Postdoctoral Fellowship Information
This page lists a range of postdoctoral opportunities that may be of interest to graduate students in linguistics. The list focuses on regularly recurring institutional opportunities, rather than postdoctoral fellowships sponsored by individual researchers. The latter are often one-time opportunities advertised on Linguist List or other more specialized mailing lists.
Check the fellowship descriptions for specific eligibility requirements. Unfortunately, some fellowships are only open to US citizens and permanent residents. Many fellowship programs have application closing dates in the fall and almost all of them have deadlines by mid-January.
Please let the Department know of any additions, corrections, and updates, so we can continue to improve this list.
Portable postdoctoral fellowship opportunities in the US
The American Association of University Women (AAUW) American Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowships provide one year of support to women scholars seeking funds for postdoctoral research leave from accredited institutions. The award does not support revision of a doctoral dissertation. Applicants must be US citizens or permanent residents and have received their PhD by the application deadline.
Applications are due in November.
The Ford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowships provide one year of support for individuals engaged in postdoctoral study to US citizens committed to a career in teaching and research at the college or university level. Must have received the PhD within the last seven years in eligible research-based field from a US educational institution.
Applications are due in early December.
National Institutes of Health Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards (NRSA) for Individual Postdoctoral Fellows foster the development of young scientists by broadening their scientific backgrounds or extending their potential for research in health-related areas. Applicants must be US citizens or permanent residents who will have the PhD by the start date of the grant and must arrange for an institutional appointment and research sponsor who will supervise the training and research experience.
Applications are due in early April.
The NSF Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE) offers Postdoctoral Research Fellowships to encourage independence early in a Fellow's career through supporting his or her research and training goals. The research and training plan of each Fellowship must address important scientific questions within the scope of the SBE Directorate and the specific guidelines in the fellowship solicitation. The SPRF program offers two tracks: (I) Fundamental Research in the SBE Sciences and (II) Broadening Participation in the SBE Sciences.
Applications are due November 1.
NSF and NEH's Documenting Endangered Languages (DEL) Program supports fellowships of up to three years to develop and advance knowledge of endangered human languages.
Applications are due September 15 and February 15.
The Social Science Research Council supports several postdoctoral programs in the social sciences. See link for details, as programs and deadlines change frequently.
The National Academy of Education’s Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship Program provides funding for one academic year of full-time research on the improvement of education in the US and abroad. Applicants must have received their Ph.D within the past 5 years.
Applications are due in November.
The Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research’s Richard Carley Hunt Fellowships provide post-PhD grants to those in anthropology or a related discipline to aid in the writeup of research results for publication.
Applications are due in early May.
Postdoctoral fellowship opportunities at particular US research centers or universities
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences Visiting Scholars Program supports research by postdoctoral scholars and junior faculty members for an academic year. Research must contribute to one of four themes: humanities and culture; science and global security; social policy and American institutions; or education. Applicants must be US citizens or permanent residents and have received the PhD or equivalent degree within the previous ten years. See web page for application information.
The Society of Fellows at Boston University Arts & Sciences provides two years of funding for early-career scholars. Fellows are required to teach three courses over four semesters with one semester for fulltime research. Scholars will be hosted by one department, program, or center within the college of Arts and Sciences and be assigned one (or more) faculty mentors.
Applications are due in mid-October
The Columbia Society of Fellows in the Humanities Postdoctoral Fellowships provide one year of support. Applicants must have received the Ph.D within three years of start date; there is no citizenship restriction. The fellowship is renewable for a second and third year.
Applications are due in early October.
Columbia Fellowship Web Site which provides information on applying for fellowships as well as a searchable database of fellowship opportunities.
The Society for the Humanities at Cornell University sponsors postdoctoral teaching-research fellowships in the humanities, each awarded for a two-year period. Areas of specialization rotate so check whether Linguistics is a current area. Applicants must have received the PhD within 6 years of the start of the fellowship.
Applications are due in late September.
Dartmouth College offers two-year research-teaching Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowships in the Humanities and Social Sciences. Fellows teach one course in the second year of the residency. Applicants must have recently received their PhD. Applicants need not be US citizens, but fellowships are awarded to individuals who are likely to make their careers in the US.
Applications are due in early October.
Gettysburg College offers one-year postdoctoral scholarships. Applicants must have been awarded the PhD no later than the beginning of the fellowship year and within five years of the start of the fellowship.
