Top 27 American Studies Scholarships in January 2026

Discover the Willi Paul Adams Award, a prestigious biennial scholarship established to recognize non-English books that provide an impressive overlook of American history, and to award the authors of such books who submit the best 1-2-page essays about why their book "is a significant and original contribution to our understanding of American history." To be eligible, books should be concerned with the past (recent or distant) or with issues of continuity and change. It should also be substantially concerned with events or processes that began, developed, or ended in the American colonies and/or the United States. Comparative and international studies are also welcome. Bear in mind that eligible books must have been published between January 1st of the year two years prior to the deadline and December 31st of the year prior to the deadline. If you've authored a non-English book on American history, don't miss this opportunity to be recognized for your work! Keep on reading to learn more.Show Less

The Suzanne and Caleb Loring Fellowship on the Civil War, Its Origins, and Consequences is a fantastic opportunity for graduate students wanting to conduct Civil War research at both the Massachusetts Historical Society and the Boston Athenaeum for at least four weeks between July 1 of the application year and June 30th of the following year. The Athenaeum's Civil War collections are anchored by its holdings of Confederate states imprints, consisting of books, maps, broadsides, sheet music, government documental publications, and other materials organized according to the Parrish & Willingham bibliography. The Society's manuscript holdings, on the other hand, on the Civil War include diaries, photographs, correspondence from the battlefield and the home front, papers of political leaders, materials on black regiments raised in Massachusetts, and extensive holdings on the U.S. Sanitary Commission. The Athenaeum and the Society are especially interested in applicants whose projects require both repositories' resources. Multiple recipients will receive a stipend of $6,000 each. If this sounds like a good fit for you, we encourage you to apply! Keep on reading to learn more.Show Less

The New England Regional Fellowship Consortium, a collaboration of 31 major cultural agencies, will offer at least two dozen awards in the current application cycle. Each grant will provide a stipend of $5,000 for a minimum of eight weeks of research at participating institutions. Awards are open to U.S. citizens and foreign nationals who hold the necessary U.S. government documents. Grants are designed to encourage projects that draw on the resources of several agencies. NERFC grants support work in a broad array of fields, including but not limited to: history, literature, art history, African American studies, American studies, women's and gender studies, anthropology, sociology, philosophy, religious studies, environmental studies, oceanography, and the histories of law, medicine, and technology. If you have an interest in conducting research in any of these fields, we encourage you to apply!Show Less

Are you a U.S. citizen aged 16 or older with an interest in U.S. History, and particularly in the Constitution? If so, the Constitution Scholarship may be a great opportunity for you! Each year, the scholarship awards two $10,000 scholarships, two $5,000 scholarships, two $3,000 scholarships, and 32 $2,000 scholarships to the top 38 applicants (19 winners, twice a year). To be considered for the $2,000 scholarship, interested students must complete both the Introduction to the Constitution and the Constitution 101 course provided by Hillsdale College. To qualify for a $5,000 or $10,000 scholarship, individuals must also complete one of the following courses: The U.S. Supreme Court, The Federalist Papers, The Presidency and the Constitution, Congress: How it Worked and Why It Doesn't, or Constitution 201: The Progressive Rejection of the Founding and the Rise of Bureaucratic Despotism. The courses are free, and upon completing the courses, interested students must download and submit their Certificates of Completion along with a completed application in order to apply. If you'd like to learn about the U.S. Constitution and potentially earn money towards your education for it too, we encourage you to apply! Keep on reading to learn more.Show Less

Are you an aspiring filmmaker with an interest in American politics? If so, consider applying for the StudentCam scholarship! The StudentCam Scholarship is open to students in grades 6-12 who create a short 5-6 minute video documentary on a topic that relates to the year’s competition theme. The 2026 Competition Theme is: "America's 250th Anniversary: Exploring the American Story through the Declaration of Independence." Each year, the scholarship awards cash prizes totaling $100,000 to the top 150 student documentaries. If you’re a middle or high school student passionate about filmmaking and American Politics, we encourage you to apply! Keep on reading to learn more.Show Less

