The Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program 2026–2027 in the USA is currently open for applications, offering international researchers a valuable opportunity to conduct in-residence research in collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution. This fully funded research fellowship in the United States is designed for graduate students, predoctoral researchers, postdoctoral scholars, and senior academics. It allows fellows to carry out independent research aligned with the Smithsonian’s collections, facilities, and areas of expertise, while benefiting from the mentorship of Smithsonian professionals.
The Smithsonian fellowship is available across a wide range of academic disciplines, including animal behavior, ecology, anthropology, linguistics, astrophysics, paleobiology, evolutionary biology, folklore, history of science and technology, materials research, molecular biology, and the social and cultural history of the United States. These research fellowships in the USA encourage proposals that push the boundaries of current knowledge and contribute to Smithsonian research areas. Fellows are expected to remain in residence at Smithsonian facilities for the majority of their fellowship unless they have approved fieldwork or research travel plans.
Fellowship durations vary depending on the category. Graduate student fellowships are ten weeks long, predoctoral fellowships range from three to twelve months, and postdoctoral and senior fellowships can last between three and twenty-four months. All applicants must submit their proposals in English and demonstrate strong proficiency in both written and spoken English. The fellowship start date must fall between June 1, 2026, and May 30, 2027.
Eligibility criteria differ for each level. Graduate student applicants must be enrolled in a graduate program and have completed at least one full-time semester. Predoctoral applicants must be doctoral candidates approved by their universities for dissertation research at the Smithsonian. Postdoctoral applicants must have earned their PhD before the fellowship begins, while senior fellowship applicants should have held a PhD for at least five years.
These Smithsonian fellowships provide generous financial support. Graduate student fellows receive a $10,000 stipend for ten weeks. Predoctoral fellows receive $45,000 annually plus a $5,000 research allowance. Postdoctoral and senior fellows are awarded $57,000 annually with an additional research allowance of up to $5,000. This makes the Smithsonian Institution Fellowship one of the best funded fellowships in the USA for research scholars seeking to work at one of the world’s most prestigious museums and research institutions.
Applicants must submit several documents as part of the application process, including a one-page abstract, a six-page research proposal, a budget and justification, a CV, a bibliography, unofficial transcripts, and two reference letters. The application is completed online, and all documents must be submitted in English before the deadline.
The deadline to apply for the Smithsonian Institution Fellowship 2026–2027 in the USA is October 15, 2025. This is a highly competitive and respected international research fellowship that offers scholars from around the world the chance to make meaningful contributions to their field while gaining access to unparalleled academic resources and mentorship in the United States.