Africanist Doctoral Candidate Fellowship

Launched in 2003 with the generous support of the Foundation Open Society Institute (FOSI), this fellowship offers qualified advanced graduate students the opportunity to spend three summer months at the Wilson Center in Washington, DC. During their time in Washington, recipients receive access to a wide array of research resources, including the Center’s reference library, and benefit from the Center’s relationship with the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian Institution. Recipients are encouraged to interact with Washington policymakers and with Wilson Center scholars and staff during their residency. In order to bring new research to a broader audience, fellows are asked to present an informal discussion of their work at the conclusion of their residency at the Center.

Application Information

*Note: the application process is already closed for 2009 and will reopen for 2010 candidates in January 2010.*

Eligibility
This fellowship is open to all U.S. citizens and permanent residents currently enrolled in accredited doctoral programs. Applicants can come from any field of study, but supported research projects must be focused on issues relevant to public policy, and must be related to Africa. All recipients must have completed all required coursework for their PhD program, apart from the dissertation.

Facilities and Services
Each recipient is assigned a furnished office or workspace available every day, around the clock. The Center is located in downtown Washington, DC, and includes conference rooms, a reference library, and a dining room. Professional librarians provide access to the Library of Congress, university and specialty libraries, electronic journals, and other research facilities. Each fellow is offered a part-time paid research intern, should they choose.

Number of Awards, Duration and Stipend
Two to three awards are given each year for the three month period between June 1 and August 31. Fellows receive a monthly stipend of $3,000 and are expected to make their own travel arrangements to Washington, DC.

Application Material
In order to be considered for this award, applicants must provide the following material, no later than March 15, 2010, to the address below. Electronic submissions are preferred.

1. A two to three page research proposal, describing both the overall dissertation and the elements that will be focused on while at the Center
2. A Curriculum Vitae (CV), including complete contact information
3. Two letters of reference, at least one of which must be from a dissertation adviser.

• The scholarly contribution of the project, including its importance and originality;
• The quality of the research proposal in definition, organization, clarity and scope;
• The achievements and capabilities of the applicant, and likelihood of the project being completed;
• The relevance of the project to contemporary policy issues.

Africanist Doctoral Candidate Fellowship
Brochure
Provides an advanced graduate student an opportunity to spend one to three summer months in Washington D.C. Applicants must be American citizens or legal permanent residents of the United States, currently enrolled in a doctoral program, and have completed all academic requirements except the dissertation.
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Africa Program
Woodrow Wilson Center
One Woodrow Wilson Plaza
1300 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20004-3027
Email: africa@wilsoncenter.org
Tel: 202/691-4354