Top 20 International Relations Fellowships

Disclosure: International Relations Careers may be compensated by course providers.

Fellowships are an opportunity for students to receive funding for their education in exchange for working in a specific field or organization. Fellowships can be either merit-based or need-based, and they typically last for one year. Fellowships often come with additional benefits, such as access to networking opportunities and mentorship programs. Below we have collected 20 International Relations Fellowships for your consideration.

Humane Studies Fellowship

Dr. F. A. Harper, a former Cornell University economics professor, created the Institute for Humane Studies in 1961. IHS is a local partner of George Mason University that offers programs and involves faculty and students around the country.

IHS is offering The Humane Studies Fellowship (HSF), which is a non-residency, renewable grant of up to $15,000 per year for students participating or intending to participate in full-time PhD programs. Prospective participants will work on a wide range of issues, including migration and property rights in the 18th century, as well as bioethics and environmental regulation.

The fellowship is open for PhD students at any university; candidates are not required to be registered at George Mason University. International students are accepted; however, candidates who reside or study in the United States, Canada, or the United Kingdom are given precedence.

Wilson Center Fellowship

Since 1968, the Wilson Center’s impartial research and insight have aided politicians, civic leaders, and the broader population in making decisions that affect people of all views and interests. The Wilson Center’s worldwide Fellowship Program is open to scholars, practitioners, journalists, and public intellectuals. Fellows do study and publish in their fields of interest while connecting with Washington politicians, Wilson Center personnel, including academics.

The 9-month fellowship program is accessible to all post-doctoral applicants who have written a book or monograph in addition to their Ph.D. dissertation. The Center pays a salary of $90,000, however, medical insurance and travel costs are the responsibility of the fellows.

Every Fellow is given an equipped office that can be used at any time, including nights and weekends. The Center has meeting rooms, a reference library, and a dining area, and is situated in the center of Washington, D.C. Citizens or permanent residents from any country are eligible for the fellowship.

International Affairs Fellowship

The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) was founded in 1921 and is an independent, nonpartisan membership organization, think tank, and publisher. The International Affairs Fellowship (IAF), which began in 1967, is CFR’s primary fellowship program. The program provides its fellows with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to immerse themselves in new surroundings and obtain a unique outlook at a crucial stage in their careers. The fellowship lasts for a period of twelve months and usually begins in September. The compensation for the fellowship is $105,000.

All early to mid-career professionals with an established devotion to a career in foreign policy are eligible for the IAF Program. Although successful candidates from academics generally possess an advanced degree, a PhD is not needed for university-based applications. To be eligible for the fellowship, applicants must be citizens of the United States.

CAA International Affairs Fellowship

The Council of American Ambassadors is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization with over 200 members who have served as ambassadors for the United States for over fifty years, as well as eleven presidents. The International Affairs Fellowship program of the Council of American Ambassadors (CAA) allows six undergraduates each year to stay in Washington, D.C. and take part in an esteemed summer course that blends mentoring by former US diplomats with academic studies in international affairs, enhancing the practical knowledge of State Department internships.

To be eligible, students must first be accepted for a summer internship at the Department of State in Washington, D.C. Candidates should have finished their junior year of college and be admitted as a senior in the term after the fellowship. Only applicants that are citizens of the United States can participate.

IEEE-USA Engineering & Diplomacy Fellowship

IEEE-USA is a division of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE), founded in 1973 to serve the professional and public policy objectives of IEEE members in the United States. IEEE-USA is searching for IEEE U.S. members who are open to working as an IEEE-USA Engineering and Diplomacy Fellow in Washington over a year.

The fellowship provides a chance for members of the scientific, technology, and engineering community to give technical knowledge to the United States State Department while studying about and participating in the foreign policy process.

Participants earn a salary of $65-75,000, plus $5,000 for transport and transfer fees, depending on their level of education and expertise. A Master’s degree is necessary, as well as at least five years of full-time relevant work experience. At the date of submission or, at the very least, prior to admission, a candidate must be a U.S. citizen.

Merrimack College International Presidential Fellowships

Merrimack College was founded in 1947 as a private Augustinian college in North Andover, Massachusetts. Merrimack College has established The Presidential Fellowship, which fully covers the applicant’s graduate tuition fees and involves a nine-month, 25-hour-per-week unpaid fellowship assignment. The student will gain knowledge and experience in the field in which he or she is accepted, and the task is for the student’s educational benefit. This fellowship is available to all international students.

