Imagine spending an academic year at Princeton University, salary paid, surrounded by scholars from around the world, all working on one of the defining questions of our time. That's the Fung Global Fellows Program in a nutshell — and for the 2027–28 academic year, the theme is "Democracy in Crisis?", an invitation to study populism, democratic backsliding, and the surprising resilience of democratic systems.
In short: The Fung Global Fellows Program brings six early-career scholars (employed outside the United States) to Princeton's Institute for International and Regional Studies for a 10-month paid research residency, with an expected salary of $100,000–$135,000. Applications close 16 November 2026 at 11:59 p.m. EST.
Quick Overview
- Host Country: United States
- Host Institution: Princeton University — Princeton Institute for International and Regional Studies (PIIRS)
- Fellowship Duration: One academic year (10 months), 2027–28
- Funding Type: Paid — expected salary range $100,000 to $135,000
- Deadline: 16 November 2026, 11:59 p.m. EST
- Cohort Size: Six fellows per year
Benefits of the Princeton Fung Global Fellows Program 2027–28
This isn't a modest travel grant — it's a full professional appointment. Here's what fellows receive:
- A real salary — Fellows are appointed at the rank of Visiting Research Scholar, with an expected salary range of $100,000 to $135,000, commensurate with prior appointments and experience.
- A Princeton appointment — The Visiting Research Scholar rank gives you library access, office space, and full standing in the academic community — a line on your CV that carries serious weight.
- An intellectual cohort — Six scholars from different countries and disciplines, working around a shared theme, with seminars and discussions built into the programme. You also present your work in the programme's public seminar series.
- Research infrastructure — Access to Princeton's libraries (including Firestone Library), office facilities, and the broader PIIRS community.
- Visa support — Princeton assists with appropriate visa sponsorship. Note: the positions are in-person on campus and are not eligible for H-1B sponsorship requiring consular processing, so check your situation before applying.
- A return to your home institution — The fellowship expects you to go back to your faculty or research position afterwards, so it strengthens your home career rather than pulling you away.
Eligibility Criteria for the Princeton Fung Global Fellows Program 2027–28
The criteria are specific and non-negotiable. Check each one carefully:
- Early-career scholar — You must have received your Ph.D. (or equivalent) generally after 1 September 2017. The programme wants scholars who are early in their careers but already established.
- No current PhD students, no postdocs — Candidates currently enrolled in a Ph.D. programme or employed as postdoctoral researchers are not eligible, full stop.
- Employed outside the United States — You need a faculty appointment or professional research appointment at an institution outside the US.
- Expected to return — Fellows are expected to return to their home positions after the fellowship. If offered the fellowship, you'll need an official letter from your employer confirming you'll be released for the academic year.
- Humanities and social sciences — The programme welcomes scholars from across the humanities and social sciences whose work connects to the year's theme — contemporary or historical, any region of the world.
- Outstanding record — Selection weighs the strength of your proposed project, its connection to "Democracy in Crisis?", your scholarly record, and your ability to contribute to the programme's intellectual life.
How to Apply for the Princeton Fung Global Fellows Program 2027–28
The application runs through Interfolio's Faculty Search system (you get a free Dossier account during the process). Here's the sequence:
1. Confirm your eligibility — Double-check the Ph.D. date cut-off (after 1 September 2017), your non-US employment, and that you're neither a PhD student nor a postdoc. If any of these fail, the application will too. 2. Shape your project to the theme — "Democracy in Crisis?" covers populism, erosion of norms and institutions, media and disinformation, inequality and legitimacy, citizen and civil-society responses, or the conceptual foundations of democracy itself. Make the connection explicit in your proposal. 3. Draft your documents — Cover letter (maximum 1.5 pages), research proposal (maximum 3 pages, single-spaced), CV with publications, and one writing sample (an article or book chapter, maximum 50 pages). Respect the page limits — they're strict. 4. Contact your three referees early — You'll enter their names and emails in the system; they're invited automatically to upload letters. All reference letters must be submitted before the deadline, so give your referees weeks, not days. 5. Submit online by the deadline — Everything, in English, must be in the system by 16 November 2026, 11:59 p.m. EST. Apply early enough to fix any technical hiccups. 6. If offered, get your employer's letter — You'll need an official letter from your current employer confirming permission to spend the academic year at Princeton.
Required Documents
All materials must be in English and submitted through the online system by the deadline:
- Cover letter (maximum 1.5 pages)
- Curriculum Vitae, including publications
- Research proposal (maximum 3 pages, single-spaced)
- One writing sample — an article or book chapter (maximum 50 pages)
- Names and email addresses of three referees (they upload their letters directly; all letters must arrive by the deadline)
Princeton Fung Global Fellows Program 2027–28 Deadline
Applications are due 16 November 2026 at 11:59 p.m. EST. That deadline applies to your full application and your referees' letters — a missing letter is a disqualification. The fellowship itself runs through the 2027–28 academic year (10 months in residence). There are no extensions, so plan backwards from mid-November and give your referees at least a month.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Fung Global Fellows Program really paid?
Yes. Fellows are appointed as Visiting Research Scholars with an expected salary range of $100,000–$135,000, depending on prior appointments and experience. It's a proper job, not a stipend.
I'm a postdoc. Can I apply?
No. The programme explicitly excludes current postdocs and PhD students. You need to hold a faculty or professional research appointment.
I finished my PhD in 2016. Am I eligible?
Almost certainly not — the cut-off is generally a Ph.D. received after 1 September 2017. "Generally" leaves a tiny bit of room, but don't count on it.
I'm employed at a US university. Can I apply?
No. The fellowships are for scholars employed outside the United States, and fellows are expected to return to those positions.
What counts as a "professional research appointment"?
A research position at a university, research institute, or similar institution outside the US. If your job is primarily research and you have a scholarly track record, you likely qualify — when in doubt, the theme and your project matter most.
Can my project be about a single country, or must it be comparative?
Either. Projects can address any region of the world and take contemporary or historical perspectives. The selection committee values cohort diversity, so a sharp single-country project is fine.
Do I need to teach?
No. The fellowship is a research appointment. Your main obligations are your own research and participation in the programme's intellectual life, including the public seminar series.
What about visas?
Princeton provides appropriate visa sponsorship, but these positions are not eligible for H-1B sponsorship requiring consular processing. International applicants should review the visa conditions carefully before applying.
Do I need to speak to Princeton before applying?
No — it's a standard competitive application through the online system. Just make sure your proposal speaks clearly to the "Democracy in Crisis?" theme.
Can I reapply if I'm not selected?
Nothing in the programme rules bars reapplication in a later year, provided you still meet the eligibility criteria (including the Ph.D. date window and early-career status).
Final Words
A year at Princeton, a six-figure salary, and a cohort of scholars from across the globe working on democracy's future — the Fung Global Fellows Program is one of the most generous early-career fellowships in the humanities and social sciences. The bar is high, but if your Ph.D. is recent, your record is strong, and your work speaks to "Democracy in Crisis?", you belong in the applicant pool. Start early, mind the referee deadline, and make your proposal sing.
