American Council of Learned Societies Fellowship

Name: The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) Fellowship

Award Amount: Up to $50,000

Information And Eligibility:
The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) Fellowship is one of the most respected and competitive research fellowships available to scholars in the humanities and related social sciences. Designed to support individuals who are making significant contributions to their academic fields, the ACLS Fellowship provides funding that allows scholars to focus entirely on research, writing, and professional development. Award amounts may reach up to $50,000, depending on the proposed project, career stage of the applicant, and available program funding.

The fellowship supports a wide range of disciplines within the humanities—including literature, philosophy, history, religious studies, linguistics, art history, cultural studies, and more—as well as humanistic social sciences. Funding may be used to support living expenses, travel for archival work, field research, data collection, manuscript development, and other project-related activities. Projects may involve books, articles, digital humanities initiatives, translations, interdisciplinary work, or long-term scholarly studies that contribute to public knowledge and academic discourse.

Eligible applicants must hold a Ph.D. or equivalent terminal degree and be either affiliated with a U.S. research institution or have earned their degree from an accredited U.S. doctoral program. The ACLS Fellowship is ideal for early-career scholars seeking time to complete major research projects, as well as mid-career academics pursuing ambitious new scholarly directions.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Must hold a Ph.D. or equivalent terminal degree in the humanities or social sciences.
• Must be affiliated with or have completed doctoral training at a U.S.-accredited institution.
• Must be conducting a research project that contributes meaningfully to humanistic scholarship.
• Open to early-career and established scholars, provided their work aligns with ACLS priorities.

Application Requirements:

• Submit a detailed project proposal outlining research objectives, scholarly significance, methodology, and anticipated outcomes.
• Provide an academic curriculum vitae or similar record of scholarly accomplishments.
• Include letters of recommendation, typically from faculty advisors, colleagues, or research mentors.
• Submit all required documentation through the ACLS online application portal.
• Ensure adherence to ACLS guidelines regarding project scope, eligibility, and supporting materials.

Additional Details:

• Funds may be used for living expenses, travel, research materials, and project-related costs.
• Projects may span several months to a full academic year, depending on the fellow’s plan.
• The fellowship emphasizes original research that contributes to public understanding and advances the field.
• Highly competitive, with applicants evaluated on scholarly merit, clarity of proposal, and potential impact.

Deadline: October

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