Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs on applying for an Open Society Fellowship.

Is there an application deadline?

No, applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

Do I need to answer all the questions under the Project Proposal?

Yes, all questions under the Project Proposal should be answered. If you have existing book or project proposals that you have written for other funders, please rewrite them to answer our specific questions.

How long does it take for an application to be reviewed?

Most applications will be reviewed within 1-3 months. In rare cases, review may require up to 4 months.

How is the Fellowship stipend determined?

Stipends are based on UN pay scales. Applicants' current salaries are also taken into consideration. Applicants' dependents are not factored into the stipend calculations.

Can I get a Fellowship to support my dissertation research?

A dissertation is not an acceptable Fellowship project.

Can two or more people jointly apply for a Fellowship?

No, the Fellowship program only accepts individual applications.

What are allowable Fellowship expenses?

In addition to supplying a fellowship stipend, OSI may cover additional limited expenses such as travel, conference fees, and part-time research assistance.

Fellowship expenses should not include operational or programmatic costs, such as employees and physical infrastructure. The purpose of the fellowship is to support individual fellows; therefore OSI will only cover individual expenses. Other ineligible expenses include housing and per diems for prolonged research trips, Internet and telephone bills.

What are the guidelines for projects to "seed" new campaigns or organizations?

By "seeding," we mean a project to conceptualize, research, plan, and lay the groundwork for a new organization or campaign. The Fellowship will not provide direct operational support for the campaign or organization itself.

Could I get a Fellowship to develop a for-profit organization?

We cannot fund efforts to launch for-profit entities.

Does the Fellowship fund documentary films?

We would not fund the production of a documentary film but we could fund pre-production research and development and post-production advocacy and outreach efforts conducted by a single person.