The King Olav V Norwegian-American Heritage Scholarship aims to celebrate and fund the exploration and study of American and Norwegian heritage. To qualify for the scholarship, applicants may either be (a) any American citizen, age 17 or older, who has demonstrated a keen and sincere interest in Norwegian heritage or (b) any Norwegian citizen, age 17 or older, who has demonstrated an interest in American heritage. While Norwegian applicants must be enrolled in a post-secondary program of study in the United States, American applicants must be enrolled in an accredited educational institution in Norway or a Scandinavian Studies program in the United States. To be considered for the scholarship, interested students must submit a short autobiography, a ~500-word essay, proof of enrollment, a recent transcript, and two (2) letters of recommendation. If this sounds like a good opportunity for you, we encourage you to apply! Keep on reading to learn more.Show Less

This John Higham Research Fellowship is open to all graduate students writing doctoral dissertations for a Ph.D. in American history. Applicants pursuing research in those fields most congenial to the research and writing interests of John Higham will receive special consideration. These topics include U.S. social and intellectual history broadly considered, with preference given to research projects on American immigration and ethnic history as well as American historiography, and the cultural history of the nineteenth-century U.S. If you're a graduate student writing a doctoral dissertation related to American history, especially as it relates to the research of John Higham, we encourage you to apply! Keep on reading to learn more.Show Less

The "Laszlo Orszagh Distinguished Award in American Studies" is open to Ph.D. and Terminal Degree holders interested in teaching post-secondary courses and assisting in curriculum development at Hungarian universities. Associate and full professors with at least ten years of graduate teaching experience will be given preference. Applications will be accepted from any discipline, so long as they relate to American studies. Selected scholars must agree to teach one lecture or seminar course per semester at the undergraduate and/or graduate levels. Additional activities may include advising students, overseeing student research and thesis work, participating in research projects, doing local outreach, or giving talk(s) at the American Corners in Hungary and select Hungarian universities. Interested students must submit a Project Statement, a CV or Resume, and two Letters of Recommendation to apply. For more information on the scholarship, keep on reading!Show Less

The "Postdoctoral Research Award" is open to Ph.D. and Terminal Degree holders interested in carrying out a research, professional, or artistic project at a Canadian university. Eligible topics for projects include environmental studies, Black history in North America, and Indigenous studies. Selected recipients can choose to conduct a research project designated by the host institution, conduct a research project of their choosing, or conduct a professional and/or artistic project. They can also propose any of the listed activities. A list of eligible universities in Canada is available on the scholarship's website. While letters of invitation are optional, applicants are encouraged to contact their preferred host institution to discuss research interests. Interested scholars must submit a Project Statement, a CV or Resume, and two Letters of Recommendation to apply. For more information on the scholarship, keep on reading!Show Less

The "Postdoctoral Scholar Award" is open to Ph.D. and Terminal Degree holders interested in both conducting research and assisting faculty and students in the arts, education, humanities, geology, or the social sciences at Taiwanese universities. As part of the research requirement, selected scholars may expect to collaborate with Taiwanese faculty, and present lectures, seminars, and workshops as arranged by the host institution. To apply, interested students should obtain a letter of invitation from their potential host institution. Applicants without an invitation letter may indicate preferred affiliations, but Fulbright Taiwan will arrange and finalize all affiliations in consultation with potential hosts. If you're a doctorate or terminal degree holder wanting to work at an educational institution in Taiwan, we encourage you to apply! Keep on reading to learn more.Show Less

The "Fulbright Bicentennial Chair in American Studies" award is open to Ph.D. and Terminal Degree holders interested in both conducting research and teaching courses in American Studies at universities throughout Finland. Selected scholars will be required to teach one survey course per semester to third-year Bachelor's students, as well as teach one seminar per semester in their area of expertise to master's level students. Scholars will also be invited to participate in the program's Ph.D. seminar and in the development of the North American Studies program in general, be encouraged to give occasional guest lectures at other Finnish universities, and be invited to participate in Fulbright Finland Foundation activities as an application reviewer and interviewer. To apply, submit a Project Statement, a CV or Resume, and two Letters of Recommendation. To learn more about the scholarship, keep on reading!Show Less

