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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.

The Center's Kissinger Seminar on American Grand Strategy and World Order engages Johns Hopkins University undergraduate students in the enriching study and practice of U.S. foreign policy.

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. 

Students admitted into the Kissinger Summer Academy are Kissinger Summer Fellows. The Kissinger Summer Academy is a one-week intensive course for select undergraduate students and recent graduates. It is held at the Johns Hopkins SAIS campus in Washington DC. The cost of the course, as well as the cost of travel and lodging, will be covered for all admitted fellows. 

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
Learn more about the Kissinger Summer Academy here 

2024 Kissinger Summer Academy Course Details

This is a one-week, intensive course taking place from July 8-12, 2024. 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 2022 to apply. We welcome applications from students and graduates from all universities and colleges. 

Note: Applications for the Kissinger Summer Academy are closed. Application instructions remain below for reference.


Application

Applicants must submit the following materials to [email protected] with the subject line, "KISSINGER SUMMER ACADEMY APPLICATION." The deadline for applications was Thursday, February 29, 2024.
  • Resume
  • 1-page, single spaced Statement of Interest. The statement should address why you want to take this course and why you should be selected
  • 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

The center offers a series of programs, projects and prizes to early career scholars inside and outside the Johns Hopkins community including PhD students, advanced graduate students, tenure track faculty and think tank fellows.

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

Applications for the 2024-2025 Carnegie International Policy Scholars Consortium and Network (IPSCON) cohort closed on February 28, 2024. Candidates will be notified by April 1, 2024. Click here for the PDF of the call for applications. The application instructions remain below for reference.

Supported by the Carnegie Corporation of New York and located within SAIS’s Henry A. Kissinger Center for Global Affairs, IPSCON is dedicated to helping emerging scholars, especially PhD students and candidates, navigate between the worlds of scholarship and policy in their research, teaching, and careers. Over the course of the academic year, IPSCON participants may engage in a three-day retreat in the Adirondacks, a two day policy workshop in Washington, DC, and a virtual seminar series during the semester that brings together students, preeminent scholars, and current and former senior government officials in wide-ranging conversations. IPSCON members will also have access to the IPSCON alumni community for networking and mentorship.

Our ideal candidates will have finished or be in the process of finishing their comprehensive exams when they take up the fellowship. We welcome applications from candidates from a diverse array of intellectual backgrounds, including history, political science, public policy, information and data science, biology, engineering, public health, environmental studies, etc., who are interested in making their research more accessible to policymakers and/or serving in government. Preference will be given to current PhD students with a demonstrated interest in policy-relevant research on a key topic in international affairs. Applicants who are committed to promoting a sense of belonging and contributing to an equitable and inclusive learning environment for all are strongly encouraged to apply.


Application Process and Deadline

Applicants should send a copy of their CV and a 500-word essay explaining their interest in IPSCON and career objectives to [email protected] no later than February 28, 2024, at 11:59 PM ET. Candidates will be notified of the outcome of their applications by April 1, 2024.

Please email [email protected] 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 center offers a select number of pre- and post-doctoral fellowships each academic year.

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

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 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

The application closed on December 15, 2021. It consisted of ten parts:
 
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 ([email protected]), 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 were notified on March 25, 2022 and and began their doctoral studies at SAIS in August 2022. 
 
General inquiries regarding the PhD program should be directed to [email protected]. Questions about the AJI PhD fellowship program should be directed to the Associate Director of Operations at the Kissinger Center, Andrea Wise ([email protected]).

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.

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 closed on January 5, 2024. The application process remains below for reference. 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.
 
The deadline for applications was January 5, 2024.

Please direct any questions to the Associate Director of Operations at the Kissinger Center, Andrea Wise ([email protected]).
 

About the Program

In 2018, Johns Hopkins SAIS partnered with a team of scholar-practitioners from Duke University and University of Texas-Austin to launch the America in the World Consortium, which was joined by the University of Florida in 2023. That consortium aims to prepare the next generation to confront geopolitical challenges and understand American national interests abroad. The fellow will be expected, in addition to pursuing his or her own research and writing, to contribute to the intellectual life of the consortium and participate in its programming.

The successful candidate is expected to be in residence and will be offered a competitive stipend and use of a shared workstation 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 2025.

