Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program (SIFP)
The Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program (SIFP) supports in-residence research using Smithsonian collections and expertise across diverse scientific and scholarly fields.
Funder: Smithsonian Institution
Due Dates: October 15, 2026: Full application submission deadline (all applications must be submitted by October 15, 2026 11:59 PM ET)
Funding Amounts: $10,000 (Graduate, 10 weeks) | $45,000/year (Predoc) | $60,000/year (Postdoc/Senior, most fields) | Up to $5,000/year research allowance (Predoc, Postdoc, Senior) | Prorated for shorter terms
Summary: In-residence fellowships for research using Smithsonian collections, facilities, and staff expertise, open to graduate students through senior scholars across diverse fields.
Description
The Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program (SIFP) provides in-residence opportunities for independent research or study leveraging the Smithsonian’s extensive collections, facilities, and professional staff. Fellowships are open to graduate students, predoctoral candidates, postdoctoral researchers, and senior scholars in fields such as animal behavior, ecology, anthropology, astrophysics, earth sciences, evolutionary biology, folklife, history of science and technology, art history, materials research, molecular biology, and social and cultural history. Fellows work closely with Smithsonian advisors, gaining access to unique resources and fostering interdisciplinary scholarship within the Smithsonian’s vibrant intellectual community.
The program encourages projects that broaden and diversify research conducted at the Smithsonian. Most fellowships require full-time residence at Smithsonian facilities, though fieldwork or research travel may be permitted with approval.