The "Distinguished Scholar in Humanities and Social Sciences at Adam Mickiewicz University" award is open to Ph.D. and Terminal Degree holders looking to conduct research and teach courses at the Faculty of English at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poland. Selected scholars will be expected to teach one regular course for undergraduate or graduate students in one of the humanities and social sciences, as well as engage in research/scholarly activities at the institution. This may include giving talks, running workshops, and being available to meet with the researchers for consultation and mentoring. This award is intended for eminent scholars with an excellent record of publications in their respective (humanities and social science) fields, significant teaching experience, and experience mentoring Ph.D. students. Recipients will be granted a monthly allowance of $6,000. An additional monthly allowance of $150 for conference/research/books, as well as one-time payments for travel ($1,500) and relocation ($800), may also be granted. To apply, submit a Project Statement, a CV or Resume, and two Letters of Recommendation. For more information on the scholarship, keep on reading!Show Less

The "Distinguished Scholar in Humanities and Social Sciences" is open to Ph.D. or Terminal Degree holders looking to conduct research in the Humanities or Social Sciences at the American Studies Center (ASC), University of Warsaw. Candidates are expected to have at least 10 years of teaching experience. Selected scholars will be required to teach one graduate course per semester on a topic of their choosing. They will also be expected to give public lectures, advise graduate students, and generally engage in the academic life of the ASC. Recipients will be granted a monthly allowance of $6,000. An additional monthly allowance of $150 for conference/research/books, as well as one-time payments for travel ($1,500) and relocation ($800), may also be granted. To apply, you must submit a Project Statement, a CV or Resume, and two Letters of Recommendation. For more information on the scholarship, keep on reading!Show Less

The Fulbright Don DeBats Distinguished Chair in Politics and Public Policy is funded by Flinders University and designed to "attract full or associate U.S. professors with distinguished academic careers and significant publication and teaching records, to conduct collaborative research for 4–5 months at Flinders University" in Adelaide, Australia. In addition, it's meant to expand and strengthen relationships between the United States public and citizens of other nations, and to promote international understanding and cooperation. The scholarship committee is looking for research that relates to one or more of the three areas of focus of the Jeff Bleich Centre: (1) Democracy, Participation, and Human Rights; (2) Defence, Security, and Space; (3) Artificial Intelligence, Social Media, and Disruptive Technologies. If you're a U.S.-based professor interested in researching any of the above topics at Flinders University, we encourage you to apply! Contact [email protected] to discuss projects and obtain the required letter of invitation, and keep on reading to learn more.Show Less

The "Distinguished Scholar in Humanities at Maria Curie-Sklodowska University" Award is open to Ph.D or terminal degree holders wishing to conduct research abroad (in Poland) at Maria Curie-Sklodowska University (UMCS)'s Department of British and American Studies or another academic unit at the Institute of Modern Languages and Literatures. The selected scholars will be expected to teach one regular course for undergraduate/graduate students as well as give talks at UMCS humanities and social sciences units. The candidate should hold a Ph.D. (or other terminal degree) in the humanities or social sciences. Recipients will be granted a monthly allowance of $6,000. An additional monthly allowance of $150 for conference/research/books, as well as one-time payments for travel ($1,500) and relocation ($800), may also be granted. To apply, submit a Project Statement, a CV or Resume, and two Letters of Recommendation. If you're eligible and wish to conduct research in Poland, we encourage you to apply! Keep on reading to learn more.Show Less

The "Fulbright Postdoctoral Award in the Social Sciences" is open to Ph.D. and Terminal Degree holders interested in both conducting research and teaching courses in the social sciences at Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales (EHESS) in Paris, France. Cognitive science is also an eligible discipline. The selected recipient will serve as Chair for a duration of 9 to 12 months. To apply, interested individuals should contact the institution to receive a required letter of invitation. If you're a U.S. scholar interested in studying the social sciences or cognitive science at Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales (EHESS), we encourage you to apply! Keep on reading to learn more.Show Less

