The Smithsonian Institution Predoctoral Student Fellowships 2024

The Smithsonian Institution is offering graduate fellowships to US and non-US citizens. The fellowships are given to scholars for conducting independent research at the Smithsonian’s 19 units and research centers.

Eligibility of Smithsonian Institution Predoctoral Student Fellowships:

• Senior Fellowships: Candidates must possess a Ph.D. or its equivalent for a minimum of seven years. For senior fellowships, candidates must have earned a Ph.D. or its equivalent before June 1, 2017
• Postdoctoral Fellowships: available to researchers with a Ph.D. for up to seven years afterward
• Predoctoral Fellowships: These funds are intended to support doctorate candidates' dissertation research. Predoctoral fellowships are available to students enrolled in a university as candidates pursuing a Ph.D. or its equivalent. The undertaking of dissertation research at the Smithsonian Institution and the certification that all prerequisites for the doctorate, save the dissertation, have been fulfilled must be approved by the university before the time the appointment starts.

How to apply

• The candidates applying for the Smithsonian Institution Predoctoral Student Fellowships, 2022 should propose research to be conducted at the Smithsonian and should contact the staff members to determine the research feasibility, help identify potential advisors, and determine the availability of the resources such as collections, library materials, staff, and archives.
• The applicants should submit a research proposal with a full research statement and address the methodology, goals, potential co-advisors identification, Smithsonian’s research staff member's identification, and justification for conducting research.
• The candidates should also submit a curriculum vitae, official transcripts, and an abstract of not more than 1 page.
• The applicants should also submit a timetable for the research, budget, bibliography, and contact details of two referees.

Section Criteria

• The candidates applying for the Smithsonian Institution Predoctoral Student Fellowships, 2023 will be assessed based on their research proposal's merit and their ability to carry out the research.
• The applicants will also be evaluated based on the extent to which the Smithsonian can contribute to the research.

Value of the fellowship

• The recipients get $55,000 annually and a research allowance of up to $4,000 total.