Newberry Fellowships FAQ

• Long-Term Fellowships: Support extended periods of scholarly research and writing at the Newberry. Open only to researchers who hold PhDs.
• Short-Term Fellowships: Support one-month research visits to the Newberry. Open only to researchers who hold PhDs or are ABD PhD students.
• Artist-in-Residence Fellowships: Support one-month research visits to the Newberry by visual or performing artists, creative writers, playwrights, journalists, and others. There are no degree requirements.
• NCAIS Fellowships: Support faculty members and graduate students working in American Indian and Indigenous Studies who are from Newberry Consortium for American Indian and Indigenous Studies affiliate institutions.
• Mellon Tribal Research Fellowships: Support two-week to two-month research visits to the Newberry by Native community members and/or tribal cultural workers, as individuals or small groups.
• Scholars-in-Residence and Visiting Scholars: Providing unfunded extended access to the Newberry for Chicago-area or visiting researchers.

Newberry fellowships primarily fund humanities-centered research that relies on the Newberry’s extensive library collections, especially its archival and rare book holdings. The Newberry has particular collection strengths in:

• American History and Culture
• American Indian and Indigenous Studies
• Chicago and the Midwest
• Genealogy and Local History
• History of the Book
• Maps, Travel, and Exploration
• Medieval, Renaissance, and Early Modern Studies
• Modern Manuscripts and Archives
• Performing Arts
• Postcards
• Religion

Newberry Center for American Indian and Indigenous Studies (NCAIS) Fellowships support new scholarship in American Indian and Indigenous Studies, both at and beyond the Newberry.

Mellon Tribal Research Fellowships fund research by tribal nations in the Newberry’s American Indian and Indigenous collections.

For a sample of the types of projects fellows undertake at the Newberry, you can view a list of this year's awarded projects and other previously awarded projects.

This number varies depending on factors including funding from endowments and grants.

In the 2026-27 fellowship period, the Newberry awarded:

• 8 Long-Term Fellowships
• 15 Short-Term Fellowships
• 1 NCAIS Long-Term Faculty Fellowship and 4 NCAIS Graduate Student Research Grants
• 3 Artist-in-Residence Fellowships

All fellowship applicants are encouraged to identify particular materials or collections which they wish to work with during their fellowship. You can learn more about our collection here and search out catalog here.

During reading room hours (10am – 4pm, Tuesday – Saturday), you can contact a Newberry librarian at 312-255-3506. You can also submit a question using this online form.

You can also contact specific staff who work with the collections you are interested in researching.

We have a small staff who answer a large number of inquiries from researchers all over the world. Response times can vary and may take up to two weeks, depending on the number of requests in the queue.

All fellowship applications are accepted through SlideRoom. Application portals open in early fall and close in early winter. For details and current deadline dates, see the How to Apply page.

Long-Term Fellows take their fellowship for one or two semesters during the academic year. 9-month residencies begin the Tuesday after Labor Day (the first Monday in September). 4- or 5-month residencies begin either the Tuesday after Labor Day or in early January.

Short-Term and Artist-in-Residence fellowships are generally for 1 month (4 weeks). Mellon Tribal Research Fellowships vary in length, but are generally held for 2 weeks to 2 months. These shorter fellowships can be taken any time between the June 1 of the awarding year and the August 31 of the following year. (For example, 2026-27 fellowships may be taken between June 2026 and August 2027.)

When planning Short-Term, Artist-in-Residence, and Mellon Tribal Research Fellowships, please keep in mind that fellowship orientations always occur on Tuesdays. The Newberry is closed on Sundays and holidays, and Special Collections and other reading rooms are closed on Mondays.

Fellows are welcome to stay in residence at the Newberry beyond their fellowship dates at their own expense.

No. We are sorry to say that we cannot defer fellowships beyond the awarded fellowship year.

There is some flexibility in dates. Long-Term Fellowships may be shortened from 2 semesters to 1, or moved between fall and spring semesters. The dates for all shorter fellowships can be changes as long as they remain with the 15 months of the fellowship award year (see above).

No. Newberry Fellowships are intended to fund research in the Newberry collection and engagement with the Newberry scholarly community, and fellows must be in continuous residence for their fellowship period.

This rule does not apply to NCAIS long-term fellowships and research grants.

No. Newberry Fellowships are intended to fund research in the Newberry collection and engagement with the Newberry scholarly community, and fellows must be in continuous residence for their fellowship period.

This rule does not apply to NCAIS long-term fellowships and research grants.

No. You may apply to different fellowship programs, but you may only accept one award per fellowship year.

No. Fellows must arrange their own housing during their residency. Newberry Fellowship staff are happy to offer suggestions and advice for securing accommodations.

The Newberry building is ADA accessible. Some adaptive technology is available in reading rooms. We understand that every individual’s access needs are different. Fellowships staff are very happy to answer any questions and provide more information. You can email us at research@newberry.org.

Please email the Department of Fellowships and Academic Programs: research@newberry.org 

Eligibility requirements vary by fellowship type. See the questions below for information about academic, citizenship, and residency requirements.

The Newberry considers all applications for all fellowships within their program category (i.e. Long-Term or Short-Term Fellowships, Artists-in-Residence, NCAIS Fellowships, Mellon Tribal Research Fellowships). With the exception of the restricted Short-Term Fellowships named below, you do not need to tailor your application to specific named fellowships.

