Institute for Advanced Study: School of Historical Studies
Call for Applications: 2026–27 Membership
The Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) is an independent, private institution founded in 1930 to create a community of scholars focused on intellectual inquiry, free from teaching and other university obligations. Each year scholars from around the world apply to pursue their own research at the institute. Members receive access to the extensive resources of the institute, including offices, libraries, subsidized dining and housing facilities, and some administrative assistance.
The School of Historical Studies supports scholarship in all fields of historical research but is concerned principally with the history of western, near eastern and Asian civilizations, with particular emphasis on the Greek and Roman world, the history of Europe (medieval, early modern, and modern), the Islamic world, East Asian studies, art history, history of science, and musicology.
Application Deadline: 15 October 2025
Dates of Membership:
Term I: 21 September–18 December 2026
Term II: 11 January–9 April 2027
Eligibility Requirements:
• Applicants must hold a PhD or equivalent, awarded no later than 31 July 2025.
• Scholars are expected to reside at the Institute for Advanced Study or in the Princeton area during the term(s) of their membership.
Application Requirements
• A completed online application
• Curriculum vitae
• Research proposal (max. 1,500 words)
• One-page bibliography related to your proposal
• PDF files of three publications, in print, from peer-reviewed sources
• Two reference letters (only required for applicants who received their PhD in 2019 or later)
Funding information and more:
The School of Historical Studies generally offers stipends of a maximum of $80,000 for the full academic year, and $40,000 for a single term. The institute will also provide limited reimbursement for travel expenses to incoming members from outside the Princeton area.
Scholars who have received their PhD no earlier than January 2019, are currently assistant professors at a college or university in the United States or Canada, and are able to return to their current institution after the fellowship may also simultaneously apply online to the Mellon Fellowship for Assistant Professors.
A postdoctoral fellowship position for a scholar in the History of Science will also be available for the 2026–27 academic year, with the possibility to renew for a second year. The selected member will receive an annual stipend of $75,000.
Short-term visitorships for less than a full term and no stipend are also available ad-hoc. To inquire about a visitorship opportunity, contact the administrative officer at
HSao@ias.edu.
Please note that the Historical Studies–Social Science Library building will be closed for construction during the 2026–27 academic year. Library services will be fully functioning, but the building will not be open to scholars.
Visit ias.edu/hs/membership for more information. For all other inquiries, email hsappquery@ias.edu.