International Graduate Division Fellowships at UCLA

The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public research university in Los Angeles’ Westwood area. The University of California, Los Angeles will award all prospective candidates of International Graduate Division Fellowships a stipend spanning from $5000 to $15000. The International Graduate Division Fellowships are available to students who have enrolled in a graduate program at the university. Both domestic and international students can apply for UCLA fellowships.

Tisdale Fellowship Scholarship

The Fund for American Studies (TFAS) is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit educational organization. TFAS provides students and professionals in the United States and across the world with transformative courses that teach the concepts of limited government, free-market economics, and ethical leadership. The Eben Tisdale Fellowship provides exceptional possibilities for students to gain hands-on experience while learning about high-tech public policy concerns. Tisdale Fellows will be paired with a high-tech company, corporation, or trade organization, study two George Mason University courses for six credits, and reside in furnished accomodation as part of the Business + Government Relations D.C. Summer Program. The Fellowship includes a full scholarship of $8,695 for the program, as well as a $1,000 stipend.

The Fulbright Public Policy Fellowship

The Fulbright Program is one of numerous exchange programs led by the United States with the objective of improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competency between Americans and people from other nations via the flow of individuals, information, and experiences. The Fulbright Public Policy Fellowship invites early and mid-career researchers and professionals that are citizens of the United States to serve in postings in foreign government ministries and institutions all across the world. The Fellows will be able to expand their knowledge and expertise while also assisting partner-country institutions and promoting long-term connections between the United States and the partner country. The entire grant might be four months long or nine months long and is available to applicants with a  master’s degree in a policy-related area and at least three to five years of full-time relevant work experience.

Ford Foundation Fellowship Program

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine aim to enhance the racial and cultural diversity of the nation’s campuses, optimize the educational value of diversity, and raise the capacity of professors who will use differences as an asset for boosting the education of all students through the Ford Foundation fellowships. These predoctoral, dissertation, and postdoctoral fellowships are accessible to nationals of the United States and can be earned through the National Academies’ competition. Predoctoral fellows will get compensated with an annual stipend of $27,000 for three years, dissertation fellows will be awarded with a $28,000 stipend for one year, whereas postdoctoral fellows will be given $50,000 for one year.

Young Leaders of the Americas (YLAI) Fellowship Program

The Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI) equips entrepreneurs with the tools they need to establish and grow their businesses while also contributing positively to their communities’ socio-economic development. YLAI Fellows can receive significant career development knowledge and skills at U.S. business organizations in numerous locations around the United States. Additionally, YLAI Fellows attend the U.S. Orientation in Tempe, Arizona, and the YLAI Closing Forum in Washington, DC, along with other networking activities with corporate and social entrepreneurship professionals and representatives from the United States government. Citizens of specific countries can take part in the fellowship program which requires them eligibility to receive a U.S. J-1 Visa.

Asia Pacific Leadership Program Fellowship

The East–West Center (EWC), headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii, is an educational and research organization founded by the United States Congress in 1960 to strengthen ties and awareness among Asian, Pacific, and American citizens. The Asia Pacific Leadership Program comprises a set of people who aspire to co-create the future as self-aware and adaptable individuals. Prospective fellows will join a global network of 650 APLP alumni from 45 countries. Applicants must hold a three-year undergraduate degree including at least 5 years of professional experience, as well as fluency in English. There are no limitations on citizenship, age, or race.

Rotary Peace Fellowships

Rotary International is a non-political and non-religious organization whose core objective is to connect corporate and professional experts to offer humanitarian assistance and promote stability and peace across the world. The Rotary Peace Fellowship is meant for individuals who strive and have worked in the fields of peace and development. The Rotary Peace Centers program enhances the ability of professionals or activists to become experienced and successful advocates for peace through education, action, and worldwide networking opportunities. Tuition, fees, accommodation and meals, round-trip transportation, and all internship and field-study expenses are fully covered by the Rotary Peace fellowships.

