Fellowships and Awards
To foster academic achievement, facilitate primary-source research, and encourage opportunities to explore policymaking, the Kissinger Center provides fellowships and awards at the undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate level.
Undergraduate Opportunities
As part of its mission to advance academic excellence at Johns Hopkins University and help bridge the divide between scholarly research and policymaking, the center is pleased to offer three funding opportunities to undergraduate students.
An initiative of the Henry A. Kissinger Center for Global Affairs at Johns Hopkins SAIS, the Kissinger Seminar exposes exceptional undergraduate students to the study of grand strategy and the history of U.S. foreign policy by exploring critical moments, themes, and people in the history of American grand strategy.
To learn more about the course, the application process, and eligibility, visit our dedicated Kissinger Undergraduate Seminar Page.
Note: Applications for the Kissinger Undergraduate Seminar are closed.
The course "Nuclear Weapons and American Grand Strategy" will feature a variety of opportunities and activities:
- Lectures and discussions led by world experts on nuclear strategy and statecraft
- Meetings with U.S. policymakers
- An introduction to nuclear technology by leading scientists
- Simulations and (public health permitting) visits to important sites
2023 Kissinger Summer Academy Course Details
This is a one-week, intensive course taking place from July 10-14, 2023. It will be held at the Johns Hopkins SAIS Campus in Washington, DC. The cost of the course, as well as the all costs associated with travel and lodging, will be covered for admitted participants.
Eligibility
You must either be a current undergraduate or have received your undergraduate degree no earlier than January 2021 to apply. We welcome applications from students and graduates from all universities and colleges.
Note: The Kissinger Summer Academy application is open. To apply, please submit the following materials to KissingerCenter@JHU.edu by February 14th, 2023, at 11:59 PM ET with the subject line, "KISSINGER SUMMER ACADEMY APPLICATION".
- Resume
- 1-page, single spaced statement of interest
- Unofficial Transcripts unofficial transcripts
Graduate Opportunities
To encourage primary-source research at SAIS and help bridge the divide between the worlds of scholarly research and policy-making, the center seeks to offer three opportunities to current SAIS graduate students. Currently there are no graduate funding opportunities at this time.
Junior Scholar Opportunities
International Policy Scholars Consortium and Network (IPSCON)
The Kissinger Center is pleased to host the International Policy Scholars Consortium and Network (IPSCON), a multi-year initiative funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York for PhD students approaching the dissertation phase of their PhD.
At the core of the many “bridging the gap” efforts over the past several years is the conviction that foreign policymaking in the United States and elsewhere is seriously compromised by the disconnect between the academy and the world of practice. The challenge is especially acute in doctoral programs in history, political science, and related disciplines. Many students begin their studies with a strong interest in policy and a significant number look to have a policy dimension to their subsequent careers. Yet few schools are able to give those students the coursework and mentoring they need to perform at a high-level in senior policy roles, or to address their research to the real-world problems policymakers confront.
IPSCON connects graduate students interested in conducting scholarly research on key policy questions, working directly in policymaking roles, or both. These aims are rarely celebrated in traditional programs, which tend to bifurcate into two distinct tracks – a professional masters degree program and an academic PhD program. IPSCON junior scholars are typically PhD students nominated by one of the consortium institutions. By linking junior scholars to senior faculty from across the network, IPSCON’s unique consortium model draws on the diverse strengths of its constituent institutions, while cultivating a robust network of scholars with a shared interest in international affairs and policy. Key activities for junior scholars include the Minnowbrook retreat, virtual seminars, and the DC Policy Workshop.
Learn more about IPSCON here
Application Components and Deadline: Applicants should submit a copy of their CV and a 500-word essay explaining their interest in IPSCON and career objectives to IPSCON_SAIS@jhu.edu no later than Tuesday, February 28, 2023, at 11:59 PM ET. Candidates will be notified of the outcome of their applications by April 1, 2023.
Please email IPSCON_SAIS@jhu.edu with any questions.
Nuclear Studies Research Initiative (NSRI)
NSRI was established to support and expand a renaissance in nuclear studies by creating a platform for intellectual exchange, cross-fertilization, and mentorship.
The initiative actively promotes work that transcends both national and disciplinary boundaries and seeks to contribute to addressing core policy challenges. Through its workshops and collaborations, the project has been highly effective in improving academic scholarship on nuclear questions; the majority of original research presented at NSRI events has been published in top peer-reviewed journals. NSRI has facilitated unique connections between scholars across fields which have led to fruitful research collaborations and increased participation of younger academics in policy debates.
