ICWA advances deep understanding of global cultures and affairs by sending outstanding young professionals on independent writing fellowships abroad.
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 plan to appoint three fellowships this year for 2026-2028 open to any topic and region. Letters of interest are due by June 15, 2025. Selected candidates will be asked to submit full applications by August 15, 2025.
- 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 do not accept applications from currently enrolled undergraduate students.)
- 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.
The Institute provides full financial support for its fellows and their immediate families. “Full financial support” does not mean unlimited financial support, and fellows are expected to live and spend modestly. The Institute provides fellows with sufficient funding to allow them and their families to live in good health and reasonable comfort and to fulfill the purposes of the fellowship.