Scholars at Risk (SAR) Academic Freedom Fellowships 2026-2027 (up to $8,000) – YOA

Deadline: May 29, 2026

Applications for the Scholars at Risk (SAR) Academic Freedom Fellowships 2026-2027 are actually open. Scholars at Risk (SAR) is happy to invite early-profession researchers to apply for distant analysis fellowships specializing in tutorial freedom and associated increased schooling values. The fellowship program is supported by the Mellon Foundation, amongst different donors, and is meant to foster knowledgeable neighborhood of researchers devoted to creating new analysis, formal written publications, new course choices, workshops, webinars or different important finish merchandise.

The fellowship consists of the next tracks:

• Track 1: Global Mellon Academic Freedom Fellowship
  • Focus: Global, comparative, or single-nation points (excluding the US).
  • Availability: up to 6 fellowships.
• Track 2: US Academic Freedom Fellowship
  • Focus: Academic freedom points particularly throughout the United States.
  • Availability: up to 6 fellowships.

Benefits

• Fellows will obtain a stipend of USD ~$8,000 supposed to cowl analysis bills, publication, or different prices, as the guy might determine.
• Participants could have the OPPORTUNITY to acquire publicity to SAR’s programming and to community with SAR accomplice-specialists on tutorial freedom points.

Eligibility

• Applicants ought to have PhD diploma acquired throughout the final 8 years. In restricted instances, doctoral candidates within the last levels of dissertation completion could also be thought-about; clearly state your present standing.
• Current analysis or educating affiliation with a better schooling establishment, affiliation, or analysis group.
• A demonstrated curiosity in educating, researching, or publishing about points of educational freedom or associated increased schooling values.
• For monitor 1 (Global): Preference might be given to initiatives involving comparative, worldwide, or collaborative analysis. All related subjects are welcome for application.
• For monitor 2 (US): Applicants’ work ought to be targeted on points of educational freedom within the United States. Researchers finding out all related subjects are welcome to apply, however functions targeted on themes relating to college autonomy, institutional neutrality, college students and tutorial freedom, or tutorial freedom and the pure sciences might be given precedence. 
• Commitment to take part in month-to-month distant workshops/webinars with co-recipients, SAR employees, community members, and friends (with correct safety lodging) from September 2026 to June 2027, with last scheduling to be mounted after choice of contributors. 
• Ability to lawfully obtain stipend funds and full program necessities within the nation of present location, assuming accountability for any native tax or reporting necessities.
• While private expertise with danger just isn’t a range requirement, present or previously at-risk researchers are extremely inspired to apply.
• Candidates in/from the Global South and/or from marginalized communities are strongly inspired to apply.

Application

Combine the next into a single PDF file, saved as “LAST NAME, First Name – Project Title”: 

• An summary* (max 250-500 phrases), summarizing your analysis.
• A analysis plan & timeline (max 2 pages), detailing your methodology and 10-month timeline (September 2026 – June 2027).
• A CV (max 2 pages), together with the contact data of two skilled references who can converse to your candidacy for this fellowship program. Note: If your PhD is pending, please embody your anticipated completion date.

Applications that don’t embody the entire above might be ineligible for consideration.

Abstract Guidelines. Your summary ought to particularly handle:

• Research Question: What particular analysis query(s) do you want to handle and why is it important?
• Relevance: How is your analysis query associated to tutorial freedom and its values?
• Methodology: What methodology will you utilize to handle your analysis query(s), and what kinds of proof do you plan to collect?
• Contribution: How will your findings enhance our understanding or safety of educational freedom?

*The summary refers to the formal publishable analysis proposed by the applicant, whereas the top product refers to each the analysis and the shape(s) of its dissemination.

Click here to apply

For extra data, go to SAR Academic Freedom Fellowships.