proposed research. Potential economic or public benefits of the proposed research are not taken into consideration in determining fellowship awards. Instead, proposals should convey the importance of the project for advancing knowledge both within a scholar's own field and for the humanities generally. Where appropriate, applicants should cite evidence of their participation in and contribution to international Anglophone scholarship.

Use a standard, easy-to-read font, preferably in 11- or 12-point; do not capitalize all text.

Fellowship applicants are asked to provide three letters of reference in support of their candidacy. Letters of reference from specialists who hold appointments in institutions other than the candidate's place of employment help to convey the breadth of the candidate's scholarly profile. Letters of reference from scholars with experience at American, British, or European research institutions can help to contextualize a candidate's preparation and suitability for a residency at the National Humanities Center.

Mail delivery from overseas can take several weeks: please take this into consideration when arranging for letters of reference.

Relocation Assistance for International Fellows

Fellowship recipients who come from overseas are provided with guidance in securing housing, arranging local transportation, and finding schools. Travel expenses to the Center and back home again by the Fellow and those members of the household who accompany him or her to North Carolina are reimbursed by the Center.

The Center sponsors J-1 (Research Scholar) visa applications for its Fellows who are not U.S. citizens. For more information, see http://j1visa.state.gov/programs/professor-and-research-scholar. The U.S. government requires that international Fellows have at least $50,000 in medical coverage per accident or illness and a deductible not to exceed $500 per accident or illness.

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