ICWA Fellowship Program Grant

ICWA Fellowship Program Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Institute of Current World Affairs (ICWA) (Crane-Rogers Foundation)
Last Updated: April 08, 2025

Summary

The ICWA Fellowship Program offers young professionals a unique opportunity to study global cultures through independent writing fellowships abroad. Over two years, fellows engage in cultural immersion, producing monthly dispatches that contribute to public understanding of foreign affairs. The program seeks candidates who demonstrate promise and curiosity, focusing on enriching public life in the U.S. through understanding of lesser-known topics. Ideal applicants are expected to design compelling projects that enhance local knowledge while adhering to the fellowship's immersive nature.

Overview

The ICWA Fellowship Program What would you do with two years to study anything in the world? ICWA advances deep understanding of global cultures and affairs by sending outstanding young professionals on independent writing fellowships abroad. Fellows submit monthly dispatches about their research, travel and life during two years of cultural immersion. Many go on to become leaders in their fields. About You We are looking for promise, curiosity and enthusiasm in candidates, and consider whether they are ready for the rapid personal growth the fellowship makes possible. Extensive professional experience in a proposed area is not always necessary; fellowships are aimed at developing local knowledge and writing skills, not necessarily awarding research or reporting opportunities to those who already possess them. Strong candidates propose compelling fellowship topics. About your project A proposed fellowship must hold the promise of enriching public life in the United States by advancing the understanding of foreign countries, cultures and trends. Public service, social activism or contribution to wider knowledge in the United States is our ultimate purpose, from a belief the public benefits from the wisdom and experience fellows acquire. We are naturally drawn to areas of the world and topics that are less well understood and are relevant to the United States. Candidates are encouraged to browse ICWA’s archives to see the kind of projects that the institute has supported. We expect candidates to design projects of topical interest. We do not send fellows into war zones or places where intense security concerns prevent them from interacting with the local population. Fellows are expected to spend their time researching and writing dispatches for the institute, although research may sometimes later be used for articles and books with permission from the executive director. What you'll be doing This is a writing fellowship. Fellows are required to produce monthly dispatches made available on our website and email to institute supporters and other interested parties, including family, friends and professional associates of the fellows. Fellows work closely with the executive director, who serves as writing coach, editor and mentor. While many fellows go on to pursue political or social causes at home and abroad, the purpose of a fellowship is to learn about other societies, not to change them. Fellows should not expect to return to the United States during the two years of their fellowships. ICWA fellowships are immersive; a vital component of the fellowship experience is remaining without interruption in the area of study for the duration of a fellowship. How we support you ICWA provides full financial support for its fellows and their immediate accompanying families. Fellows do not receive salaries; the institute gives them sufficient funding to cover their expenses, enabling them to fulfill the purposes of the fellowship and allowing them and their families (if accompanying the fellowship) to live in good health and reasonable comfort. “Full financial support” does not mean unlimited financial support; fellows are expected to live and spend modestly.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Candidates must be under 36 years of age at the time of the due date for the initial letter of interest.US citizenship is not a requirement but candidates must show strong and credible ties to US society.Applicants must have excellent written and spoken English-language skills and must have completed the current phase of their formal education.We expect candidates to have the necessary language skills to allow to them to carry out their proposed projects. That means enough language proficiency for them to be able to function in the local language within a few months of arriving in country.ICWA weighs all proposals with no restrictions on topics or regions.ICWA fellowships are designed to have an impact on the future of the United States by supporting future leaders, but they are not restricted to US citizens or residents. However, your country of study should be outside the United States.Students completing post-graduate education are welcome to apply, provided that they will be finished with their degrees and able to begin their fellowships within six months of their selection.

Ineligibility

We do not accept applications from currently enrolled undergraduate students.Fellowships are not scholarships. We do not support degree programs at universities, the writing of books or research projects aimed at answering specific questions in a particular academic discipline.Given our interest in achieving wide geographic distribution over time, we generally are less inclined to select projects in countries where we currently or very recently have had fellows. Fellowships are not aimed at covering news events.Fellowships are not for freelance journalism. Fellows are not permitted to engage in overtly political activities during their fellowships.