Open Society Fellowship from the Open Society Foundations

The Open Society Fellowship supports public intellectuals from seven global cities that are home to a dynamic circle of thinkers and cultural producers engaged in high-level critical debate. The cities are Beirut, Buenos Aires, Colombo, Dar es Salaam, Jakarta, Lagos, and Taipei.

Fellows are selected by a distinguished panel of external reviewers. Their projects exemplify heterodox thinking and openness to new approaches and vigorous debate, and they help shape global conversations on pressing issues, from human rights and social justice to climate change and inequality.

The fellowship does not fund enrollment for degree or non-degree study at academic institutions, including dissertation research. If you are looking for money to pay tuition or to write a thesis, this is not the right award.

• Host: Open Society Foundations
• Level: fellowship for project work, not for study
• Stipend: $80,000 or $100,000 for full-time fellows
• Open to public intellectuals from Beirut, Buenos Aires, Colombo, Dar es Salaam, Jakarta, Lagos, and Taipei
• First step: a one- to two page letter of inquiry plus a CV
• Letters of inquiry due 4 January 2016
• Number of fellowships: not specified

Open Society Foundations

Your project should cut across at least two of the areas the Open Society Foundations work on. These include human rights, government transparency, access to information and to justice, and the promotion of civil society and social inclusion. Choosing two areas means the project has to connect them, so think about where your topic sits between them before you write.

Not specified

Public intellectuals from Beirut, Buenos Aires, Colombo, Dar es Salaam, Jakarta, Lagos, and Taipei.

Full-time fellows receive a stipend of $80,000 or $100,000. Which figure applies depends on your work experience, your seniority and your current income. Part-time fellows get a stipend prorated to their schedule. The stipend does not necessarily equal the applicant's current salary, so do not assume it will match what you earn now.

The Open Society Fellowship supports public intellectuals from seven cities across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East: Beirut, Buenos Aires, Colombo, Dar es Salaam, Jakarta, Lagos, and Taipei. Applicants should have a deep understanding of their chosen subject and a record of professional accomplishment.

The strongest fellows are specialists who can see past the narrow habits of their own field and who have the tenacity to finish a project of exceptional merit. Proficiency in spoken English is required.

This suits a mid-career or established professional with a track record in their subject who wants to turn an idea into a concrete product or campaign. You do not need a university place, and you should not be applying to fund a degree.

It also fits people whose topic crosses more than one open society field, for example human rights and access to justice, and who are ready to promote their conclusions in public.

Start with a letter of inquiry. All potential applicants must submit one of one to two pages, single-spaced, that sets out the project topic and the proposed work product in line with the guidelines. Attach a CV. This letter is the first stage of the process, and it is submitted online before 4 January 2016.

Read the fellowship guidelines and go to the official website (link below) for the online form and full details on how to apply.

• Who can apply for the Open Society Fellowship? Public intellectuals from Beirut, Buenos Aires, Colombo, Dar es Salaam, Jakarta, Lagos, and Taipei. You should have a deep understanding of your subject and a record of professional accomplishment, and you must be proficient in spoken English.
• Does the fellowship pay for a degree? No. It does not fund enrollment for degree or non-degree study at academic institutions, including dissertation research.
• How much is the stipend? Full-time fellows receive $80,000 or $100,000, set by work experience, seniority and current income. Part-time fellows receive a prorated amount.
• What do I submit first? A one- to two page, single-spaced letter of inquiry outlining your topic and proposed work product, plus a CV, submitted online.
• When is the deadline? Letters of inquiry are due before 4 January 2016.

• Read the official guidelines before you draft anything, and follow their structure for the letter of inquiry.
• Prepare your CV and any supporting documents early so the online form is not held up at the deadline.
• Check the language requirement and be ready to show proficiency in spoken English.
• Describe the work product clearly so reviewers can see what the project will actually produce.
• Keep the letter within the stated page limit and single spacing.