Princeton University Fung Global Fellows Program 2027–2028

Princeton University is inviting early-career scholars from outside the United States to spend ten months on its campus as Visiting Research Scholars in the 2027–28 academic year. The Fung Global Fellows Program at the Princeton Institute for International and Regional Studies (PIIRS) gathers a small cohort around one shared research theme — the 2027–28 theme is “Democracy in Crisis?” Applications close on 16 November 2026 at 11:59 p.m. EST.

Key details at a glance

Detail	Information
Organisation	Princeton University, Princeton Institute for International and Regional Studies (PIIRS)
Theme	“Democracy in Crisis?”
Duration	10 months, September 2027 to June 2028
Location	Princeton, New Jersey, USA (in-person, on campus)
Appointment	Visiting Research Scholar
Who can apply	Early-career scholars employed outside the US with a faculty or professional research appointment
PhD requirement	PhD (or equivalent) generally received after 1 September 2017
Deadline	16 November 2026, 11:59 p.m. EST

What “Democracy in Crisis?” actually covers

The programme wants scholars who study the pressures on democratic governance — populist movements, declining trust in institutions, polarisation, disinformation, and democratic backsliding — or the sources of democratic resilience, such as grassroots mobilisation, independent courts, and civic renewal. You may study any region of the world, from a contemporary or a historical angle, and scholars from across the humanities and social sciences are welcome.

Who can apply — read this carefully

This fellowship is for scholars who already hold a faculty position or a professional research appointment outside the United States, with a record of outstanding scholarly achievement and unusual intellectual promise. You are expected to return to your current position when the ten months end, and all materials must be in English.

Your doctorate should generally have been received after 1 September 2017 — the word “generally” gives the panel some flexibility, but a much older PhD means this fellowship is probably not built for your career stage.

The two rules that disqualify most applicants

First, if you are currently enrolled in a PhD programme, employed as a postdoc, or based in the United States, you are not eligible — no exceptions are mentioned. Many people assume “early-career” includes postdocs; for this programme, it does not.

Second, the visa situation has one hard limit. These positions are not eligible for sponsorship of an H-1B visa requiring consular processing — though other visa sponsorships may be available, as appropriate. If your case would need H-1B consular processing, check this carefully before investing weeks in the application.

What the ten months ask of you

This is a full-time, in-person residency — you must spend the entire academic year on campus at Princeton. That means leaving your home institution for ten months, which is why successful candidates must submit an official letter from their employer confirming they are permitted to accept the offer and spend the year at Princeton. Arrange that letter early, because employer approval for a ten-month absence is often the slowest part of the process.

The fellowship carries a Visiting Research Scholar appointment, and you are expected to join the programme’s intellectual life — seminars and discussions with the cohort. The official page does not publish a stipend amount, so treat any third-party figure as unverified.

How selection works

The panel judges four things: the strength of your proposed research project, how closely it connects to the programme’s theme, your scholarly record, and your ability to contribute to the cohort’s intellectual life. A vague or off-theme proposal will lose to a three-page proposal that speaks directly to the theme’s questions — fit with “Democracy in Crisis?” is a stated selection criterion, not decoration.

How to apply

Applications go through the programme’s online portal. Everything is due by 16 November 2026 at 11:59 p.m. EST. Here is exactly what you must prepare:

1. Cover letter (maximum 1.5 pages). Explain who you are, what you propose to research, and why the Fung programme — not just Princeton in general — is the right home for it.
2. CV, including publications. Your scholarly record is a selection criterion, so make sure it is complete and current.
3. Research proposal (maximum 3 pages, single spaced). The most important document. Three single-spaced pages is short — the link to the theme must be unmistakable.
4. One writing sample (article or chapter, maximum 50 pages). Pick the piece that best shows your scholarship, ideally one related to your proposed project.
5. Three referees. You supply names and email addresses, and the system contacts them automatically. Their letters must arrive before the deadline — ask early and follow up, because a missing letter can sink a strong application.

Before you hit submit

Start with the theme, not with your CV. Frame your proposal as an answer to one of the programme’s questions — a proposal that begins from the theme reads as a natural fit; one that tacks it on at the end reads as opportunistic. If you are building a longer fellowship strategy, compare this with the Branco Weiss Fellowship 2027 or the Dalai Lama Fellows programme — knowing which fellowship fits which career stage saves you from applying to the wrong ones.

Frequently asked questions