Each year the Folger Institute awards research fellowships to create a high-powered, multidisciplinary community of inquiry. This community of researchers may come from different fields, and their projects may find different kinds of expression. But our researchers share cognate interests in the history and literature, art and performance, philosophy, religion, and politics of the early modern world. 

The Folger Institute offers four Long-Term Scholarly fellowships at $70,000 for the 2026-2027 academic year (approximately $7,777 per month, for a standard period of 9 months). These fellowships are designed to support full-time scholarly work on significant research projects that draw on the strengths of the Folger’s collections and programs. Scholars must hold a terminal degree in their field in order to be eligible.

Additionally, The Folger Institute offers one Long-Term Public Humanities fellowship. For the 2026-27 year, the Folger Institute will offer one Long-term Public Humanities Fellowship at $70,000 for a standard period of 9 months (approximately $7,777 per month). This fellowship is designed to support significant, full-time research and public humanities project implementation related to the histories, concepts, art, and objects of the early modern world (ca. 1400-1800) and its legacies

The Public Humanities fellowship is open to college and university faculty, independent scholars, artists, public scholars, writers, PhD candidates, postdocs, community leaders, cultural workers, educators and other knowledge holders. Applicants are not required to hold a terminal degree but should describe their equivalent training and industry-specific experience in their CV. 

Please note that for the 2026-27 fellowship year, all long-term fellows will have the option to take up to 3 months of their 9-month fellowship virtually. This virtual time may be taken at any point in the fellowship and does not have to be taken concurrently. Applicants may propose any research schedule that best fits their project’s needs.

The deadline for all Long-Term fellowship applications is December 15, 2025.

https://www.folger.edu/research/the-folger-institute/fellowships/apply-for-a-fellowship