The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) 2026–27 Fellowships and Grants cycle is now open, offering a wide range of funding opportunities for scholars, researchers, doctoral candidates, faculty members, and public-facing humanities professionals.
ACLS supports research across the humanities and social sciences, with several programs also focused on public engagement, digital scholarship, dissertation research, early-career research, and institution-based projects.
The 2026–27 cycle includes multiple competitions with deadlines running from September 17, 2026 through April 2, 2027.
Applicants should pay close attention to the individual program deadlines because each fellowship or grant has its own eligibility requirements, award conditions, and application materials.
ACLS Fellowships and Grants 2026–27: Key Details
Organization: American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS)
Fields: Humanities and Social Sciences
Opportunity Types: Fellowships, dissertation awards, faculty grants, research grants, travel grants, internships, and public scholarship programs
Application Period: 2026–2027
Application Deadlines: Vary by program
Closing Time for All Competitions: 5:00 p.m. ET
Main Application Portal: ACLS Online Fellowship and Grant Administration system
About the American Council of Learned Societies
The American Council of Learned Societies is a nonprofit federation of scholarly organizations supporting research and public engagement across the humanities and social sciences.
In 2026, ACLS marks 100 years of grantmaking to individual scholars.
Its programs support scholars at different career stages and across a broad range of disciplines, including history, literature, philosophy, area studies, religious studies, art history, digital humanities, public scholarship and related fields.
ACLS also emphasizes inclusive excellence and welcomes applicants from groups underrepresented in academic humanities and from institutions across the wider higher-education landscape.
Applications Now Open
According to ACLS, applications are currently open for several major competitions, including:
- ACLS Fellowships
- Luce/ACLS Dissertation Fellowships in American Art
- Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Innovation Fellowships
- ACLS HBCU Faculty Fellowships
- ACLS HBCU Faculty Grants
Additional competitions will open progressively during the 2026–27 cycle.
ACLS Fellowship Deadline: September 17, 2026
The first major deadline is:
September 17, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. ET
This deadline applies to:
ACLS Fellowships
The ACLS Fellowship is one of the organization’s flagship programs and supports humanities and social sciences scholars conducting significant research.
Applicants should consult the program-specific page for eligibility, award amount, and project requirements.
October 28, 2026 Deadline
Several major competitions close on:
October 28, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. ET
These include:
Luce/ACLS Dissertation Fellowships in American Art
This fellowship supports doctoral research in American art.
Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Innovation Fellowships
This program supports doctoral students developing innovative dissertation research in the humanities and social sciences.
Summer Institute for the Study of East Central and Southeastern Europe
This program supports advanced study focused on East Central and Southeastern Europe.
Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Dissertation Fellowships in Buddhist Studies
These fellowships support doctoral research in Buddhist Studies.
Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Early Career Research Fellowships in Buddhist Studies
This opportunity supports early-career researchers developing projects in Buddhist Studies.
November 3, 2026 Deadline
Several ACLS programs close on:
November 3, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. ET
These include:
ACLS Digital Justice Development Grants
These grants support digital projects advancing justice, access, and public engagement.
ACLS Digital Justice Seed Grants
Seed grants support earlier-stage digital humanities projects and exploratory work.
Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Public Impact Grants in Buddhist Studies
These grants support public-facing work and broader engagement related to Buddhist Studies.
November 5, 2026 Deadline
Three China Studies opportunities close on:
November 5, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. ET
These are:
Luce/ACLS Early Career Fellowships in China Studies – Long-term
Luce/ACLS Early Career Fellowships in China Studies – Flexible
Luce/ACLS Travel Grants in China Studies
These opportunities support early-career scholars and researchers engaged in China Studies.
November 11, 2026 Deadline
The following competitions close on:
November 11, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. ET
ACLS HBCU Faculty Fellowships
This program supports faculty members at Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
ACLS HBCU Faculty Grants
These grants support research, projects, and scholarly development among HBCU faculty.
January 13, 2027 Deadline
Applications for the following opportunity close on:
January 13, 2027 at 5:00 p.m. ET
ACLS Graduate Internships on the Spiritual Infrastructure of the Future
This program supports graduate students through internship experiences connected to the future of religious, ethical, and spiritual life.
February 1, 2027 Deadline
The following competition closes on:
February 1, 2027 at 5:00 p.m. ET
Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation New Professorships in Buddhist Studies
This program supports the development of new academic positions in Buddhist Studies.