Learn more about the NSRI here
Please check back for updates on calls for papers for NSRI workshops and conferences.
Fellowships
The Ax:son Johnson Institute for Statecraft and Diplomacy (AJI) is a four-university, transatlantic consortium, which in collaboration with the Axel and Margaret Ax:son Johnson Foundation for Public Benefit, will recruit, train, and mentor the next generation of historically-minded scholars and practitioners in statecraft, diplomacy, and strategy. As a member of this consortium, the Henry A. Kissinger Center for Global Affairs is pleased to offer up to three predoctoral fellowships to scholars pursuing research in historically-minded statecraft and strategy. For more information about the fellowships and how to apply, visit our main page here.
Generously supported by the Axel and Margaret Ax:son Johnson Foundation for Public Benefit, the AJI is a partnership between the Centre for Geopolitics at the University of Cambridge, the Centre for Grand Strategy in the Department of War Studies at King’s College London, the Henry A. Kissinger Center for Global Affairs at the Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), and the Center for Statecraft and Strategic Communication at the Stockholm School of Economics. The partnership promotes the research and engagement of a cohort of up to twenty-four PhD and postdoctoral fellows across its member universities.
About the AJI Fellowships at the Kissinger Center
The program builds and expands upon the Kissinger Center and SAIS's strengths in diplomatic and military history, strategic studies, security studies, international relations, and economics and international political economy. SAIS is interdisciplinary and policy-engaged, and its location in Washington DC allows scholars easy access to major instruments of government, think tanks, and federally funded research and development centers, as well as important archives. SAIS also has campuses in Bologna (Italy) and Nanjing (China), providing additional opportunities to engage with the scholarly and policy communities in Europe and Asia.
Up to three incoming PhD candidates will be awarded a generous four-year fellowship that includes tuition, health insurance, and a stipend competitive with the top programs in political science, international relations, and history.
Qualifications and How to Apply
1. Online application form
2. Application fee, $85 USD
3. Resume/CV
4. Statement of purpose
5. Dissertation topic
6. Writing sample
7. Transcripts for all college-level course work
8. Two (2) letters of recommendation
9. GRE or GMAT scores
10. English Langauge Examination (non-native English speakers)
In order to be considered for the AJI predoctoral fellowship, you should indicate your interest in conducting historically-minded research on statecraft and strategy in both your statement of purpose (4) and proposed dissertation topic (5). Moreover, your overall application should demonstrate your strong fit for the program, including by indicating the faculty within the Kissinger Center and at SAIS with whom you hope to work. In addition, please inform the Associate Director of Operations at the Kissinger Center, Andrea Wise (awise12@jhu.edu), about your interest in the AJI program as well as the status of your application.
We are interested in supporting students who seek to pursue historically-informed projects across a wide variety of methodological approaches and research areas related to statecraft and strategy. Applications from women and minority students are especially encouraged.
Acceptance to the SAIS Ph.D. program is a prerequisite for, but does not guarantee, selection as an AJI Predoctoral Fellow. Accepted students will be notified by March 25, 2022 and will begin their doctoral studies at SAIS in August 2022.
General inquiries regarding the PhD program should be directed to saisphdprogram@jhu.edu. Questions about the AJI PhD fellowship program should be directed to the Associate Director of Operations at the Kissinger Center, Andrea Wise (awise12@jhu.edu).
The Ax:son Johnson Institute for Statecraft and Diplomacy (AJI) is a four-university, transatlantic consortium, which in collaboration with the Axel and Margaret Ax:son Johnson Foundation for Public Benefit, will recruit, train, and mentor the next generation of historically-minded scholars and practitioners in statecraft, diplomacy, and strategy. As a member of this consortium, the Henry A. Kissinger Center for Global Affairs is pleased to offer up to three postdoctoral fellowships to scholars pursuing research in historically-minded statecraft and strategy. For more information about the fellowships and how to apply, visit our main page here. Please note we are not currently accepting applications for this fellowship; please check this page for timeline updates.