Applications due mid-September.
The Bill and Carol Fox Center for Humanistic Inquiry at Emory University provides up to three annual postdoctoral fellowships for an academic year of study, teaching, and residence in the Center. Must have the PhD before the submission of application; open to those who have received the PhD no more than six years before receiving the fellowship.
Visit web page for application information.
The Educational Testing Service, ETS, offers fellowships of up to one year. The fellowship experience combines working on cutting-edge ETS research projects and conducting independent research that is relevant to ETS’s goals.
Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.
The Humanities Center at Harvard University offers twelve month postdoctoral fellowships to support projects in the humanities and the allied social sciences that share the Center’s commitment to interdisciplinarity and internationalism. Fellows teach one course per semester in a Harvard department. Applicants must have received the PhD no more than three years before the start date of the fellowship.
Applications are due in mid-November.
Haverford College provides two-year Mellon Post-Doctoral Fellowships in the liberal arts. Applicants should have received the PhD within the past five years.
Applications are due in early November.
The John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress offers Kluge Fellowships up to 11 months to conduct humanistic and social-science research in the Library’s large and varied collections. Applicants must have earned the PhD within seven years of the application date.
Applications are due in mid-July.
The Miller Research Fellowships at the University of California, Berkeley are intended for scientists who have recently been awarded, or who are about to be awarded, the doctoral degree. The fellowships provide up to three years of funding; there are no teaching duties. Nominations are submitted online by department chairs, faculty advisors, professors and research scientists in early September.
Applications are due in early October
The National Humanities Center at the Research Triangle Park, North Carolina provides 9 month residential fellowships for advanced study in all areas of research with a connection to the humanities. Short-term Fall or Spring fellowships are also available. Applicants must hold the PhD or equivalent degree; there are no citizenship requirements.
Applications are due in mid-October.
The Newberry Library has various postdoctoral fellowship programs for those who wish to use their resources. They offer both short-term fellowships for one month and long-term fellowships for 4-9 months.
Applications are due in November for long-term fellowships and in December for short-term fellowships.
The Princeton University Society of Fellows in the Liberal Arts provides postdoctoral fellowships, usually for up to three years, in the humanities to scholars within two years of receipt of the PhD.
Applications are due in August.
The Smithsonian Institution provides various fellowship programs for scholars interested in working at the Smithsonian.
Application dates vary, but are often mid-January.
The University of California President’s (UCOP) Postdoctoral Fellowship Program encourages outstanding women and minority PhD recipients to pursue academic careers at the University of California. Each award is for a minimum of 12 months, generally beginning July 1. Open to US citizens and permanent residents in any field.
Applications are due in early November.
The University of Chicago awards two 2-year Provost’s Career Enhancement Postdoctoral Scholarship (PCEPS) to promising junior scholars in all fields. Candidates must have completed all requirements for their doctoral degree before the start date, and must have received the PhD within three years of the start of the fellowship.
The Beckman Institute Fellows program at the University of Illinois, Urbana, is intended for recent PhDs or students in their final year of doctoral study with research interests relevant to the Beckman Institute. Four fellows are selected yearly for terms of up to three years. Applicants must have received the PhD within ten years of the start date of the fellowship.
Applications are due in March.
The University of Michigan’s National Center for Institutional Diversity (NCID) provides two postdoctoral fellowships for a duration of one or two years.
Applications are due in mid-December.
The University of Michigan Society of Fellows provides three-year appointments as an Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan to support a proposed research or artistic plan. Applicants must have received the PhD no more than three years before the start date of the fellowship.
Applications are due in September.
The USC Society of Fellows in the Humanities provides several two-year postdoctoral fellowships for candidates in the humanities or the humanistic social sciences. Applicants must have received the PhD no more than four years before the start date of the fellowship.
Applications are due in late November.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Carolina Postdoctoral Program for Faculty Diversity offers postdoctoral research to develop scholars from underrepresented groups for possible tenure track appointments at the University of North Carolina and other research universities. Postdoctoral scholars will be engaged full-time in research and may teach only one course per fiscal year. Appointments are for a period of two years.
Applications are due in mid-November.
