PhD candidates researching American foreign policy, national security or grand strategy have until 1 December 2026 to apply for one of the more distinctive predoctoral fellowships currently available in the United States.
The America in the World Consortium Predoctoral Fellowship places advanced doctoral candidates at one of three host institutions for a full year. Duke University, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies or the University of Texas at Austin. Fellows receive a competitive stipend, campus access and immersion in a scholarly community built around exactly the research questions they are trying to answer. Six weeks to the deadline. Here is what you need to know.
Last Information Checked: 20 October 2026
Quick Facts
| Item | Details |
| Fellowship | America in the World Consortium (AWC) Predoctoral Fellowship |
| Level | Advanced PhD candidates. This is a predoctoral fellowship |
| Length | One year |
| Where | One of three universities in the United States |
| Topic | American grand strategy defined broadly |
| Stipend | Competitive. The exact amount is not stated in the announcement |
| Nationality | No limit is mentioned in the announcement |
| Application system | Interfolio Faculty Search |
| Deadline | 1 December 2026 |
What the Fellowship Is
The AWC is a partnership of universities united around a specific intellectual mission deepening policy relevant scholarship on America’s role in international affairs.
The consortium wants more rigorous debate among scholars about American grand strategy not just within academic journals but in the policy conversations that shape how the United States approaches its national interests abroad. The Predoctoral Fellowship is how it invests in the next generation of people who will lead those conversations.
Fellows spend a year writing and researching alongside faculty who study international politics, national security and foreign policy. The intellectual environment is the point. A stipend helps. But the community is what makes this fellowship worth pursuing.
The Three Host Universities
| University | Host programme |
| Duke University | Program in American Grand Strategy |
| Johns Hopkins University | Henry A. Kissinger Center for Global Affairs at SAIS |
| University of Texas at Austin | Clements Center for National Security |
You must name your preferred host or hosts in your cover letter.
Fellowship Benefits
- Stipend. A competitive stipend for the year of the fellowship
- One year appointment. Time to focus on your dissertation writing and research
- Campus resources. Access to the academic resources and facilities of your host university
- Events and programmes. Chances to join events and programmes at your host university
- Scholarly community. Contact with academics who study national security, international relations and American grand strategy
- Mentoring. Candidates who are based at the Clements Center and fit the topics below can ask for an extra affiliation with mentoring from the relevant faculty
- Intelligence Studies Project for intelligence
- Nuclear Policy Program for nuclear weapons and policy
- Asia Policy Program for Asia
- Professional growth. Chances to grow as a scholar and as a policy voice
Who Can Apply
You must meet all of these:
- You are enrolled in a PhD programme now
- You have passed your qualifying preliminary or comprehensive exams
- You have reached doctoral candidacy by the time you apply
- Your research is about American grand strategy in a broad sense
- You can do independent research
- You can take part in the academic life of your host university
The announcement does not list a minimum number of publications. It does not state a nationality limit either. If there are other rules they will be on the official application page.
Research Areas
You can apply from any field if your work speaks directly to American grand strategy. Preference goes to PhD candidates in these fields:
- History
- Political science
- Public policy
- Classics
- Political philosophy
Your research should connect closely to policy. It should help readers understand the foreign policy strategic choices and international role of the United States.
Documents and How To Apply
Applications go through the Interfolio Faculty Search tool. You need to prepare:
- Your graduate transcript
- Three references
- A cover letter of two pages
- A resume
- A writing sample
You can send your application materials including private reference letters for free through an Interfolio Dossier account.
Step by step
- Read the fellowship description and confirm that you are eligible.
- Choose your host university or universities.
- Gather your transcript three references, cover letter, resume and writing sample.
- Check that each document meets the stated rules.
- Upload the full application on the official portal before the deadline.
How To Make Your Application Stronger
Cover letter
- Name your preferred host university or universities
- Link your research goals to the resources and the intellectual life of that host
- Explain how the fellowship year will help you make big progress in your writing and research
- Explain how your work adds to knowledge of American grand strategy and why the topic matters for policy debates
Writing sample
- Choose a piece that shows analytical depth and original thinking
- Show a clear contribution to scholarship
Key Dates
- 1 October 2026: Applications opened according to listings
- 1 December 2026: Application deadline. Check the portal for the closing time
- August 2027: Fellowship expected to begin according to the information from Johns Hopkins SAIS