Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program (SIFP)
Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program (SIFP) supports scholars’ independent research using its collections, facilities, and staff expertise to broaden research across the sciences, arts, and humanities.
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Funder: Smithsonian Institution
Due Dates: October 15, 2026, 11:59 PM ET (Application) | June 1, 2027–May 30, 2028 (Tenure start window)
Funding Amounts: $10,000 for 10-week graduate fellowships; $45,000–$65,000 annual stipends for other categories, plus up to $5,000 annually for research
Summary: Supports independent, in-residence research using Smithsonian collections, facilities, and staff expertise across the sciences, arts, and humanities.
Key Information: Fellows must devote full-time effort to their research and spend most of their tenure in residence at the Smithsonian.
Description
The Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program supports independent research and study related to Smithsonian collections, facilities, and the research interests of its staff. Administered by the Office of Academic Appointments and Internships (OAAI), it offers graduate, predoctoral, postdoctoral, and senior fellowships at Smithsonian facilities or field stations, with professional research staff serving as advisors and hosts. Interdisciplinary projects and work that broadens and diversifies Smithsonian research are encouraged.
Supported fields include animal behavior, ecology, environmental science (especially the tropics), anthropology, astrophysics, astronomy, Earth sciences, paleobiology, evolutionary and systematic biology, materials research, and molecular biology. Humanities fields include folklife, history of science and technology, and U.S. social and cultural history. Art history priorities include American, contemporary, African, and Asian art, twentieth-century American crafts, and decorative arts.
