Applications are open for the IOC Olympic Studies Centre Research Grant Programme 2027, offering PhD students and early-career academics an opportunity to receive up to USD 6,000 to support research connected with Olympism, the Olympic Movement and the Olympic Games.
The annual programme is administered by the Olympic Studies Centre (OSC) of the International Olympic Committee, providing financial support to emerging researchers conducting Olympic-related scholarship from a humanities or social sciences perspective.
The programme can support research addressing the Olympic Movement, its history and ideals, athletes, the Olympic Games and their wider influence on society and culture.
Successful researchers may also have an opportunity, where relevant to their projects, to conduct research using the Olympic Studies Centre’s specialist collections in Lausanne, Switzerland, including historical and documentary resources.
For the 2027 edition, applications must be submitted by 22 September 2026.
IOC Olympic Studies Centre Research Grant 2027: Key Details
Organization: International Olympic Committee
Programme: Olympic Studies Centre PhD Students and Early Career Academics Research Grant Programme
Edition: 2027
Funding: Up to USD 6,000
Target Group: PhD Students and Early Career Academics
Research Fields: Humanities and Social Sciences
Research Focus: Olympism, the Olympic Movement and the Olympic Games
Programme Type: Research Grant
Location: Research can be conducted through applicants’ institutions, with relevant research visits potentially involving Lausanne, Switzerland
Application Deadline: September 22, 2026
The grant is intended to strengthen the next generation of scholars undertaking high-quality academic work connected with Olympic studies.
About the Olympic Studies Centre
The Olympic Studies Centre is the IOC’s specialist centre supporting knowledge and academic research relating to Olympism and the Olympic Movement.
It provides researchers with access to resources on the history and development of the Olympic Games and the wider social, political and cultural dimensions of the Olympic Movement.
The Centre also operates academic research programmes intended to encourage independent scholarship on Olympic-related subjects.
Its research-grant structure currently includes two main programmes:
- Advanced Olympic Research Grant Programme
- PhD Students and Early Career Academics Research Grant Programme
Applicants should be careful not to confuse the two.
The PhD Students and Early Career Academics Research Grant Programme is an annual opportunity specifically targeted at emerging researchers.
The Advanced Olympic Research Grant Programme is designed for established academics and runs on a different cycle.
What Is the PhD Students and Early Career Academics Research Grant?
The programme supports emerging researchers pursuing projects related to the Olympic Movement from humanities and social sciences perspectives.
Rather than functioning as a general sports scholarship, it is intended for academic research that engages meaningfully with subjects such as:
- Olympism
- Olympic history
- Olympic institutions
- The Olympic Movement
- Athletes and society
- The Olympic Games
- Social and cultural impacts of mega-events
- Politics and international relations
- Media and communication
- Sociology of sport
- History of sport
- Gender and sport
- Governance
- Education
- Sustainability
- Legacy of the Olympic Games
Projects should have a clear academic research component rather than simply focusing on athletic performance or sports participation.
How Much Funding Is Available?
Successful applicants can receive a research grant of up to USD 6,000.
The USD 6,000 figure is a maximum grant amount, meaning not every selected project will necessarily receive the full amount.
The final award is determined by the programme’s Selection Committee after considering the needs and characteristics of the proposed research.
Applicants should therefore prepare a realistic research budget connected directly to their project.
They should not automatically structure expenses around spending the full USD 6,000 unless the project genuinely requires that level of support.
What Can the IOC Research Grant Support?
The research grant is intended to help candidates undertake activities necessary for completing their Olympic-related research.
Depending on the approved project and programme rules, costs may potentially relate to research travel, data collection, specialist resources and dissemination.
Research connected with the Olympic Studies Centre may also involve visiting Lausanne to consult collections and historical sources.
Current descriptions of the 2027 programme indicate that relevant expenses can include areas such as research-related travel and living costs, translation of essential research materials, certain software or data-collection costs and approved knowledge-dissemination activities.
Applicants should nevertheless use the official 2027 rules and financial guidance when preparing their budgets because not every expense will automatically qualify.
Research at the Olympic Studies Centre in Lausanne
One of the programme’s distinctive features is the possibility of using resources available through the Olympic Studies Centre in Lausanne, Switzerland.
The Centre maintains extensive documentation connected with Olympic history and the development of the Olympic Movement.
For researchers working on historical, institutional, cultural or policy questions, access to these collections may provide valuable primary-source evidence.
