Sponsored Projects Office, University of California, Berkeley
Postdoctoral Fellowships in the Social Sciences

To search for other postdoctoral funding, see the IRIS Database for funding opportunities or the COS Pivot funding opportunities database (accessible from berkeley.edu computers).
Program Deadline Program Synopsis
African American Studies, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Chancellor's Post-Doctoral Fellowship Program
January 15 One postdoctoral fellowship is available for scholars in the humanities and social sciences; the area of emphasis is open, but scholars in Africana theory, 19th century history, the political economy of Black America, and African American culture--film, literature, music--are especially encouraged to apply. Recipients of these fellowships must be in residence full-time at the University of Illinois Urbana campus for the duration of the award period, and must participate in the Department’s activities.
American Antiquarian Society
Short-Term Fellowships
Long-Term Fellowships
varies Offers short-term fellowships (1 to 3 months) and long-term fellowships (4 to 12 months) to support residential research on the life of America's people from the colonial era through the Civil War and Reconstruction.
American Association of University Women
Fellowships and Grants
varies AAUW is one of the world's largest sources of funding for graduate women. Fellowship and grant recipients perform research in a wide range of disciplines and work to improve their schools and communities.
American Cancer Society
Index of Grants
Postdoctoral Fellowships
April 1, October 15 Funds training of recent Ph.Ds in cancer research, including psychosocial and behavioral research. U.S. citizens and permanent residents are eligible.
American Councils for International Education
Research Fellowships
varies American Councils administers several major grants for independent, overseas research in the humanities and social sciences as well as language training. In recent years, American Councils scholars have conducted independent research in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Ukraine.
American Council of Learned Societies
Fellowships and Grants
varies ACLS offers fellowships and grants in more than a dozen programs for research in the humanities and related social sciences at the doctoral and postdoctoral levels.
American Diabetes Association
Current Grant Opportunities
January 15 for training awards Supports research aimed at preventing, treating, and curing diabetes, including studies in education and behavioral issues. Open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents.
American Educational Research Association
Research Grants Program
January, March, September Supports research on U.S. education issues using data from the large-scale, national and international data sets supported by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), NSF, and other federal agencies and have U.S. education policy relevance.
American Historical Association
J. Franklin Jameson Fellowship in American History
NASA Fellowship in Aerospace History
March Jameson Fellows spend 2-3 months at the Library of Congress for American history research. Applicants must be no more than 7 years beyond receipt of the Ph.D. Aerospace Fellows undertake a 6-12 month research project in aerospace history.
American Psychological Association
APA Policy Fellowships
January The APA Congressional Fellowship Program offers members the opportunity to spend one year as a special assistant with a member of Congress or congressional committee on Capitol Hill. Open to U.S. citizens.
American Psychological Foundation
Wayne F. Placek Grants
March Grants support empirical research from all fields of the behavioral and social sciences on any topic related to lesbian, gay, or bisexual issues.
Center for Comparative Immigration Studies, UC San Diego
Visiting Research Fellowships
January 15 Awards support advanced research and writing on any aspect of international migration and refugee flows, in any of the social sciences, history, law, and comparative literature.
Center for International Security and Cooperation, Stanford University
Fellowships
February CISAC sponsors fellowship programs to select a small number of scholars for training in issues related to international security. An application procedure is required for all individuals who wish to be in residence as visiting fellows, whether they need funding or have independent support.
Center for Seventeenth- and Eighteenth-Century Studies, UCLA
Fellowships
February 1 The Center administers a number of programs for senior and postdoctoral scholars.
Center for U.S.-Mexican Studies, UC San Diego
Visiting Fellows Program
January Each year the program brings together scholars from the social sciences, history, and related fields. Whereas USMEX will continue to support research on Mexican politics, Mexican migration to the U.S., Mexican history and other more general studies, priority will be given to proposals on social policy, public health, and poverty.
Chiang Ching-Kuo Foundation for International Scholarly Exchange
Research Goals
Junior Scholar Grants
October 15 Awards up to $30,000 to postdoctoral scholars for research and writing. Applicants must have taught no more than 6 years since receiving the Ph.D.
Council of American Overseas Research Centers
Multi-Country Research Fellowship
January Approximately ten awards of up to $10,000 each will be given to scholars who wish to carry out research on broad questions of multi-country significance in the fields of humanities, social sciences, and related natural sciences. Scholars must carry out research in two or more countries outside the U.S., at least one of which hosts a participating American overseas research center. Open to U.S. citizens.
Dartmouth College, Leslie Center for the Humanities
Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowships
October With the support of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Dartmouth offers an in-residence postdoctoral fellowship in the humanities and humanistic social sciences.
Folger Shakespeare Library
Research Fellowships
March 1, November 1 Research fellowships provide access to the Library's collections. Short-term (1-3 months) and long-term (6-9 months) fellowships are available.
