Fellowships

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is offering its prestigious Fellowships program to support individuals engaged in advanced research in the humanities. As an independent federal agency, NEH promotes excellence in the humanities and conveys the lessons of history to all Americans. The Fellowships program is designed to provide recipients with the time and resources necessary to pursue significant scholarly work that contributes to the understanding of American history, culture, or Western civilization. This opportunity is targeted at scholars engaged in projects that embody rigorous humanistic research, articulate value to humanities audiences or the public, and demonstrate clear, persuasive writing. The 2026 competition is limited to projects focused on American history and culture or Western civilization, spanning topics from the Colonial Era to the present or from antiquity to today. Submissions from independent and junior scholars are encouraged, and projects at all stages of development are eligible. Fellowship funding may be used to support a range of research and writing activities, including travel and other project-related work. The program offers awards between $30,000 and $60,000, calculated at $5,000 per month for periods of performance ranging from six to twelve months. Awardees must commit to full-time work on their projects during this time and forego other professional obligations, such as teaching or administrative responsibilities. Awards are strictly limited to research; curriculum development or pedagogy-related projects are not eligible. Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov no later than April 22, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. The application package must include several required components, such as a narrative, work plan, bibliography, résumé, and, where applicable, samples of translations, data, or visual materials. These documents must follow specific formatting rules, including PDF format, single-spacing, standard fonts, and strict page limits. Applications that fail to comply with these requirements or are incomplete will be rejected. Proposals will be evaluated by peer reviewers according to five criteria: intellectual significance; clarity and organization; feasibility of the work plan; applicant’s qualifications; and the potential for completion and dissemination of the project. Applicants are encouraged to clearly explain their research’s contribution to humanities scholarship and its broader relevance. If the project involves translations, a justification must be provided, especially if previous English translations exist. Letters of reference must be submitted by May 6, 2026, and funding notifications will be sent by email in January 2027. If awarded, official documentation will be distributed beginning in March 2027 through NEH’s eGMS Reach system. Projects must begin between April 1, 2027, and September 1, 2028. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or foreign nationals residing in the U.S. for at least three years prior to the application deadline. Additional questions may be directed to NEH's Division of Research at [email protected] or 202-606-8200.

Focus on intellectual significance, writing clarity, and full compliance with PDF formatting and file naming rules.