Andrew Carnegie Fellows Program 2026
URL: https://www.carnegie.org/news/articles/andrew-carnegie-fellows-program-info/
OBJECTIVES
Since 2015, the Andrew Carnegie Fellows Program has supported high-caliber scholarship and research in the social sciences and humanities that address important and enduring issues confronting our society. The 2026 Class of Andrew Carnegie Fellows will mark the third year of the program’s focus on building a body of research focused on political polarization.
The program asks scholars to help Americans understand how and why our society has become so polarized and what we can do to strengthen the forces of cohesion in our society. Political polarization is characterized by threats to free speech, the decline of civil discourse, disagreement over basic facts, and a lack of mutual understanding and collaboration. Studies of polarization in other countries are welcome, provided they offer lessons that can be applied to the United States. Projects based in disciplines across the humanities and social sciences are welcome.
The criteria for the 2025 Fellows’ selection prioritized the originality and potential impact of the proposal as well as the capacity to communicate the findings to a broad audience. Interested applicants can review the list of past Fellows.
FUNDING INFORMATION
$200,000 will be awarded for a 1- or 2-year Fellowship.
ELIGIBILITY RESTRICTIONS
Candidates must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States and nominated by a designated institution (more below).
Candidates must hold a PhD, a terminal degree, or be a high-level professional working outside of academia. One nominees representing BU will be selected from each of the following categories:
- Junior scholars received terminal degree less than 10 years ago (after November 2015)
- Senior scholars received terminal degree more than 10 years ago (before November 2015)
Nominators include heads of independent research institutes and learned societies, university presidents, leaders of some of the nation’s preeminent think tanks, and directors of major publishers, as well as editors of leading newspapers and magazines on the Carnegie Foundation nomination list.
INTERNAL SELECTION PROCESS:
Up to 2 nominees will be selected; one untenured/junior and one tenured/senior scholar.
Interested candidates should submit the following materials via InfoReady Review by: 9/15/25
- 2-page Project Statement describing the proposed project, especially how the findings will be communicated to a broad audience, and how the project fits with the goals of this Fellowship. References may be included on an additional page
- Up-to-date CV
A faculty committee will review internal proposals and submit nominees to be approved by President Gilliam and the VPR. Foundation Relations will work with the nominees to develop and submit the nomination letter and applicant materials by 11/7/2025.
DEADLINES
Internal Materials Due: Monday, September 15, 2025 by 11:59 pm ET
Anticipated Notification Date: Friday, October 10, 2025
Sponsor Deadline: Friday, November 7, 2025 by 5:00 pm ET