Generously supported by the Axel and Margaret Ax:son Johnson Foundation for Public Benefit, the AJI is a partnership between the Centre for Geopolitics at the University of Cambridge, the Centre for Grand Strategy in the Department of War Studies at King’s College London, the Henry A. Kissinger Center for Global Affairs at the Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), and the Center for Statecraft and Strategic Communication at the Stockholm School of Economics. The partnership promotes the research and engagement of a cohort of up to twenty-four PhD and postdoctoral fellows across its member universities.
About the AJI Fellowships at the Kissinger Center
Incoming PhD students and postdoctoral fellows at Johns Hopkins SAIS will work closely with the faculty and affiliates of the Kissinger Center and have opportunities to participate in the Center’s activities and the broader intellectual communities of SAIS and Johns Hopkins University. The new scholars will also collaborate with faculty, affiliates, students, and fellows from the other institutes in the consortium, creating a multi-institutional, multinational intellectual community that spans the Atlantic, as well as have publishing opportunities through Engelsberg Ideas.
The program builds and expands upon the Kissinger Center and SAIS's strengths in diplomatic and military history, strategic studies, security studies, international relations, and economics and international political economy. SAIS is interdisciplinary and policy-engaged, and its location in Washington DC allows scholars easy access to major instruments of government, think tanks, and federally funded research and development centers, as well as important archives. SAIS also has campuses in Bologna (Italy) and Nanjing (China), providing additional opportunities to engage with the scholarly and policy communities in Europe and Asia.
Up to three Postdoctoral Fellows will be offered a generous two-year fellowship that includes health insurance, research funding, and a stipend competitive with the leading postdoctoral awards.
Qualifications and How to Apply
Applicants interested in becoming AJI Postdoctoral Fellows should follow the steps described below. The application period closed on February 1, 2022. Postdoctoral Fellows are expected to start in the summer/fall of 2022 and continue for two calendar years, although a later start date can be negotiated for exceptional applicants. Please state your availability in your application letter. The Postdoctoral Fellow will be expected, in addition to pursuing his or her own research and writing, to contribute to the intellectual life of the Kissinger Center as well as the AJI consortium and to participate in their programming.
Applicants for AJI Post-Doctoral Fellowships must have completed their PhD by the time they take up the fellowship and have a track record of excellent historically-minded research in statecraft, diplomacy, or strategy. Preference will be given to those who are no more than 5 years beyond completing their dissertation, although others are also eligible. Postdoctoral fellows are expected to remain in residence at the Kissinger Center for the duration of their fellowship. We encourage candidates with PhDs in history, political science, and international relations to apply, but other disciplines are also welcome. Applications from women and minority candidates are especially encouraged.
Each applicant should submit the following:
1. An application letter explaining why you are applying, why and how your research interests align with the objectives of the AJI initiative, and what you hope to accomplish during your time at the Kissinger Center;
2. A curriculum vitae;
3. An article or writing sample on statecraft or strategy, broadly defined, which demonstrates a historically-minded approach to research;
4. Three letters of recommendation.
Please direct any questions to the Associate Director of Operations at the Kissinger Center, Andrea Wise (awise12@jhu.edu).
Learn more about the AJI Fellowship here
Note: The current recruitment cycle is closed. This page will be updated when the application cycle reopens.
Description
About the Opening
The successful candidate is expected to be in residence and will be offered a competitive stipend and use of office space in the Kissinger Center in Washington, DC. They will also have access to Johns Hopkins University’s libraries and facilities. The fellow will begin their one-year position in July 2023.
About the Center
About Johns Hopkins SAIS
Qualifications
Application Instructions
- Cover Letter. In the cover letter, please stipulate which consortium school or schools the candidate would wish to reside at during the fellowship.
- Curriculum Vitae
- Graduate school transcript
- Names of 3 referees who would write a letter of recommendation if we asked them to
- Article or writing sample representing an existing contribution to the field of American grand strategy, broadly defined.
Please contact KissingerCenter@jhu.edu if you have any questions.
APPLY HERE
Description
About the Opening
The successful candidate is expected to be in residence and will be offered a competitive stipend and use of office space in the Kissinger Center in Washington, DC. They will also have access to Johns Hopkins University’s libraries and facilities. The fellow will begin their position in August 2023.
About the Center
About SAIS
Qualifications
Application Instructions
- Curriculum Vitae
- Graduate school transcript
- Names of 3 referees who would write a letter of recommendation if we asked them to
- Article or writing sample representing an existing contribution to the field of American grand strategy, broadly defined