ACLS Leading Edge Fellowships

The Leading Edge Fellowship program, offered by the American Council of Learned Societies, demonstrates the significance of humanistic techniques and methods to solve issues, build capacity, and achieve justice and equality in today’s society. Fellows conduct significant activities that depend on advanced communication, analysis, project management, and creative problem solving abilities developed during their PhD studies. Fellows will obtain a $60,000 yearly stipend, as well as health insurance and career development funds. Applicants must hold a PhD in the humanities or humanistic social sciences and have to be eligible to work in the United States for the length of the fellowship.

Austrian Marshall Plan Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship

The Austrian Marshall Plan Foundation Fellowships encourage excellent academics to do research at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C. on critical problems relating to Central European-American relations. The prospective fellows will devote their time to writing their suggested research project, presenting their findings at peer seminars, participating in Center activities, hosting meetings, assisting in the design and participation in relevant conferences and projects, and sharing their findings with policy experts and other academics in the Center network. Applicants must have a PhD or be in the post-doctoral phase, have shown research ability, be proficient in English, and be J-1 visa qualified. Although applicants of other countries are welcome to apply, strong priority will be given to competent candidates from Austria.

APSA Minority Fellowship

The American Political Science Association (APSA), was established in 1903 and is the world’s largest professional organization dedicated to the study of politics, with over 11,000 members from over 100 countries. The APSA Diversity Fellowship Program is a fellowship contest for underrepresented individuals of African American, Asian Pacific American, Latino/a, and Native American origin that are seeking a PhD degree in political science. The objective of the APSA Diversity Fellowship Program is to inspire and empower young academics of color to recognize present and anticipated racial and ethnic demographic trends in the United States. Applicants to the fall program can be funded an amount of $4,000 for two years, whereas prospective fellows to the spring program are given $2,000 once.

Abe Fellowship

The Abe Fellowship was created to promote worldwide multidisciplinary research on important global issues. The fellowship aims to encourage the formation of a new generation of researchers who are passionate about policy-relevant long-term issues and are eager to contribute to a bilateral and worldwide research network centered on these issues. The fellowship aims to foster a new degree of intellectual collaboration between Japanese and American professional and academic groups devoted to and skilled in worldwide issue resolution and awareness. At the time of application, applicants must have a PhD in their domain, or have relevant professional experience. American and Japanese citizens, including nationals of other countries that have long-term ties with research groups in Japan or the United States, are eligible to participate in this fellowship.

Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Research Fellowship

The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation was founded by the Federal Republic of Germany’s government to foster worldwide academic collaboration between distinguished scientists and academics from Germany and other countries. The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation funds post-doctoral researchers from all around the world through the Humboldt Research Fellowship to study and conduct research in Germany in their fields. For postdoctoral researchers the monthly stipend is €2,670, whereas experienced researchers can earn up to €3,170. Fellowships can last from 6 to 24 months for postdoctoral fellows and 6 to 18 months for experts. All citizens except German nationals are eligible for this fellowship program.

Advocacy Project Fellowship

The Advocacy Project (AP) is a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting community-based human rights activist groups. Every year, The Advocacy Project merges graduate students that want to volunteer with their collaborators. Peace Fellows assist partners in acquiring the essential tools to build a start-up organization, such as website design and micro-finance. Fellows are selected based on their capabilities, and they are then trained prior to assignment. Fellows work with their host organizations for 10 weeks or even a year, providing technical assistance. Fellows are taught to provide six essential services that will assist hosts in telling their narrative, developing creative social change projects, strengthening local organizations, and expanding their international relationships. AP provides each participant with a $1,000 stipend as well as health insurance.

Charles B. Rangel Graduate Fellowship Program

The Rangel Program, sponsored by Howard University, is a U.S. State Department program that tends to support and equip excellent academics for futures as diplomats in the US Department of State’s Foreign Service. Students interested in professions in the U.S. Department of State’s Foreign Service are encouraged to apply for the Rangel International Affairs Graduate Fellowship Program. In a very competitive contest, the Rangel Program chooses excellent Rangel Fellows each year and supports them for two years of graduate education, internships, mentorship, and professional development activities. There are 45 fellowships available, each worth up to $42,000 annually for tuition, accommodation, food, textbooks, and required fees for a two-year master’s degree. Only citizens of the U.S. are eligible to apply for this fellowship.