Columbia Global Emerging Scholars Fellowship Program 2026

📖 About Columbia Global Emerging Scholars Fellowship Program

The Columbia Global Emerging Scholars Fellowship Program was established in 2024 through the generosity of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. This program awards year-long fellowships to support emerging displaced scholars working in the humanities and humanistic social sciences. The goal is to create opportunities for scholars to reintegrate into academia and resume their academic pursuits.

🎁 Benefits of the Fellowship Program

Fellows will receive a stipend calibrated to the market of the particular Global Center. The gross amount, before local taxes and insurance deductions, is:

• $30,000/year for Amman and Santiago
• $25,000/year for Nairobi

Additional Benefits:

• Airfare to and from the city where the Global Center is located will be covered.
• Fellows are responsible for their housing, local transportation, and other living expenses.
• A supplemental family stipend of $5,000 may be offered, on a discretionary basis, for candidates with children.
• Fellows are expected to be free of regular commitments (e.g., employment) to focus on their fellowship work.
• 15 business days of paid annual leave during the 12-month fellowship.
• Fellows must have health insurance coverage for the duration of the fellowship. They may opt into and pay for health insurance locally, with guidance from the relevant Columbia Global Center.

Resources Provided:

Each fellow will be based at the Columbia Global Center in Amman, Nairobi, or Santiago and will receive:

• Office space with internet connectivity.
• Access to meeting rooms and conference facilities.
• A laptop for the duration of the fellowship.
• Access to a printer and IT technical assistance (as needed).
• Access to Columbia University’s online library resources and specialized research skills courses.
• Support from a Columbia University faculty mentor throughout the fellowship year.
• Travel and visa assistance (where possible).

✅ Eligibility Criteria

This fellowship program is intended for displaced scholars. To be considered, applicants must:

• Hold a Ph.D. in the humanities or humanistic social sciences (e.g., literature, philosophy, archaeology, cultural heritage, museum studies, religious studies, musicology, history, anthropology, sociology, gender studies, ethnic studies, etc.).
  • Note: Candidates with a non-terminal M.A. or those whose education was disrupted while pursuing a Ph.D. may also be considered.
• Have received their highest academic degree within the last 12 years (exceptions may be made for career-specific trajectories or other circumstances).
• Be based in the region of the Global Center they intend to apply to:
  • Amman: Must currently reside or have resided in the Middle East or North Africa.
  • Nairobi: Must currently reside in Sub-Saharan Africa and possess either a passport or Conventional Travel Document.
  • Santiago: Must currently reside in Latin America or the Caribbean.
• Demonstrate at least an intermediate level of English proficiency.
• Researchers working on interdisciplinary projects are welcome to apply.

📝 Application Process

Applicants must submit the following documents:

1. Curriculum Vitae: Includes academic credentials and professional experience.
2. Personal Statement (500 words max): Describes the applicant’s motivation for applying, intellectual trajectory, career goals, and the impact of displacement on their career.
3. Proposal (600 words max): Details the applicant’s field of interest, academic work plan during the fellowship, and the broader significance of their work.
4. Writing Sample/Publication.
5. Letter of Recommendation: Submitted by an academic colleague familiar with the applicant’s previous work (via the Submittable platform).
6. Copies of Academic Transcripts.

📅 Application Deadline

19 March, 2026

🌐 Application Portal

• View details of the Columbia Global Emerging Scholars Fellowship Program.
• Apply via Submittable.

• $30,000/year for Amman and Santiago
• $25,000/year for Nairobi
• Airfare to and from the city where the Global Center is located will be covered as part of the program.
• A supplemental family stipend of $5,000 may be offered, on a discretionary basis, for candidates with children.
• Fellows are expected to be free of their regular commitments (including employment and other posts) so that they may devote themselves to the work outlined in their proposal.
• Fellows are allowed 15 business days of paid annual leave during the 12-month fellowship.
• Fellows must have health insurance coverage for the duration of the fellowship; they may opt into and pay for health insurance locally, with guidance from the relevant Columbia Global Center.
• Each fellow will be based at the Columbia Global Center in Amman, Nairobi, or Santiago and will be provided with:
  • Office space with internet connectivity
  • Access to meeting rooms and conference facilities
  • A laptop to use for the duration of the fellowship
  • Access to a printer and IT technical assistance (as needed)
  • Access to Columbia University’s online library resources, as well as online courses on specialized research skills
  • Support from a Columbia University faculty mentor member who will guide them throughout the fellowship year
  • Travel and visa assistance (where possible)