The Newberry LibraryFellowship

$3,000 a Month Newberry Research Fellowship

Dec 04, 2026 23:59:00 CT

Opportunity type

Fellowship

Funding

Fully Funded

Location

Global

Deadline

Dec 04, 2026 23:59:00 CT

About this opportunity

The Newberry Library, an independent research library in Chicago, funds PhD candidates and PhD holders to spend one to two months in residence working with specific items in its collection that their research depends on. Fellows receive a monthly stipend and join the Newberry's community of visiting scholars. Applicants from any country and any humanities field can apply, as long as the project genuinely needs the Newberry's own materials.

What you get:

A stipend of 3,000 US dollars per month, meant to cover housing, travel and living costs in Chicago
One month of support for most awards, and up to two months for the Jody Enders, Frances C. Allen and Lester J. Cappon fellowships
Access to the Newberry's rare book, manuscript and archival collections and a place in its scholarly community
J-1 visa sponsorship paperwork (DS-2019) for international fellows, including J-2 support for spouses and dependents
Eligibility to be considered for joint fellowships with the Herzog August Bibliothek in Germany and the American Trust for the British Library

What you'll do:

Spend one to two months in continuous residence at the Newberry in Chicago, researching specific collection items
Take part in the Newberry's scholarly community during the residency

Key dates:

Applications close December 4, 2026 at 11:59 pm Central Time
Letters of recommendation accepted until December 14, 2026
Short-Term Fellowship notifications are generally sent in late April
Fellowships can be taken at any point in the 15 months from June of the awarding year to August of the following year

More information:

Applications are submitted through the Newberry's SlideRoom portal
Full application guidance is on the How to Apply page, and eligibility questions are answered in the Fellowships FAQ
The Newberry awarded 15 Short-Term Fellowships in the 2026-27 cycle

Who can apply

PhD candidates with ABD (all-but-dissertation) status or the equivalent, or PhD holders at any career stage
Equivalent terminal degrees such as Ed.D., D.Div. or J.D. may qualify
Any field, as long as the project shows a need to work with specific items in the Newberry's collection
Non-US citizens may apply; visa fees are the fellow's responsibility
Institutional affiliation is not required
Chicago-area residents face restrictions: ABD graduate students, early-career scholars and several other categories may apply, but tenured and tenure-track faculty with research funds may not
Fellows must be in continuous residence in Chicago; remote, hybrid and split visits are not allowed
Application: project abstract (300 words), project description (up to 1,500 words), list of Newberry materials, one-page bibliography, CV of up to 5 pages, and one letter of recommendation in English

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Good to know

+$3,000 a month to research in Chicago, meant to cover housing, travel and living costs
+Open to any nationality and any field, with J-1 visa paperwork for international fellows and no university affiliation needed
+PhD candidates at the all-but-dissertation stage can apply, not only PhD holders
+Free to apply, from an independent research library with rare book, manuscript and archival collections
+You can take the fellowship at any point in a 15 month window starting June 2027

Worth checking yourself

!Your project must need specific items in the Newberry's own collection, and you list them in your application
!Most awards are one month, and you must stay in Chicago continuously; remote, hybrid and split visits are not allowed
!The Newberry provides no housing, and visa fees are yours to pay
!Competitive: 15 Short-Term Fellowships were awarded in the last cycle
!Closes Friday 4 December at 11:59pm US Central, and your recommendation letter must arrive by 14 December

Sources checked

NEnewberry.orgApplyNEnewberry.orgApplyNEnewberry.orgApplyNEnewberry.orgApplyNEnewberry.slideroom.comOfficialNEnewberry.orgApply

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