The Fulbright Postdoctoral Scholarship in Multiple Disciplines (The University of Newcastle) allows postdoctoral candidates to undertake research of importance to the University of Newcastle in New South Wales, Australia. While projects are welcomed in all disciplines, preference may be shown to those relating to the University of Newcastle's four engagement priorities: better/healthier living, connected communities, next generation resources, and growing industries. Such research is important to the bilateral, growing relationship between the United States and Australia. This award will provide scholars with an opportunity to contribute to this relationship and within their area of priority that is relevant to the future of the world. To apply, interested applicants must contact the university to obtain the required letter of invitation, and have completed their Ph.D. in or after January 2022. If you're a Ph.D. or Terminal Degree holder interested in conducting research at The University of Newcastle, we encourage you to apply! Keep on reading to learn more.Show Less

The "Fulbright-Scotland Distinguished Scholar at the Glasgow School of Art" Award is open to artists and academics interested in conducting projects (including artistic ones) and teaching courses in select arts, humanities, and social science fields at the Glasgow School of Art in Scotland. The selected scholar will be expected to contribute to the intellectual life of the university through seminars, public lectures, and curriculum development in any discipline within the institution for six months. To apply, interested individuals must submit a Project Statement, a CV or Resume, and two Letters of Recommendation. Keep on reading for more information!Show Less

The "Fulbright-Uppsala University Distinguished Scholar Award in American Studies" is open to Ph.D. and Terminal Degree holders interested in both conducting research and teaching courses in American Studies at Swedish universities. The selected Scholar will be required to teach one introductory course for undergraduates, as well as a more specialized course for senior or graduate students (or both) in the grantee's area of expertise at the Swedish Institute for North American Studies (SINAS), Department of English at Uppsala University. The scholars will also give an inaugural lecture during the year, and will be encouraged to give lectures at other Swedish universities and outside Sweden. As for research, the scholar can participate in collaborative research with the department faculty or conduct their own project. If you're a doctorate or terminal degree holder wanting to teach in Sweden, we encourage you to apply! Keep on reading to learn more.Show Less

The We The Future Contest is an amazing opportunity for anyone from elementary school students, to college students, to graduate students, teachers, and even senior citizens to earn money for their knowledge about the Constitution. The Contest offers scholarships of varying amounts to students of different levels (from elementary to college/university level/category, and even graduate and senior adult levels). Depending on their category, applicants will have the choice to submit an essay, short film, social media video, song, PSA, or even a STEM project about the Constitution. To find out which you can submit for, we recommend checking out the different categories on Constituting America's website. If you have a passion for the U.S. Constitution, we encourage you to apply! Keep on reading to learn more.Show Less

Are you a graduate student planning to teach American history, government, or civics at the secondary school level? If so, consider applying for the James Madison Graduate Fellowships! The fellowships are open to students currently pursuing graduate degrees who are or plan on teaching American history, government, or civics to grades 7-12. The fellowships honor James Madison’s legacy and principles with the hopes that teachers will transmit these values and knowledge about the Constitution to their students. Recipients may earn up to $12,000 per year of academic study. For each year of funding received under the fellowship, each Fellow must teach American history, American government, or civics in grades 7-12 for one full year. If you are passionate about becoming an American history, government, or civics teacher for secondary school students, we encourage you to apply!Show Less

The Mary McEwen Schimke Scholarship is a fantastic opportunity for female graduates of any U.S. institution who are over 30 years old and are pursuing graduate study in literature and/or history. This supplemental award is meant to provide relief from household and childcare expenses and is awarded based on scholarly expectations and identified financial need. American studies majors are given preference, and awards are typically given to those currently enrolled or applying to graduate school for the following academic year. Each year, multiple applicants are awarded $1,600 each to help them cover non-school-related costs while pursuing graduate study. If this sounds like a good fit for you, don't miss out on this amazing opportunity!Show Less