American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) is currently accepting applications for its Leading Edge Fellowships 2026. Interested applicants are encouraged to click here to learn more about this opportunity and apply for it.
About ACLS Leading Edge Fellowships
The American Council of Learned Societies is pleased to announce the eighth competition of the Leading Edge Fellowship program, which demonstrates the potential of humanistic knowledge and methods to solve problems, build organizational capacity, and advance justice and equity in society.
Benefits of ACLS Leading Edge Fellowships
- Stipend: For remote positions, $70,000 in year one, and $72,000 in year two; for in-person positions, $72,000 in year one, and $74,000 in year two. All fellows will have access to health insurance and professional development funding.
- Relocation: Up to $5,000 in relocation funds for fellows who relocate for in-person positions.
ACLS Leading Edge Fellowships Requirements
- Applicants must have a PhD that will have been formally conferred by their university between September 1, 2021, and August 31, 2026. Applicants scheduled to graduate in Spring or Summer 2026 must be prepared to verify, with confirmation from their university registrar’s office, a PhD conferral date on or before August 31. Applicants who do not have a PhD officially conferred by their university by August 31, 2026, will not be able to take up the fellowship.
- Applicants’ PhDs must be in an eligible field of the humanities or interpretive social sciences.
- Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States for the entire duration of the fellowship term. This includes Indigenous individuals residing in the United States through rights associated with the Jay Treaty of 1794, and those who hold DACA status, Temporary Protected Status, or political asylee or refugee status. Unfortunately, neither ACLS nor the host organization can sponsor fellows for visas or provide advice on visa applications.
Application Date and Process
Applications must be submitted online and must include:
- A completed application form, including a short answer section about applying humanistic doctoral training to careers beyond the academy.
- A cover letter tailored to each selected position description and addressed to the host organization (1-2 pages). Applicants applying for two positions will submit two distinct cover letters.
- A resume (1-2 pages), and a list of three references. Applicants applying for two positions will submit two resumes and lists of references. No reference letters are required at the time of application.
Application Deadline
11 March, 2026
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