Fellowships 2027–2028

The Harry Ransom Center will award up to 50 research fellowships for its 2027–2028 program in Austin, Texas. Graduate students, current and former academic faculty, and independent researchers such as journalists and artists may seek support for projects requiring substantial on-site use of the Center's archival collections. Fellowships range from one week to two months and include postdoctoral fellowships, dissertation fellowships, and travel stipends. Recipients have access to a shared office, with the primary emphasis on research in the Reading Room.

Projects must require substantial on-site consultation of the Ransom Center's collections. Fellowships last one week to two months; recipients should spend most days in the Reading Room. Postdoctoral fellowships provide $3,500 per month and are available to scholars with a PhD or another terminal degree, such as an MFA or MLIS, including current and former academic faculty and similarly qualified researchers without institutional affiliation; applicants may request one or two months of funding. Dissertation fellowships provide $2,500 and are available to graduate students whose in-progress doctoral dissertations require the collections; dissertations must not be completed by the start of the fellowship period. Master's students and other graduate researchers not working on a dissertation should apply for a travel stipend. Travel stipends provide $2,000 and are available to graduate students, current and former academic faculty, and independent researchers such as journalists and artists whose projects require access to the collections; they cannot be combined with other Ransom Center fellowships. Across all categories, citizens or residents of countries other than the U.S. receive an additional one-time $500 stipend toward J-1 visa and/or international travel costs to Austin. No application, participation, or additional fees are stated. Submit an English-language, three-page proposal as a single PDF through the Center's online application system using the fellowship account number; files longer than three pages are not accepted. Each page must have the applicant's last name in the top-right corner, one-inch margins, and an 11-point sans-serif or serif font. Separately provide an online proposal summary of no more than 100 words; do not repeat that abstract within the PDF. Page one must include the applicant's name, project title, research summary, significance and disciplinary context, and anticipated projects or publications. Page two must detail the collections to be consulted, their relevance, why on-site consultation is necessary for the requested duration, and the project's feasibility. Identify specific containers, boxes, and folders using finding aids; where materials are also digitized, explain why on-site review is necessary. Page three must be an abbreviated CV emphasizing relevant experience and publications. Previous fellows should include results of fellowship-supported research. The CV may contain one external link exemplifying the applicant's work. All applicants must obtain one confidential recommendation from someone qualified to judge the proposal. Dissertation applicants must use their dissertation director, a dissertation committee member, or another faculty member familiar with the project. The recommendation must be in English, bear the referee's signature, and be submitted as a PDF by the referee through the online system using the applicant's fellowship account number. The application deadline also applies to the recommendation. Listed artistic fields include applied arts, architecture, curating, dance, design, digital, drawing, education, fashion, film, installation, interdisciplinary work, painting, performance, photography, printmaking, public art, research, sculpture, social practice, sound art, textiles, video, visual arts, and writing.