The University of Pennsylvania Humanities Forum awards five one-year Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowships each academic year to junior scholars in the humanities who are not yet tenured. Applicants must be carrying out research on the theme of the year and must teach one course. Open to those who are no more than five years beyond their PhD; applicants need not be US citizens.
Applications are due in mid-October.
The University of Pennsylvania MindCORE Research Fellowships for Postdoctoral Scholars are designed for recent recipients of the PhD in psychology, linguistics, neuroscience, philosophy or other cognitive science discipline. MindCORE is an interdisciplinary effort to understand human intelligence and behavior. The fellowships are for one year and are renewable for a total term of up to three years.
The University of Pittsburgh School of Arts and Sciences offers postdoctoral fellowships in the humanities and social sciences. The fellowships are for one year and are renewable for an additional year. Fellows teach two courses per year.
Applications are due in mid-February.
The Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowships at the Wesleyan University Center for the Humanities are open to scholars in any field of the humanities or humanistic social sciences; recipients also must teach a one-semester undergraduate course. Open to those who have received their PhD in the past four years.
Applications are due in mid-January.
Postdoctoral fellowship opportunities outside the US
The American Councils for International Education’s Academic Fellowships Program in Russia supports 3-9 months of research and fieldwork in Russia on topics within the social science disciplines. Open to US citizens or permanent residents.
Applications are due in early December.
The American Councils for International Education’s Combined Research and Language Training Program funds research and supplemental language instruction in Russia, Eurasia, and Eastern Europe.
Applications are due in early October.
The American Institute for Sri Lankan Studies Fellowship programs support two to six months of research in Sri Lanka by US citizens who hold a PhD or the equivalent at the time they begin their fellowship tenure. Both scholars with little or no experience in Sri Lanka as well as specialists are encouraged to apply.
Applications are due in early December.
American Institute of Indian Studies Senior Research Fellowships allow scholars in all disciplines who specialize in South Asia to pursue further research in India. Short-term awards are available for up to four months; long-term awards are available for six to nine months. Fellows are required to establish a formal affiliation with an Indian institution.
Applications are due in mid-November.
The American Institute of Pakistan Studies provides postdoctoral research fellowships for projects lasting 2-9 months. Funds may be used for research on materials relating to the history and culture of Pakistan in any country other than the US. Awards include international travel expenses and stipends (subject to availability of funds). Applicants must be US citizens.
Applications are due in February.
The American-Scandinavian Foundation offers fellowships and grants to individuals to pursue up to one year of research in one or more Scandinavian country.Applicants must be US citizens or permanent residents.
Applications are due in early November.
The American Research Institute in Turkey (ARIT) offers ARIT Fellowships of up to one year for research in Turkey. Non-US applicants must maintain an affiliation with an educational institution in the US or Canada.
Applications are due in early November.
The Azrieli International Postdoctoral Fellowship offers funding and personalized support to scientists and scholars in any academic discipline at an eligible Israeli institution. Applicants are required to have an academic sponsor who is a faculty member at one of these institutions. Not open to Israeli citizens or residents.
Applications are due in mid-November.
The British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowships offer up to three years of support to early career scholars who have not held a permanent academic position. The fellowship provides some research funds.
Preliminary “outline” applications are due in October.
Several three-year Early Career Research Fellowships are available from various colleges at Cambridge University.
Applications open in mid-October and close in mid-November.
The Endangered Languages Documentation Programme (ELDP) offers Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship (IPF) to support for researchers at an early stage in their academic career with qualifications in linguistics and experience in linguistic fieldwork. IPFs are available for between 12 and 24 months.
Applications due in mid-October.
The Foundation Fyssen provides postdoctoral study grants to support researchers under 35 years of age conducting research at a French research institution on the cognitive processes of animal and human behavior. They are allocated for one year or for two years subject to renewal.
Applications are due in early April.
The Government of Canada offers two-year Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships to both Canadian and International researchers who have recently completed the PhD.
Applications are due in late September.
The Henry Luce Foundation/ACLS Program in China Studies offers short and long-term fellowships for recent PhDs to support research, writing, and curriculum development in China studies.
Applications due in early November.
The Humboldt Research Fellowships for Postdoctoral Researchers from abroad provide for a 6-24 month research stay at a research institution in Germany. Applicants must have completed their doctorate in the last four years. Open to scientists and scholars of all nationalities and disciplines.
Applications may be submitted at any time.