About the Center

Established in 2016, the Henry A. Kissinger Center for Global Affairs (HKC) is home to distinguished faculty of scholars and practitioners working to address some of today’s most complex global challenges. Through innovative curricula, research, and programs, the center aims to revitalize scholarship in international, diplomatic, and military history. The center examines the changing global order through a renewed focus on geostrategy, great power politics, and war and peace.

About Johns Hopkins SAIS

Johns Hopkins SAIS is a global institution that offers students an international perspective on today’s critical issues. For 75 years, Johns Hopkins SAIS has produced leaders, thinkers, and practitioners of international relations, whose ideas and research inform and shape policy. Johns Hopkins SAIS offers a global perspective across three campus locations: Bologna, Italy; Nanjing, China; and Washington, DC. The school’s interdisciplinary curriculum is strongly rooted in the study of international economics, international relations, and regional studies; the goal of study at Johns Hopkins SAIS is to prepare students to address the multifaceted policy challenges in the world today.

Qualifications

Applicants must be enrolled in a PhD program and have passed their comprehensives/preliminary/qualifying exams so as to be in the dissertation writing phase. We are especially interested in receiving applications from those who are interested in research and writing about American grand strategy and foreign policy, broadly defined. We encourage candidates who are pursuing a PhD in history and political science to apply, though applications from other disciplines are welcome. Applications from women and minority candidates are especially encouraged. 

Application Instructions

All applications should include:
  • Cover Letter
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Graduate school transcript
  • Three references who would provide a recommendation letter upon request
  • Article or writing sample representing an existing contribution to the field of American grand strategy, broadly defined
Note: The deadline to apply for the 2025-2026 AWC Predoctoral fellowship is December 1, 2024. The link to the application is here.

Please contact [email protected] if you have any questions. 


About the Program

In 2018, Johns Hopkins SAIS partnered with a team of scholar-practitioners from Duke University and University of Texas-Austin to launch the America in the World Consortium, which was joined by the University of Florida in 2023. That consortium aims to prepare the next generation to confront geopolitical challenges and understand American national interests abroad. The fellow will be expected, in addition to pursuing his or her own research and writing, to contribute to the intellectual life of the consortium and participate in its programming.

The successful candidate is expected to be in residence and will be offered a competitive stipend and use of a shared workstation 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 2025.

About the Center 

Established in 2016, the Henry A. Kissinger Center for Global Affairs (HKC) is home to distinguished faculty of scholars and practitioners working to address some of today’s most complex global challenges. Through innovative curricula, research, and programs, the center aims to revitalize scholarship in international, diplomatic, and military history.  The center examines the changing global order through a renewed focus on geostrategy, great power politics, and war and peace. 

About SAIS

SAIS is a global institution that offers students an international perspective on today’s critical issues. For 75 years, Johns Hopkins SAIS has produced leaders, thinkers, and practitioners of international relations, whose ideas and research inform and shape policy. SAIS offers a global perspective across three campus locations: Bologna, Italy; Nanjing, China; and Washington, DC. The school’s interdisciplinary curriculum is strongly rooted in the study of international economics, international relations, and regional studies; the goal of study at SAIS is to prepare students to address the multifaceted policy challenges in the world today.

Qualifications

We are especially interested in receiving applications from those who are interested in research and writing about American grand strategy and foreign policy, broadly defined. We encourage candidates with PhDs in history and political science to apply, though applications from other disciplines are welcome. Applications from women and minority candidates are especially encouraged. Applicants must have a completed Ph.D. by August 1, 2024 in a related field, such as political science, public policy or history. 

Application Instructions

All applications should include:
  • Cover Letter
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Graduate school transcript
  • Three references who would provide a recommendation letter upon request
  • Article or writing sample representing an existing contribution to the field of American grand strategy, broadly defined
Note: The deadline to apply for the 2024-2025 AWC Postdoctoral fellowship is December 1, 2024. The link to the application is here.

Please contact [email protected] if you have any questions. 


 

About the Fellowship

The Paul H. Nitze School for Advanced International Studies (SAIS) is pleased to announce the opportunity for outstanding scholars to conduct research in Washington, D.C., on “The United States, Europe, and World Order.” 

Applications for postdoctoral fellows are open until January 14, 2025. Please see the instructions below and the call for applications here.

