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Opportunities for Scholars from HBCUs
The National Humanities Center welcomes fellowship applications from scholars engaged in advanced humanities research at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Please read below for details on our various opportunities.
Each year, approximately forty scholars representing a broad array of the humanities come to the Center to conduct research, write, and think in a serene environment designed to further humanistic inquiry.
Thanks to the generous support and affirmation of its funders, the Center is pleased to provide dedicated residential fellowship opportunities to scholars from HBCUs each year. HBCU faculty may be selected for a fellowship at the Center in two ways:
- First, by applying directly to the Center and being selected in our fellowship competition.
- Second, by applying to participate in UNCF/Mellon Programs for tenure-track and tenured humanities professors at UNCF institutions.
Note: applicants who are eligible for the UNCF/Mellon program may also apply concurrently through the Center’s fellowship competition.
All Fellows are assigned private studies with 24-hour access to the Center’s facilities, enjoy meals prepared by the Center’s dining staff, and receive the support of the Center’s dedicated librarians. They may also take part in scholarly colloquia, reading groups, and social activities with other leading scholars from around the world. More information can be found in our Frequently Asked Questions section.
Scholars from HBCUs Applying Directly to the Center
In addition to meeting the general eligibility requirements of the fellowship competition, applicants must hold a continuing appointment (tenure-track, tenured, or continuing lectureship position) at an HBCU at both the time of the application and during the fellowship year/semester.
To be considered for this program, applicants must select that their institution is an HBCU when prompted in the online application system to identify the type of institution with which they are affiliated. Applicants may apply for a residential fellowship for the fall semester (September through December), spring semester (January through May), or academic year (September through May).
Interested applicants must apply directly to the Center via our online system. Each year, the fellowship competition opens on July 1 and closes in early October. Please check the program page for details on the current competition deadline, as well as information regarding the Center’s online application, services, and support.
Scholars from HBCUs Applying to the UNCF/Mellon Program
The Center has also partnered with the UNCF/Mellon Programs to provide an opportunity for UNCF faculty members for a one-semester fellowship at the Center.
The UNCF/Mellon Programs were created in 1989 with a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The programs are designed to create faculty career enhancement opportunities for faculty teaching at UNCF institutions.
Within the suite of career enhancement opportunities for UNCF faculty is the Faculty Residency Program. Applicants to the UNCF/Mellon Program who are interested in being in residence at the National Humanities Center should indicate their interest on the UNCF/Mellon application. No prior approval from the Center is needed.
Tenure-track and tenured humanities professors at the consortium of thirty-seven UNCF institutions and Hampton University are eligible to apply. The deadline to submit a UNCF/Mellon application is January 31. To learn more about eligibility and the application process and to apply to the program, please visit the program website.