Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Innovation Fellowship 2026–27 – United States
The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS), supported by the Mellon Foundation, invites applications for its prestigious Dissertation Innovation Fellowship. Designed for early-stage doctoral students pursuing innovative and non-traditional approaches to humanities and social science research, this fellowship offers significant funding to reshape how doctoral scholarship is conceived and executed. This guide covers Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Innovation Fellowship in full — funding, eligibility, deadlines and how to apply.
- Award: $42,000 base stipend + up to $8,000 for research, training & travel + $2,000 stipend for an external mentor
- Duration: 9–12 months (July–September 2027 start)
- Number of Awards: Up to 45 fellowships
- Eligibility: PhD students enrolled full-time in humanities or interpretive social science departments at accredited US universities; must have completed at least 2 years and all required coursework; must NOT have advanced to PhD candidacy/ABD before 1 January 2026; open regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, or nationality
- Restrictions: May not hold concurrently with other major fellowships; not for professional/applied PhDs (EdD, MFA), or PhDs in life sciences, engineering, business, law, or public health
- Application Deadline: 28 October 2026, 5:00 PM ET
- Notifications: Late April 2027
- How to Apply: Submit through the ACLS portal at ofa.acls.org. Full details at acls.org/competitions/mellon-acls-dissertation-innovation-fellowship
This is a rare opportunity for PhD students to step outside conventional dissertation boundaries — exploring interdisciplinary methods, digital humanities, community-engaged research, or entirely new scholarly formats. The deadline is 28 October 2026 — apply immediately if you are eligible.
Always verify deadlines and details on the official ACLS website before applying.
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