Folger Shakespeare Library Fellowship 2025-2026

Sponsor

The Folger Shakespeare Library

Description

Each year, the Folger Institute awards research fellowships to create a high-powered, multidisciplinary community of inquiry. This community of researchers may come from different fields, and their projects may find different kinds of expression, but our researchers share cognate interests in the history and literature, art and performance, philosophy, religion and politics of the early modern world. 

Intellectual inquiry engaged with primary materials is a hallmark of the Folger Institute fellowships program. The Folger’s extraordinary collections are essential to understanding the arts and humanities and their continued resonance and importance in our world. The fellowships program puts researchers into direct and sustained engagement with our rare and historic printed books, manuscripts, art, costumes, periodicals, prints, and visual resources, many of which are also increasingly available digitally. Our fellowships also give researchers the time and resources to bring their projects to fruition with guidance from professional staff and in conversation with others pursuing their own questions.

Please note long-term fellows will have the option to take up to 3 months of their 9-month fellowship virtually. This virtual time may be taken at any point in the fellowship and does not have to be taken concurrently. Applicants may propose any research schedule that best fits their project’s needs. Short-term and Artistic research fellows have the option to take their fellowships fully onsite, fully virtual or a combination of the two.

Eligibility

1. Nationality: Folger fellowships are open to scholars of any nationality. The Folger is eligible to sponsor international scholars under the J-1 visa.
2. Degrees and training: Applicants for Folger Fellowships should hold the Ph.D. by the time they begin their residency (with the exception of our funding partnership with the Omohundro Institute, which is open to scholars who are ABD). Archivists, creative artists, curators, dramaturgs, filmmakers, librarians, performers, and playwrights should hold an appropriate terminal degree in their field. 
3. Exclusions: Folger staff, current consultants, and members of the Folger Shakespeare Library Board of Governors are not eligible to apply for Folger fellowships. Folger staff members should direct inquiries about research leave and professional opportunities to their supervisors and/or to Folger Human Resources.
4. Projects: The Folger will only award two fellowships per research project. Each application process is separate and each competition stands on its own.
5. Endowments and funding partners: Applicants do not need to specify a named endowment or funding source in their proposals. Applicants will be considered for all fellowships for which they are eligible.
6. Professional ethics: All Folger fellows are required to abide by the Folger Institute’s Code of Ethics.

For more eligibility information, visit the Folger Shakespeare Library website.

Prize

The Folger Institute offers short-term, long-term and artistic fellowships.

• The Folger Institute offers four long-term fellowships at $70,000 for the 2025-2026 academic year (approximately $7,777 per month, for a standard period of 9 months).
• Short-term fellowships support scholars whose work would benefit from significant primary research for one, two, or three months, with a monthly stipend of $5,000 (in residence) or $4,000 (virtual).
• Artistic applicants may apply for one, two, or three months of research support, with a stipend of $4,000/month (virtual) or $5,000/month (onsite), taken any time between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026.
• One Long-term Public Humanities fellowship for the 2025-2026 year will be available, valued at $70,000 for 9 months (approximately $7,777/month)

Other criteria for each fellowship can be found on the Folger Shakespeare Library website.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted online, using the application portal provided on the Folger Shakespeare Library application website by the external deadline. Application criteria may be found on the Folger Shakespeare Library application website.

In their applications, scholars must describe how they will utilize their onsite and virtual (if applicable) portions of their fellowship. Scholars may propose virtual fellowship time to cover any combination of the following full-time: research with online collections, writing, and editing as it relates to their proposed project. Please note, virtual months may also be used to support research for scholars who have dependent care responsibilities.

Please submit an OR-5 and a completed application to research.services@uoguelph.ca by the external deadline.

For More Information

For more information, contact ailsakay@uoguelph.ca or visit the Folger Shakespeare Library website.