The Paul H. Nitze School for Advanced International Studies (SAIS) is pleased to announce the opportunity for outstanding scholars to conduct research in Washington, D.C., on “The United States, Europe, and World Order.”  
 
During the academic year 2025-2026, up to two post-doctoral fellowships will be awarded.  Both fellowships will be available for a minimum of nine (9) and maximum of twelve (12) months between July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026.  Applicants should indicate their preferred start and end dates in the application. 
 
DAAD Post-Doctoral Fellows are closely integrated into the SAIS academic community and will be affiliated with the Henry A. Kissinger Center for Global Affairs. A division of Johns Hopkins University, SAIS is a global institution that provides interdisciplinary professional education to prepare a diverse student body for internationally related positions of responsibility; to foster research, scholarship and cross-cultural exchange; and to contribute knowledge, expertise, and leadership to the global community. 
 
The Henry A. Kissinger Center for Global Affairs is home to a distinguished faculty of scholars and practitioners working to address some of today’s most complex global challenges. Through its innovative research, curricula, and programs, the Kissinger Center seeks to integrate historical scholarship with rigorous analysis of geostrategy and statecraft. 
 
The Fellowships are funded through a grant from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) with the generous support by the German Federal Foreign Office.
 
During the academic year 2025-2026 research and related activities will focus on “the roles of the United States and Germany at a crucial moment in world history.” DAAD Post-Doctoral Fellows will focus on this subject during a regular series of high-level seminars, peer review sessions, and opportunities for direct engagement with senior foreign policy practitioners and leading scholars of statecraft and world order. Each Fellow is expected to complete a research paper related to the theme during the period of residence in addition to continuing to work on their own research projects. The Fellows will also work with the Helmut Schmidt Distinguished Visiting Professor and the Kissinger Center on a German-US conference on issues of international security, historically informed statecraft and strategy and/or transatlantic relations taking place in Germany and a summer workshop on grand strategy and international security for early career academics and policymakers in Washington, D.C.  
 

Eligibility

 
Applicants for the DAAD Post-Doctoral Fellowships at SAIS must have a doctorate or be at the post-doctorate level, have demonstrated research capacity, and be fluent in English. EU and U.S. citizens are welcome to apply. EU citizens should be currently affiliated with a German university or research institution and be eligible for a J-1 visa. Preference will be given to those who are no more than 6 years beyond completing their dissertation, although others are also eligible. 
 

Salary

 
Each DAAD Post-Doctoral Fellow will receive a monthly salary of up to $6,000, minus U.S. taxes; access to a computer and shared workspace; internet access; access to Johns Hopkins University libraries and other facilities. Each Fellow is expected to take care of his/her accommodation and living expenses. A basic health care package is available for all Post-Doctoral Fellows. For non-US citizens one economy class roundtrip airfare will be provided. Furthermore, research funding of up to $3,000 for a 12-month stay will be available for each Fellow as well as one economy class roundtrip airfare to the above-mentioned conference in Germany. Health benefit premiums for accompanying dependents can also be covered ($560 per month if one dependent or $880 per month if more than one dependent). 
 

Application Procedure

 
Each applicant should submit the following (in English): 
 
  1. A statement of interest outlining why you are applying and what you hope to get out of this fellowship. 
  1. A 3 to 5-page double-spaced research statement that proposes a research project, including its relevance to the theme “The United States, Europe and World Order.” 
  1. Preferred appointment start and end dates, between July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026. 
  1. A curriculum vitae.
  1. Three references with contact information.
 
The applicant is responsible for collecting all materials and submitting them before 23:59 EST on January 14, 2025 using the following application portal: https://apply.interfolio.com/158990.
Applicants will be notified of their acceptance in February 2025.  
 
The 2025-2026 DAAD Post-Doctoral Fellowship begins between July 1 and October 1, 2025 and concludes on June 30, 2026 with the possibility of renewal for an additional twelve (12) months upon mutual agreement. For further information please visit the program website, the Kissinger Center website, or write to [email protected].


Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The Johns Hopkins University is committed to equal opportunity for its faculty, staff, and students. To that end, the university does not discriminate on the basis of sex, gender, marital status, pregnancy, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status or other legally protected characteristic. The university is committed to providing qualified individuals access to all academic and employment programs, benefits and activities on the basis of demonstrated ability, performance and merit without regard to personal factors that are irrelevant to the program involved.