ACLS Leading Edge Fellowships 2026

🏛️ About ACLS Leading Edge Fellowships

The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) is pleased to announce the eighth competition of the Leading Edge Fellowship program. This initiative demonstrates the potential of humanistic knowledge and methods to solve problems, build organizational capacity, and advance justice and equity in society.

🎁 Benefits of ACLS Leading Edge Fellowships

• Stipend:
  • For remote positions: $70,000 in year one, and $72,000 in year two.
  • For in-person positions: $72,000 in year one, and $74,000 in year two.
  • All fellows will have access to health insurance and professional development funding.
• Relocation:
  • Up to $5,000 in relocation funds for fellows who relocate for in-person positions.

✅ Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must meet the following requirements:

1. PhD Requirements:
   • Applicants must have a PhD formally conferred by their university between September 1, 2021, and August 31, 2026.
   • Applicants scheduled to graduate in Spring or Summer 2026 must verify their PhD conferral date on or before August 31, 2026.
   • Applicants without a PhD conferred by August 31, 2026, will not be eligible for the fellowship.
2. Field of Study:
   • PhDs must be in an eligible field of the humanities or interpretive social sciences.
3. Work Authorization:
   • Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States for the entire duration of the fellowship term.
   • This includes Indigenous individuals residing in the United States through rights associated with the Jay Treaty of 1794, and those who hold DACA status, Temporary Protected Status, or political asylee/refugee status.
   • Neither ACLS nor the host organization can sponsor fellows for visas or provide advice on visa applications.

📝 Application Process

Applications must be submitted online and include:

• A completed application form, including a short answer section about applying humanistic doctoral training to careers beyond academia.
• A cover letter tailored to each selected position description and addressed to the host organization (1-2 pages).
  • Applicants applying for two positions must submit two distinct cover letters.
• A resume (1-2 pages) and a list of three references.
  • Applicants applying for two positions must submit two resumes and lists of references.
  • Note: Reference letters are not required at the time of application.

📅 Application Deadline

• Deadline: 11 March, 2026

🌐 Application Portal

• View details of ACLS Leading Edge Fellowships.
• Apply for ACLS Leading Edge Fellowships.

For more information, visit the official ACLS website.

• Stipend: For remote positions, $70,000 in year one, and $72,000 in year two; for in-person positions, $72,000 in year one, and $74,000 in year two. All fellows will have access to health insurance and professional development funding.
• Relocation: Up to $5,000 in relocation funds for fellows who relocate for in-person positions.