March 10, 2027 Deadline
The ACLS Leading Edge Fellowships close on:
March 10, 2027 at 5:00 p.m. ET
Leading Edge Fellowships are designed to connect humanities scholars with organizations working on socially significant projects beyond traditional academic settings.
April 2, 2027 Deadline
The final major deadline listed in the 2026–27 announcement is:
April 2, 2027 at 5:00 p.m. ET
This deadline applies to:
Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Buddhism Public Scholars
This program supports public-facing careers and applied scholarship connected to Buddhist Studies.
ACLS 2026–27 Deadlines at a Glance
Applicants should note the following calendar:
- September 17, 2026: ACLS Fellowships
- October 28, 2026: Luce/ACLS Dissertation Fellowships in American Art; Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Innovation Fellowships; Summer Institute for East Central and Southeastern Europe; Ho Family Foundation Dissertation and Early Career Fellowships in Buddhist Studies
- November 3, 2026: ACLS Digital Justice Development Grants; ACLS Digital Justice Seed Grants; Ho Family Foundation Public Impact Grants
- November 5, 2026: Luce/ACLS China Studies Fellowships and Travel Grants
- November 11, 2026: ACLS HBCU Faculty Fellowships and Grants
- January 13, 2027: ACLS Graduate Internships on the Spiritual Infrastructure of the Future
- February 1, 2027: Ho Family Foundation New Professorships in Buddhist Studies
- March 10, 2027: ACLS Leading Edge Fellowships
- April 2, 2027: Ho Family Foundation Buddhism Public Scholars
All competitions close at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
Who Should Consider Applying?
The ACLS 2026–27 funding cycle includes opportunities relevant to:
- Humanities researchers
- Social science researchers
- Doctoral candidates
- Early-career scholars
- Faculty members
- HBCU faculty
- Public humanities professionals
- Digital humanities researchers
- China Studies researchers
- Buddhist Studies scholars
- Art historians
- Graduate students
- Scholars interested in public-facing careers
Because each program has different requirements, applicants should identify the competition that best matches their career stage, discipline, and project.
Research Areas Supported
ACLS supports research across a broad range of humanities and social sciences fields.
Depending on the specific competition, relevant areas may include:
- History
- Literature
- Philosophy
- Art history
- Religious studies
- Buddhist studies
- China studies
- Area studies
- Digital humanities
- Public humanities
- Cultural studies
- Political thought
- Social sciences
- Interdisciplinary research
Applicants should consult individual program pages for exact disciplinary and eligibility rules.
Inclusive Excellence
ACLS states that its application, peer-review and award processes aim to support inclusive excellence.
The organization welcomes applicants from groups underrepresented in the academic humanities and from institutions across diverse segments of higher education.
This includes applicants from a wide range of institutional backgrounds rather than only major research universities.
How to Apply
Applications are submitted through the ACLS Online Fellowship and Grant Administration system.
Applicants should:
- Identify the program that best matches their project.
- Review the specific eligibility criteria.
- Confirm the exact deadline.
- Prepare all required supporting materials.
- Submit through the official ACLS application portal.
- Ensure the application is complete before 5:00 p.m. ET on the relevant closing date.
Because multiple competitions operate simultaneously, candidates should avoid assuming that documents or requirements are identical across programs.
Why These Opportunities Matter
The ACLS 2026–27 fellowship and grant cycle offers funding for scholars at multiple stages of academic and professional development.
Some opportunities support dissertation research, while others fund faculty work, early-career research, public scholarship, digital projects and institutional development.
This breadth makes ACLS one of the more important annual funding sources for researchers in the humanities and social sciences.
Final Thoughts
The American Council of Learned Societies 2026–27 Fellowships and Grants provide multiple funding pathways for scholars, doctoral candidates, faculty, and public humanities professionals.
With deadlines spread between September 2026 and April 2027, applicants have several opportunities to identify a program suited to their research field and career stage.
The earliest major deadline is September 17, 2026, for ACLS Fellowships, while later competitions include dissertation fellowships, digital justice grants, HBCU faculty programs, China Studies opportunities, Buddhist Studies funding, and Leading Edge Fellowships.
Applicants should review the official ACLS program pages carefully because eligibility rules, award amounts, and application materials vary by competition.
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