Funder: American Council of Learned Societies
Due Dates: January 13, 2027, 5:00 PM EST (Application) | December 14, 2026, 1:00 PM ET (Applicant webinar) | August 19–20, 2027 (Required seminar)
Funding Amounts: $15,500 in person or $14,250 remote for nine weeks; up to $2,000 for in-person relocation
Summary: Summer internships support PhD students studying religion in community-based work addressing the changing American religious landscape.
Key Information: Applicants must attend a US-based PhD program and commit to post-internship professional development in 2027–2028.
Description
The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS), with support from the Templeton Religion Trust, places PhD students studying religion with organizations working in communities across the country. The program offers practical work and career exploration while demonstrating how advanced research and teaching skills contribute beyond the academy. It seeks to develop leaders prepared to work within changing religious and spiritual infrastructures, inside and outside academic settings.
Summer 2027 projects cover migrant justice, Muslim community infrastructure, spiritually rooted social change, AI and interfaith dialogue, workplace religious inclusion, Jewish women’s history, pastoral care, youth programming, and religion journalism. Fellows contribute to host organizations’ work through research, community engagement, public scholarship, evaluation, and communication.
