¼ø»Æʦapp

The Application

A complete application must include the following:

• The Fellowship Application Form.
• A current CV that does not exceed 3 pages, using 12-point font.
• A project proposal that does not exceed 5 pages, using 12-point font.
• 2 letters of reference.

All materials must be submitted in English. Applications must be submitted by 11:59 pm ET on September 30, 2026. Additional details about each section of the application are included below.

Fellowship Application Form

When submitting your application through Interfolio, you must complete the Fellowship Application Form to be considered for a ¼ø»Æʦapp Research Fellowship. The form will request general details regarding your contact information, educational background, professional experience, and research project title. There is also space for applicants to share how they plan to engage with the ¼ø»Æʦapp community and to disclose any potential conflicts of interest. Additionally, applicants should describe any other affiliations they intend to maintain during their fellowship year.

The Application Form fields are provided below for reference purposes only. The form must be completed electronically and submitted through the Interfolio application portal. ¼ø»Æʦapp will not accept forms attached as PDFs, Word documents, or other external file formats.

General Questions

• Full Name (First and Last)*
• Email*
• Phone Number*
• Current Address*
• Date of Birth (MM/DD/YYYY)*
• Gender*
• Primary Citizenship*
• Additional Citizenship

Professional Background

• Professional Title*
• Professional Affiliation*
• Scholarly Discipline*
• Highest Level of Education*
• Institute and Location of Highest Level of Education*
• Major Field of Highest Level of Education*
• PhD Dissertation (if applicable)
• Years of Professional Experience

¼ø»Æʦapp Community

• Title of Proposed ¼ø»Æʦapp Research Project*
• How do you intend to regularly engage with and contribute to the ¼ø»Æʦapp community during your fellowship? (max 200 words)*
• Do you intend to hold any other positions or affiliations during your tenure as a ¼ø»Æʦapp Research Fellow? If yes, how will you balance those responsibilities with the expectations of the ¼ø»Æʦapp fellowship program?*
• Have you ever had any formal affiliation with the ¼ø»Æʦapp, whether as staff, fellow, intern, contractor, or other? If yes, please explain the nature and recency of the affiliation.*

Conflicts of Interest

• Are you currently or have you ever been a registered lobbyist in the United States?*
• Are you currently or have you ever registered under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA)?*
• Do you have a former or current affiliation with a non-US government agency, military, or government sponsored organization? If yes, please explain the nature and recency of the affiliation.*
• Bearing in mind that the ¼ø»Æʦapp is a Congressionally chartered, official U.S. presidential memorial, please disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could arise should you be awarded a ¼ø»Æʦapp Research Fellowship.*

Your CV

Your CV must be included as part of your application. It cannot exceed 3 pages, using 12-point font. For any publications, please include exact titles, names of publishers, dates of publication, and status of forthcoming publications. 

Feel free to include an explanation for lapses in your CV and any opportunities you were offered but unable to accept or were rescinded due to unforeseen circumstances. We understand that these things do occur and that not every CV will look the same.

The 3-page limit (12-point font) is strictly enforced. Any additional pages beyond page 3 will be deleted before review and will not be seen by the selection committee.

Project Proposal

The project proposal is the heart of your application. It cannot exceed 5 pages, using 12-point font. It is essential to make your project clear to individuals outside your own field and to explain its broader implications.

Although every research project is unique and will be structured differently, applicants may want to address or include some or all of the following elements in their proposal:

• Detailed description of the topic and its importance.
• Original contribution of the proposed research.
• Core ideas and hypotheses.
• Methodology, including the activities you will undertake to gather data and the techniques you will use to analyze it to prove your thesis.
• Current status of your research, including how much work has already been done, and what you hope to accomplish while affiliated with the Center.
• Institutional fit, detailing why you chose the ¼ø»Æʦapp and how your project upholds the Center’s commitment to nonpartisanship.
• How the project aligns to one or more of the ¼ø»Æʦapp's scholarship areas (geostrategic competition, economic statecraft, technology and innovation, and regional studies).
• Policy relevance, specifically how the project connects to contemporary policy issues and D.C. policymakers, as well as how your research will be communicated to those audiences.
• A brief bibliography, including primary and relevant secondary sources.

The 5-page limit (12-point font) is strictly enforced. Any additional pages beyond page 5 will be deleted before review and will not be seen by the selection committee.

Letters of Recommendation

Two letters of recommendation must be submitted online by 11:59 pm ET on September 30, 2026. Only two letters will be accepted. When completing the "Request a Recommendation" field in Interfolio, please ensure you enter the correct email address for each referee. It is your responsibility to ensure your reference letters are received; applications missing these letters will be considered incomplete.

Your referees should be familiar with you and your work. We recommend sending them a copy of your project description so they can comment specifically on:

• Your proposed study and your qualifications for undertaking it.
• How you and your work would contribute to the Center’s goal of bridging the gap between the world of learning and the world of public affairs.

All letters must be written in English and should follow the referee guidelines provided below.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to follow up with their referees to confirm they received the Interfolio email prompt and that they submit their letters through the portal prior to the application deadline.

Guidelines for Referees

In your letter of reference, please include an assessment of the applicant and the proposed project. The Center awards fellowships to individuals with outstanding project proposals in a broad range of the social sciences and humanities on international issues. Topics should intersect with questions of public policy. 

You should judge the application according to the following criteria: 

1. Significance of the proposed research, including the importance and originality of the project.
2. The relevance of the project to contemporary policy issues and policymakers, with the aim of bridging the worlds of scholarship and policy.
3. Quality of the proposal in definition, organization, clarity, and scope.
4. Capabilities and achievements of the applicant and their propensity to accomplish the proposed project.
5. Potential of a candidate to actively contribute to the priorities and mission of the Center by making expert research accessible to policymakers and a broader audience.