Harry Ransom Center Research Fellowships 2027–2028
Research fellowships at the Harry Ransom Center in Austin for humanities projects requiring substantial on-site use of its collections.
| Amount / funding | Postdoctoral Fellowships $3,500 per month (1–2 months); Dissertation Fellowships $2,500; Travel Stipends $2,000; plus a one-time $500 stipend for citizens or residents of countries other than the U.S. (J-1 visa and international travel costs) |
|---|---|
| Deadline | 6 November 2026, 5:00 PM CST (UTC-6) |
| Start date | Residencies between 1 June 2027 and 31 August 2028 |
| Level | Research fellowship |
| Funding type | partial |
| Field |
About this scholarship
About 50 research fellowships for 2027–2028 at the Harry Ransom Center, University of Texas at Austin, including 10 dissertation fellowships, for humanities research requiring substantial on-site use of the Center's collections in literature, photography, film, art, performing arts, music and cultural history.
Minimum requirements
Fellowship projects must require substantial on-site use of the Ransom Center's collections, which support all areas of the humanities including literature, photography, film, art, the performing arts, music and cultural history. Postdoctoral fellowships: scholars with a PhD or other terminal degree (for example MFA, MLIS), including current and former faculty and similarly qualified researchers without an institutional affiliation; 1–2 months of funding. Dissertation fellowships: graduate students whose in-progress doctoral dissertations require use of the collections; dissertations must not have been completed by the start of the fellowship period; master's students or other graduate researchers not working on a dissertation should apply for a travel stipend. Travel stipends: graduate students, current and former faculty and independent researchers such as journalists and artists; cannot be combined with other Ransom Center fellowships. Previous recipients may reapply with new projects after two full fellowship cycles have passed. About 50 fellowships for 2027–2028, including 10 dissertation fellowships. Decisions announced by email in April 2027.
Application checklist
- Create a fellowship account for 2027–2028 (previous years' accounts cannot be reused)
- Three-page proposal as a single PDF (page 1: project summary; page 2: detailed use of collections with specific containers, boxes and folders; page 3: abbreviated CV)
- 100-word abstract via the online form (not repeated inside the PDF)
- One confidential letter of recommendation submitted by the referee through the online system using the applicant's fellowship account number
- Submit proposal and letter by the deadline; materials cannot be accepted after the deadline and cannot be revised once submitted
Application tips
- Name the exact containers, boxes and folders you will consult — the proposal guidance explicitly asks for that specificity, and explains why on-site review is needed if the material is also digitised.
- Ask your referee early and confirm they understand the letter must be submitted by them, in English and signed, through the system by the same deadline.
- For a dissertation fellowship, the letter must come from the dissertation director, a committee member or another faculty member familiar with the project.
- Plan the residency inside 1 June 2027–31 August 2028 and expect to spend most days in the Reading Room.
Always verify deadline, amount and eligibility on the official page before applying. Values marked ESTIMATE are based on a previous cycle and are not confirmed for the current round.
Tags: Research fellowship, Humanities, Archives