A prestigious and fiercely competitive scholarship, the Jefferson Scholars Foundation National Fellowship is intended for outstanding PhD candidates whose work addresses urgent and relevant topics in American politics, public policy, U.S. foreign policy, and international affairs. Fellows have access to a top-notch academic setting and a thriving intellectual community thanks to the fellowship’s partnership with the University of Virginia.
This program is intended to assist advanced doctoral scholars who are almost finished with their dissertations and who exhibit great potential as future thought leaders, policy experts, and academic leaders. Fellows are given the time, tools, and guidance they need to improve their research, fortify their theoretical and methodological frameworks, and get their work ready for publication in prestigious scholarly books or journals.
The fellowship, which is open to scholars from throughout the world, places a strong emphasis on global perspectives, interdisciplinary discourse, and intellectual interchange. Fellows gain from concentrated study time as well as interaction with peers, academics, and policy experts, which helps them develop significant professional and academic networks that last long after the fellowship is over.
Host Country: USA
University: USA Universities
Opportunity Type: PhD
Subject: All Subjects
Eligibility Country: International Students, Domestic Students
Financial Coverage: Fully Funded
Eligibility Criteria:
- Currently pursuing a PhD in a relevant discipline.
- Be close to finishing the dissertation or present a written plan to do so in two years.
- Exhibit excellent academic achievement and creative, high-caliber research.
- Demonstrate a strong capacity for leadership as a young scholar.
- Provide a research agenda that advances policy-oriented knowledge with fresh perspectives.
- Be open to attending fellowship conferences and taking part in residential visits on campus.
- Make a commitment to creating and participating in a cooperative network for scholarly study.
Benefits:
- Dedicated research funding: Fellows receive financial assistance to develop and maintain intellectual networks, work with other academics, and progress their academic endeavors without facing financial obstacles.
- Completely covered academic activities: Fellows are free to concentrate solely on research and learning because the fellowship covers all expenses associated with professional development events, such as conferences, workshops, reading groups, symposia, and manuscript writing sessions.
- Mentorship from senior scholars: Fellows get direction and criticism from seasoned scholars in their field, which helps them hone research ideas, improve methods, and choose academic career choices.
- On-campus residential visits: Fellows must stay on campus for a maximum of two weeks in order to fully engage with the academic community, faculty, and other researchers.
- Fall dissertation development conference: An organized academic platform where fellows showcase their dissertation work, get detailed comments, and refine their research to finish it on time.
- Spring research workshop: An engaging gathering of junior and senior researchers to talk about current research, promote teamwork, and increase scholarly impact.
- University press editor workshop: Fellows receive specialized instruction from university press editors on how to turn their dissertations into books or journal articles that can be published.
- Access to the interdisciplinary academic community: Fellows join the varied academic network of the Jefferson Scholars Foundation, promoting interdisciplinary communication, teamwork, and enduring career relationships.
Deadline: 9 February 2026