A research visit could therefore be particularly useful for projects involving:
- Olympic history
- Governance
- International relations
- Olympic institutions
- Historical archives
- Games organization
- Olympic legacy
- Policy development
- Athletes and institutions
However, a Lausanne research visit should be connected clearly to the needs of the proposed project rather than treated simply as an additional benefit of receiving the award.
Who Can Apply?
The programme primarily has two applicant categories:
PhD Students
Current doctoral students may apply where their research is being undertaken from a humanities and/or social sciences perspective and where Olympism, the Olympic Movement or the Olympic Games represents at least one meaningful focus of the research.
Current programme descriptions indicate that applicants should remain enrolled in their PhD programme throughout the grant period and that the proposed project should contribute clearly to their doctoral research.
This means an applicant whose Olympic-related project is completely unrelated to their doctoral thesis may have difficulty demonstrating alignment.
Early Career Academics
The programme also supports academics and postdoctoral researchers at the beginning of their careers.
For the 2027 cycle, current programme information identifies eligible Early Career Academics as academic staff or postdoctoral fellows who completed their doctorate, or equivalent highest degree depending on their field, in or after 2024.
Researchers should consult the official 2027 rules when confirming how this definition applies to their particular academic qualifications.
Relevant Academic Fields
Because the programme specifically encourages humanities and social-sciences approaches, applicants can potentially come from a wide range of disciplines.
Relevant fields may include:
- History
- Sociology
- Political Science
- International Relations
- Anthropology
- Law
- Economics
- Communication and Media Studies
- Cultural Studies
- Education
- Philosophy
- Gender Studies
- Public Policy
- Development Studies
- Geography
- Sport Studies
Applicants do not necessarily need to come from a department formally called “Olympic Studies.”
The important requirement is demonstrating a strong academic connection between the proposed research and the Olympic Movement.
What Kind of Research Could Be Competitive?
The Olympic Games interact with many aspects of modern society.
Potential topics could investigate questions involving governance, identity, politics, economics, culture, media, gender, sustainability and international relations.
Examples of potentially relevant research directions could include:
Olympic Games and urban development
Research examining how hosting the Games affects cities, infrastructure and communities.
Gender and Olympic participation
Research examining representation, equality, institutional policy or historical developments involving women and gender in Olympic sport.
Olympics and international relations
Projects exploring diplomacy, national identity, international cooperation or geopolitical issues surrounding the Games.
Olympic media and communication
Research examining broadcasting, social media, journalism or the representation of athletes.
Olympic legacy
Research studying the longer-term social, economic or cultural consequences of hosting the Games.
Governance and ethics
Projects examining the structure, policies or governance of Olympic institutions.
These are examples rather than prescribed 2027 research priorities.
Applicants should develop projects grounded in their own academic expertise.
Why the Humanities and Social Sciences Matter
Sport does not exist separately from society.
Olympic events can influence political relationships, national identity, tourism, urban policy, media cultures and social attitudes.
The humanities and social sciences provide tools for understanding these wider processes.
For example, historians can examine how the Olympic Movement has evolved across different political periods.
Sociologists may investigate inequality, representation and participation.
Political scientists can analyze diplomacy and governance.
Media researchers can investigate how Olympic narratives are created and distributed globally.
The OSC programme therefore encourages academic work that connects Olympic sport to broader questions about society.
How to Prepare a Strong Research Proposal
Competitive applicants should clearly explain the academic problem they intend to investigate.
A proposal should not simply state that the applicant is interested in the Olympics.
Instead, it should establish:
A clear research question
The proposal should explain exactly what the researcher wants to discover.
Academic significance
Candidates should show how the project contributes new knowledge.
Connection with existing literature
Applicants should demonstrate awareness of previous research and identify a gap their project will address.
Appropriate methodology
The methodology should explain how evidence will be collected and analysed.
Connection with Olympic Studies
The relationship between the research and Olympism, the Olympic Movement or the Olympic Games should be unmistakable.
Realistic research plan
Activities should be achievable within the timeframe established by the grant.
Preparing the Research Budget
Because the maximum funding is USD 6,000, applicants should prepare a carefully justified budget.
Each major expense should have an identifiable purpose within the research.
For example, if travel is required, applicants should explain:
- Where they need to travel
- Why the trip is necessary
- Which research materials or participants are available there
- How the visit contributes to the project
If data collection requires financial support, candidates should explain the nature of the data and how the requested expenditure makes the research possible.
