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The Stanford Humanities Center invites applications for the Mellon Fellowship of Scholars in the Humanities, a unique opportunity for recent PhD recipients in the humanities to develop as scholars and teachers. Up to four fellowships will be awarded for a term of two years (with the possibility of a third). Fellows teach two courses per year (or the equivalent) in one of Stanford’s 15 humanities departments or programs. Additionally, they are expected to participate in the intellectual life of the program, which includes regular meetings with other fellows and Stanford faculty to share work in progress and discuss topics of mutual interest. Fellows will also be affiliated with the Stanford Humanities Center and have the opportunity to be active in its programs and workshops.
Program admissions focus on selected fields of humanities scholarship in each application year on a rotating basis. Eligible fields for the 2026 competition (for fellowships beginning autumn 2027) are:
• German Studies
• Iberian and Latin American Studies
• Music
• Philosophy
We invite applicants from any field whose work has demonstrable relevance to teaching and research in one of the eligible Stanford departments. Candidates should should familiarize themselves with recent course offerings and curricula, and specify in the application cover letter the primary eligible field for which they would like to be considered.
Candidates for this competition must have received their PhD between July 31, 2023 and July 31, 2027. Fellowships will begin on September 1, 2027. Stanford PhDs are not eligible for consideration.
The stipend for 2026-27 will be $98,000, and compensation will include full benefits, a $6,000 research account, and additional support for computer equipment and relocation expenses.
Applications must be submitted by 11:59 PM PT on October 15, 2026. To apply, complete the online application process via the link at https://shc.stanford.edu/stanford-humanities-center/fellowships/mellon-fellowship-scholars-humanities. You will be asked to electronically submit the following material:
• Cover letter (maximum two single spaced pages) describing your research and teaching interests to an interdisciplinary search committee
• Curriculum vitae (maximum 10 pages)
• Dissertation abstract (one to three single spaced pages)
• A sample of written work (article length, no longer than 40 pages double spaced)
• Two letters of reference
Faxed or emailed materials cannot be considered. Only complete applications submitted through the online system will be accepted. All applications will be acknowledged.
For more information, please visit https://shc.stanford.edu/stanford-humanities-center/fellowships/mellon-fellowship-scholars-humanities or contact us at mellonfellows@stanford.edu