The Humboldt Foundation Sofja Kovalevskaja Award provides top-ranked junior researchers with five years of support to carry out a research program of their own choice at a research institution in Germany and to build up their own working groups. Applicants must have completed their doctorate within the last six years.
Applications are due in late July.
Graduate Women International (GWI) offers a limited number of fellowships and grants to women who are members of GWI's national federations and associations and to GWI Independent Members. Fellowships and grants are offered for postdoctoral studies. The awards may be used in any country other than the one in which the applicant was educated or habitually resides.
Applications are due in mid-December.
The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Fellowship Program provides recent PhD recipients with opportunities to conduct up to two years of research in Japan under a host researcher. Applicants must generally be US citizens or permanent residents.
Deadlines vary by program. Application must be submitted by a host institution.
The Korea Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowships allow 12 months of research in Korean studies; fellowships are to be used to further develop research programs, as well as to permit dissertations to be revised for publication. Fellowships must be held at accredited universities with established centers for Korean Studies and/or at Korean Studies programs overseas.
Eligibility and application deadline vary by program.
The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada provides 12-24 month postdoctoral fellowships to Canadian citizens and permanent residents. Applicants must usually have received the PhD no more than four years before the start of the fellowship. Applicants who have received the PhD in the US must have a postdoctoral affiliation with a Canadian institution.
Applications are due in September.
The UK Newton International Fellowships scheme covers the broad range of natural and social sciences, engineering and the humanities and aims to build a global pool of research leaders and to encourage long-term international collaboration with the UK. Fellowships are for two years and require a UK sponsor. Open to those within six years of the PhD who are not UK citizens.
Applications are due in mid-June.
Grants for research support
The American Research Institute of the Southern Caucasus (ARISC) offers US graduate fellowships up to $1,500 for research support in the South Caucasus (Armenia, Georgia, and/or Azerbaijan). Projects in all fields in the social sciences and humanities are eligible.
Applications are due in late December.
The Endangered Language Fund provides small grants for language maintenance and linguistic field work, with a preference for projects which serve both the native community and the field of linguistics.
Applications are due in mid-March and early October.
The Foundation for Endangered Languages awards grants of up to $1,000 for projects that document, preserve, and raise awareness of endangered languages. Application is available to FEL members.
The Jacobs Research Fund supports anthropological research on the indigenous peoples of Canada, Mexico, mainland United States, including Alaska, with a focus on the Pacific Northwest.
Applications are due in mid-February.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) provide funding that supports fieldwork and other activities relevant to the digital recording, documenting, and archiving of endangered languages. Funding will be available in the form of one- to three-year project grants as well as fellowships for up to twelve months.
Applications are due September 15 and February 15.
The Phillips Fund of the American Philosophical Society provides grants for research in Native American linguistics, ethnohistory, and the history of studies of Native Americans, in the continental United States and Canada. Grants may be used for extra costs such as travel, tapes, films, and consultants’ fees, but not for general maintenance or the purchase of books or permanent equipment.
Applications are due in early March.
The Sociological Initiatives Foundation provides grants to support research and social action projects. Areas of interests include but are not limited to social justice, social welfare, human rights, literacy, language learning and use, dialect use and curricular issues in teaching second languages and non-native languages.
Applications are due in mid-August.
Sites listing postdoctoral fellowship opportunities
A list of postdoctoral fellowships in the humanities from Berkeley’s Sponsored Projects Office. Some of these fellowships have rotating topics and the relevant sites should be consulted yearly.
Berkeley’s Townsend Center for the Humanities list of fellowship opportunities for dissertation-stage graduate students, recent PhD recipients, and faculty in the arts, humanities and social sciences.
Duke University lists fellowship opportunities for graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty in the arts, humanities and social sciences.
The Institute for Broadening Participation maintains list of portable fellowship opportunities for graduate and postdoctoral study, as well as providing a variety of related resources.
The Linguistic Society of America (LSA) provides a grants calendar and list of grant agency addresses to LSA members from the “Grants & Fellowships” link on the LSA Career & Professional Development resources page.
Information on writing fellowship proposals
Download Scholarly Arguments, Berkeley’s Townsend Center in the Humanities’ guide for writing effective proposals.
Take a look at The Art of Writing Proposals: Some Candid Suggestions for Applicants to Social Science Research Council Competitions