Wilson Center Research Fellowship 2027–2028
The Wilson Center Research Fellowship 2027–2028 is a 12-month remote fellowship for scholars, policy practitioners, journalists and public intellectuals. The programme offers a monthly stipend of $10,000 and funded visits to Washington, D.C. Applications must be submitted by September 30, 2026.
Quick Overview
Programme: Wilson Center Research Fellowship
Opportunity Type: Research and public policy fellowship
Host Organization: Wilson Center
Programme Format: Remote and non-residential
Duration: 12 months
Programme Dates: June 1, 2027–May 30, 2028
Funding: $10,000 monthly stipend and two funded visits to Washington, D.C.
Deadline: September 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET
About the Wilson Center Research Fellowship
The Wilson Center plans to award between 10 and 20 fellowships for the 2027–2028 class. Fellows will conduct research and write in their areas of expertise while engaging with policymakers and other researchers.
Proposed projects must be policy-relevant and nonpartisan. They should address major challenges affecting the United States and the wider world.
The fellowship is not residential. Fellows work remotely throughout the programme but travel to Washington, D.C. at the beginning and end of the fellowship.
Fellowship Activities
The main focus of each fellowship is the recipient’s approved research project. Fellows must complete the project as proposed and present their work during an internal Work in Progress session.
Participants are also expected to contribute actively to the Wilson Center’s mission. Activities may include:
• Briefings for federal agencies
• Roundtable discussions with members of Congress and their staff
• Public seminars, workshops or colloquia
• Policy reports and opinion articles
• Short written or audiovisual policy products
• Engagement with researchers and policy communities in Washington, D.C.
Benefits and Financial Coverage
Selected fellows receive:
✓ A stipend of $10,000 per month
✓ Monthly stipend payments throughout the 12-month fellowship
✓ Travel to Washington, D.C. at the beginning of the programme
✓ Travel to Washington, D.C. at the end of the programme
✓ Lodging arrangements for the two required visits
The Wilson Center does not cover short-term research trips that fellows choose to undertake during their appointment. Fellows are also responsible for securing their own health insurance.
The Center intends to provide part-time research assistants during the fall and spring semesters. However, this support depends on available funding and the ability to match a suitable assistant with the fellow’s project.
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Eligibility Criteria
The fellowship welcomes applications from scholars, policy practitioners, journalists and public intellectuals. Requirements differ according to the applicant’s professional background.
Academic Applicants
Applicants from academia must:
• Hold a completed PhD
• Have published a book or monograph beyond their doctoral dissertation; or
• Have a substantial body of research, typically at least five articles in reputable peer-reviewed journals
Applicants who have completed every PhD requirement except the dissertation are not eligible.
Government, Policy and Nonprofit Applicants
Applicants from government, policy or nonprofit backgrounds must demonstrate professional achievement equivalent to advanced academic standing.
This generally means:
• At least 10 years of relevant professional experience
• A record of substantial policy impact, publication or leadership in their field
General Requirements
All applicants must:
• Be proficient in English
• Submit an individual and independent research proposal
• Demonstrate the ability to complete the proposed project
• Meet the professional or academic requirements for their application category
Applicants do not need an institutional affiliation. There is also no age limit.
Citizenship and Visa Conditions
The fellowship has no citizenship limitations. Applicants who are not United States citizens may apply.
However, fellows must travel to Washington, D.C. twice during the programme. They must hold a valid passport and be able to obtain the appropriate visa.
Applicants already living in the United States must be US citizens or legal permanent residents when they apply. The Wilson Center cannot sponsor J-1 visas.
Previous Wilson Center Fellows
Applicants who received a Wilson Center International Competition Fellowship or Research Fellowship within the past five years are not eligible.
Recipients of these awards from more than five years ago may reapply. Applicants who received other categories of Wilson Center research awards or fellowships are not automatically excluded.
Eligible Research Proposals
Proposals must be nonpartisan and align with at least one Wilson Center scholarship pillar:
• Strategic competition
• Economic statecraft
• Technology and innovation
• Regional scholarship
Possible primary outputs include a book manuscript, a series of long-form articles or a briefing roundtable series for policymakers. Other projects demonstrating a high level of scholarship may also be considered.
The primary project output cannot involve:
• Rewriting or completing a doctoral dissertation
• Visual arts, dance or musical composition
• Editing texts, papers or documents
• Preparing textbooks, anthologies, translations or memoirs
Applications must be submitted by individuals acting as sole investigators. Joint and collaborative fellowship applications are not accepted.
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Required Documents
A complete application must include:
• The online Fellowship Application Form
• A current curriculum vitae of no more than three pages
• A project proposal of no more than five pages
• Two letters of recommendation
The CV and project proposal must use 12-point font. All application materials and recommendation letters must be written in English.
Project Proposal Requirements
The project proposal should explain:
• The research topic and its importance
• The project’s original contribution
• The main ideas and hypotheses
• The proposed research methodology
• The current status of the research
• The work the applicant aims to complete during the fellowship
• Why the Wilson Center is suitable for the project
• How the project supports the Center’s commitment to nonpartisanship
• How the project aligns with one or more scholarship pillars
• The project’s relevance to current policy issues and policymakers
• How the findings will be communicated to policy audiences
• A brief bibliography of relevant sources
The proposal must be understandable to reviewers outside the applicant’s specialist field.
Recommendation Letters
Applicants must arrange for two recommendation letters to be submitted through Interfolio. Only two letters will be accepted.
Referees should be familiar with the applicant and the proposed research. Their letters should address the applicant’s qualifications, the proposed project and the applicant’s potential contribution to the Wilson Center.
Applicants are responsible for confirming that both letters arrive before the deadline. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Application Process
Applicants should complete the following steps:
• Review the official eligibility requirements and fellowship instructions.
• Create or access an account on Interfolio.
• Complete the electronic Fellowship Application Form.
• Upload a CV of no more than three pages.
• Upload a project proposal of no more than five pages.
• Enter the correct contact information for two referees.
• Confirm that both recommendation letters have been submitted.
• Submit the complete application before the deadline.
The application form must be completed electronically through Interfolio. The Wilson Center will not accept the form as an attached PDF, Word document or other external file.
Selection Process
Eligible applications undergo a multi-stage assessment. Wilson Center experts conduct internal reviews, followed by external evaluation by specialists with relevant expertise.
The selection process considers:
• The importance and originality of the proposed research
• Relevance to current policy issues and policymakers
• The quality, organisation, clarity and scope of the proposal
• The applicant’s achievements and ability to complete the project
• The applicant’s potential contribution to the Wilson Center’s priorities and mission
Final federally funded fellowship awards require approval from the Wilson Center’s Board of Trustees and remain subject to available funding. The programme does not conduct fellowship interviews.
Applicants are expected to receive the selection outcome by early March 2027.
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Application Deadline
The application deadline for the Wilson Center Research Fellowship 2027–2028 is:
September 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET
The complete application and both recommendation letters must be submitted through Interfolio by the stated deadline.
Official Link
Submit your application through the official application link below.