Fondation Fyssen
Post-Doctoral Study Grants
March 31 Supports researchers under 35 years of age for research at a French research institution on the cognitive processes of animal and human behavior.
John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs Fellowships
January The Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs offers research fellowships during the academic year to individuals who wish to devote their time to research and writing in the fields of science and international affairs.
John B. Hurford '60 Humanities Center, Haverford College
Mellon Post-Doctoral Program
January Offers two-year fellowships to scholars interested in the intersecting histories of sex, state, and society in the early modern era.
George A. and Eliza Howard Foundation
Fellowships
November Supports independent projects in selected fields in the arts and social sciences (topics vary by year). The Foundation targets its support to early mid-career individuals who have achieved recognition for at least one major project.
UC Humanities Research Institute
Residential Research Fellowships
April 15 The program allows scholars to participate in Residential Research Groups at UCHRI.
Alexander von Humboldt Foundation
Sponsorship Programmes for Postdoctoral Scientists and Scholars
varies Various fellowships fund research stays in Germany.
Institute of European Studies, UCB
Programs
Grants and Fellowships
varies Multiple programs supporting research on Europe.
UC Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation
Student Funding
varies Includes funding for UC graduate students, post-docs, and professionals, such as a Public Policy and Nuclear Threats 2010 Summer Boot Camp.
International Resources and Exchange Board
Grant Opportunities
varies IREX is an international nonprofit organization providing leadership and innovative programs to improve the quality of education, strengthen independent media, and foster pluralistic civil society development.
Leakey Foundation
General Research Grants
May 10, December 15 Funds research related specifically to human origins, including paleoanthropology, primate behavior, and studies of modern hunter-gatherer groups. Grants may be funded up to $22,000.
Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
Scholarly Fellowships
May 1 Awards short-term research fellowships to scholars working in American history at every level from doctoral candidates to senior faculty, including independent scholars, in any of five archives in New York.
Library of Congress - John W. Kluge Center
Fellowships, Distinguished Chairs & Endowments
varies The John W. Kluge Center also accommodates up to two dozen post-doctoral Fellows pursuing resident research, usually for periods from six to twelve months.
National Academies
Ford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowships
November Seeks to increase the diversity of the nation's college and university faculties by increasing their ethnic and racial diversity, to maximize the educational benefits of diversity, and to increase the number of professors who can and will use diversity as a resource for enriching the education of all students. Only U.S. citizens or nationals are eligible to apply.
National Academy of Education
Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship
November Supports early career scholars working in critical areas of education research.
National Science Foundation
Science, Technology, and Society (STS)
February 1, August 1 STS considers proposals that examine historical, philosophical, and sociological questions that arise in connection with science, engineering, and technology, and their respective interactions with society.
Newberry Library
Fellowships in the Humanities
varies Fellowships provide assistance to researchers for using the collections in Chicago. Short-term and long-term fellowships are available. Special Awards and Fellowships are also offered.
Paralyzed Veterans of America Research Foundation
PVA Research Foundation Grants
September 1 Fellowships for postdoctoral scientists, clinicians and engineers in the field of spinal cord research. Citizenship unrestricted. Post-doctoral individuals are eligible to apply for fellowship support within four years of receiving a Ph.D. or completing M.D. residency.
Smithsonian Institution
Office of Fellowships
varies; many are January 15 Diverse fellowships, internships, and other programs are available for scholars interested in working with the Smithsonian.
Social Science Research Council
Fellowships & Grants
varies The SSRC funds many postdoctoral programs in the social sciences.
Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program, UCOP
Funding Opportunities
January Supports research projects that address questions specific to tobacco-related disease or tobacco control issues in California. Postdoctoral Fellowship Awards are for individuals to obtain postdoctoral research training under a designated mentor..
UC MEXUS
Funding Opportunities
varies UC MEXUS - CONACYT Postdoctoral Research Fellowships support postdoctoral researchers at the University of California or at Mexican institutions of higher education or research. UC MEXUS Small Grants for UC Postdocs support UC graduate student and postdoctoral researcher activities in all disciplines as related to academic exchange, research training, and scholarly development in areas of interest to UC MEXUS.
UC President's Postdoctoral Fellowship Program November Encourages outstanding women and minority Ph.D. recipients to pursue academic careers at the University of California. Open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents in any field.
Vatican Film Library, Saint Louis University
Fellowships
varies Supports research by scholars using the VFL collections. Mellon Fellowships are for two to eight weeks duration, while NEH Fellows spend five or ten weeks at the library.
Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research
Grants for Post-Ph.D. Scholars
varies The Foundation has a variety of grant programs for anthropological research and scholarship that are open to applicants irrespective of nationality or country of residence.

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