Call for Applications: 2026-27 Scholars at Risk (SAR) Academic Freedom Fellowships, Submission Deadline- May 29, 2026

Scholars at Risk (SAR) is pleased to invite early-career researchers to apply for remote research fellowships focusing on academic freedom and related higher education values. The fellowship program is supported by the Mellon Foundation, among other donors, and is intended to foster a professional community of researchers dedicated to developing new research, formal written publications, new course offerings, workshops, webinars or other significant end products.

Fellowship Tracks

Please apply for one of the two following tracks:

Track 1: Global Mellon Academic Freedom Fellowship
- Focus: Global, comparative, or single-country issues (excluding the US).
- Availability: up to 6 fellowships.
Track 2: US Academic Freedom Fellowship
- Focus: Academic freedom issues specifically within the United States.
- Availability: up to 6 fellowships.

Program Details & Benefits

Duration: 10 months (September 2026 – June 2027).
Stipend: Fellows will receive a stipend of USD ~$8,000 intended to cover research expenses, publication, or other costs, as the fellow may decide.
Structure: Fellows will complete their proposed project while participating in monthly remote, online workshops to share progress and exchange peer feedback.
Outputs: Fellows will each produce a significant end product (e.g., a formal publication, new course, or workshop). The cohort will also explore a collaborative joint output, such as a special journal edition, an edited volume or a SAR-produced collection.
Networking: Participants will have the opportunity to gain exposure to SAR’s programming and to network with SAR partner-experts on academic freedom issues.