Resident Scholar Application

Selection Criteria

Fellowships are awarded competitively based on evaluations by a specially convened panel of external reviewers who represent a broad spectrum of intellectual expertise. Composition of the panel changes each year.

Applications are evaluated on the basis of the overall excellence and significance of the proposed project, clarity of presentation, and the applicant’s academic accomplishments relative to subdiscipline and career stage. The program supports scholars whose work is broad, synthetic, and interdisciplinary and promises to yield significant advances in understanding human culture, behavior, evolution, or critical contemporary issues. Projects that are narrowly focused geographically and theoretically or that are primarily methodological seldom receive strong consideration. Each year the program supports a mix of scholars with scientific and humanistic orientations.

Preference is given to applicants whose research and analysis are complete and who need time to prepare manuscripts. Applicants for postdoctoral fellowships must have their Ph.D. in hand at time of application. Immediate dissertation rewrites are not encouraged.

Applications Must Include:

For all applicants, 6 copies of each of the following:

  • Resident Scholar Application Form (PDF, 131 KB) on top
  • An abstract, not to exceed 150 words, describing the purpose, goals, and objectives of the applicant’s research project.
  • A proposal, no more than 4 double-spaced pages in length. The proposal should describe what is to be accomplished during the fellowship year, the status of the applicant's research on the topic, and the significance of the work.
  • A short bibliography, not to exceed 1 single-spaced page, of references cited in proposal.
  • A curriculum vitae, not to exceed 4 single-spaced pages.

For all applicants:

  • Three letters of recommendation, not to exceed 2 pages in length, and received by November 1. Applicants are responsible for confirming with recommenders that letters are sent on time (for Anne Ray applicants, one letter should be from a student; see below for details).

For Lamon and Anne Ray applicants:

  • A brief statement of tribal affiliation.

For Anne Ray applicants:

  • A statement identifying experience and interest in serving as mentor, not to exceed three double-spaced pages.
  • One letter of recommendation from a former or current student, attesting to the applicant’s interest and skills in providing mentorship to students. This letter replaces one of the three required for all applicants, as described above.

For NEH applicants:

  • A statement, not to exceed one page, explaining how your project relates to the humanities.

For Campbell applicants:

For predoctoral applicants:

  • A brief letter of nomination from the applicant's degree-granting department, written by the department chair and sent directly to the School. A department may recommend only 1 nominee per year. Nominees must have completed all requirements except for the dissertation by November 1 of the year of application.

Please staple each copy of the application separately, in the order listed above. Do not use extra bindings. Proposals and abstracts must be double-spaced, using at least 12-point type, and with at least 1-inch margins on all sides. E-mailed and faxed applications and letters of recommendation will not be accepted. Supplementary materials will not be considered or returned. In fairness to all applicants, we do not grant on- or off-campus interviews.

For further information, contact the Director of Scholar Programs at scholar[at]sarsf.org.

The completed application, including all letters of recommendation and nomination, must be received by November 1. Only fully completed applications that adhere to the above guidelines and deadlines will be considered.