A detailed and realistic budget can also demonstrate that the applicant understands how to manage research funding responsibly.
Application Form
The IOC Olympic Studies Centre provides a dedicated 2027 application form for PhD students and early-career academics.
Applicants should use the current 2027 form rather than an application document from an older cycle.
The application form is intended to collect information about the applicant’s academic background, proposed research, methodology, timeline and financial requirements.
Candidates should allow sufficient time to complete it carefully.
Review Previous Awarded Projects
The Olympic Studies Centre also publishes information on research projects that have previously received grants.
Reviewing earlier projects can be useful for potential applicants.
It can help researchers understand:
- The range of topics previously funded
- The level of academic specificity expected
- How Olympic themes have been approached
- The programme’s interdisciplinary nature
However, applicants should not simply reproduce a previously funded project.
Their research should establish its own original academic contribution.
Selection and Grant Amount
Receiving the maximum USD 6,000 should not be assumed.
The Selection Committee evaluates applications and determines the amount awarded after reviewing the different elements of each project.
A smaller, well-designed project may therefore receive less than the maximum while still being selected.
Applicants should focus primarily on developing a rigorous research proposal rather than maximizing the requested budget.
Reporting Requirements
Researchers receiving an OSC grant are expected to complete programme reporting requirements.
The Olympic Studies Centre provides reporting guidelines as well as financial-report templates for grant holders.
This reflects the fact that the award is a structured academic research grant rather than unrestricted financial assistance.
Recipients should therefore maintain accurate records of project expenditure and research progress.
Why This Research Grant Stands Out
The IOC Olympic Studies Centre Research Grant provides several benefits beyond financial support.
Recipients can potentially gain:
Research funding of up to USD 6,000
Recognition from an international Olympic research programme
Access to specialist Olympic research materials
Opportunities to strengthen doctoral or early-career research
Support for international academic research
A stronger publication and research portfolio
For an emerging scholar specializing in sport, society or the Olympic Movement, these benefits may contribute significantly to longer-term academic development.
Difference Between the Two IOC Research Grant Programmes
Applicants should understand that the OSC currently advertises two different academic research opportunities.
Advanced Olympic Research Grant Programme
This programme is intended for established researchers and is normally organized every two years.
The previous edition is closed, with the next edition scheduled to launch in October 2026.
PhD Students and Early Career Academics Research Grant Programme
This is an annual programme targeted at emerging scholars.
The 2027 edition is currently relevant to PhD students and early-career academics, with applications due September 22, 2026.
Candidates should therefore make sure they download and complete the documents for the correct programme.
Application Deadline
The deadline for the 2027 PhD Students and Early Career Academics Research Grant Programme is:
September 22, 2026.
Applicants should avoid waiting until the final day.
A strong research-grant application can require time to refine the research question, prepare a budget, and ensure supporting information is complete.
Who Should Consider Applying?
This opportunity is particularly suitable for:
- PhD candidates researching the Olympics
- Early-career academics in humanities and social sciences
- Researchers studying sport and society
- Historians studying Olympic history
- Political scientists examining Olympic governance
- Sociologists studying athletes or the Games
- Researchers examining gender and sport
- Scholars researching media and Olympic communication
- Academics studying Olympic legacy and sustainability
The key is not simply an interest in sport.
Applicants should demonstrate that the Olympic Movement forms a substantive part of a serious academic research project.
Final Thoughts
The IOC Olympic Studies Centre Research Grant 2027: Up to USD 6,000 for PhD Students & Early Career Academics offers emerging researchers an opportunity to secure financial support for academic research connected with the Olympic Movement.
The programme is particularly relevant to humanities and social-science researchers investigating the historical, cultural, political, economic and social dimensions of the Olympics.
Successful applicants can receive up to USD 6,000, although the actual grant amount is determined according to the proposed project’s needs and the Selection Committee’s assessment.
PhD candidates should ensure that their project contributes directly to their doctoral research, while early-career academic applicants should carefully review the programme’s definition of eligibility.
Applicants interested in using Olympic historical materials may also benefit from the specialist collections available through the Olympic Studies Centre in Lausanne.
The deadline for the 2027 edition is September 22, 2026.
Researchers should carefully study the official programme rules, complete the correct 2027 application form, and prepare a focused proposal that demonstrates both academic quality and a clear contribution to Olympic studies.
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