Some Short-Term Fellowships require organizational affiliation (i.e. Center for Renaissance Studies institutional affiliation or MMLA membership). The Frances C. Allen and Susan Kelly Power and Helen Hornbeck Tanner fellowships require applicants to be members or descendants of federally recognized tribal nations, or Native Hawaiian. Within the Short-Term Fellowship application, you will be asked if you would like to be considered for these restricted fellowships. You may be contacted to provide further information.

Long-Term Fellowships are open only to scholars who have been awarded a PhD or other equivalent terminal degree by the application deadline. Current PhD students may apply, but only if they have completed all degree requirements including the dissertation defense before the application deadline.

Short-Term Fellowships are open to scholars who have been awarded a PhD or other equivalent terminal degree by the application deadline or who are PhD students with ABD (all-but-dissertation) status.

NCAIS Fellowships are open only to scholars at NCAIS member and affiliate institutions.

• NCAIS Long-Term and Short-Term Faculty Fellowships are open to faculty members who are working on projects in American Indian and Indigenous Studies.
• NCAIS Graduate Student Research Awards are open to current graduate students (Masters and PhD levels) at who are working on projects in American Indian and Indigenous Studies.

Artist-in-Residence Fellowships and Mellon Tribal Research Fellowships [LINK] have no academic qualification requirements.

Yes. If the majority of the items you wish to work with during your fellowship are available digitally, we encourage you to explain why it would benefit your project to work with them in person.

If you've previously received a Newberry short-term fellowship or artist-in-residence fellowship:

• You may apply for another short-term fellowship. It must be for a new project.
• You may apply for a long-term fellowship. It can be for the same project or a different one.

There is no time restriction.

If you’ve previously received a Newberry long-term fellowship:

• You may apply for another fellowship of any type, but it cannot be for the same project.

You must wait a period of five years before applying for another long-term fellowship. There is no time limit to apply for a short-term fellowship.

Yes. If needed, the Newberry is authorized by the US Department of State to issue DS-2019 forms that can be used by foreign scholars to secure a J-1 visa for the period of their fellowship. These forms can also support spouses and dependents for J-2 visas. However, the Newberry cannot provide any additional funding for visa fees, which are the responsibility of the fellow.

Restrictions vary by fellowship program.

The Newberry defines the Chicago metropolitan area as the following counties:

• Illinois: Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, Will
• Indiana: Lake, LaPorte, and Porter
• Wisconsin: Kenosha

Any applicant whose principal residence or place of employment is within these counties is considered a Chicago-area resident.

Long-Term Fellowships are open to Chicago residents. However, generally only one long-term fellowship is awarded to a Chicago resident per fellowship year.

Short-Term Fellowships are generally intended to offset the costs of visiting the Newberry for research. Chicago residents are generally presumed to have greater access to Newberry resources than other applicants. However, some categories of scholar may still apply:

• Graduate students (ABD level)
• Early career scholars, defined as scholars within five years of receiving their PhD
• Adjunct, non-tenure track, or part-time faculty
• Faculty whose teaching load is three courses or higher each semester/quarter throughout the academic year
• Community college or teaching track faculty
• Tenured or tenure-track faculty at Minority Serving Institutions (based on most recent Rutgers MSI list, 2025)
• Independent scholars

Chicago-area scholars who are not advised to apply and will not be considered for Short-Term Fellowships include:

• University or college tenure-track and tenured faculty members with access to departmental research funds
• Retired or emeritus tenured faculty members

Artist-in-Residence and Mellon Tribal Research Fellowships are open to Chicago residents.

All Chicago-area residents applying for Newberry fellowships are advised to address why they need a fellowship to access Newberry resources.

Scholars in the Chicago area are also encouraged to explore our Scholar-in-Residence program, which provides unfunded extended access to Newberry resources.

Yes! We are free and open to all researchers. Learn about how you can use the Newberry collection in person.

The Newberry uses the SlideRoom digital platform to collect application materials and letters of recommendation. In order to apply, you must sign up for a SlideRoom account and select the correct application form for your chosen fellowship program.

For Long-Term and Short-Term Fellowships, visit our How To Apply for A Fellowship guide.

NCAIS, Mellon Tribal Research, and Artist-in-Residence fellowships have slightly different requirements that can be reviewed on those fellowships' pages.

SlideRoom offers technical support to all applicants.

The SlideRoom portal should be accessible to screenreaders and other adaptative technology, but if you encounter access issues, please contact SlideRoom support or Fellowships staff.

No. The specific fellowships listed withing the Long-Term, Short-Term, and Artist-in-Residence programs are not standalone fellowships; rather, they acknowledge the funding support of donors and partner organizations. Applications are submitted by program. Awardees are matched with applicable fellowship funds during the award distribution process.

Some Short-Term Fellowships have specific requirements – see the Eligibility section, above. These fellowships are still applied for using the main short-term fellowship application, but there may be follow-up questions to establish an applicant's eligibility.

Yes. You can apply to as many fellowship programs you want, as long as you are eligible.

Every program has its own application, and all applications must be filled out if you wish to be considered. You may repeat application materials such as abstract and CV, but your project description should reflect a realistic research plan for the time requested.

If awarded more than one fellowship, you will need to choose between them.

No. Applicants may only submit one project per fellowship program per year.

The SlideRoom system cannot reuse your previously submitted materials. 

You may extract and reuse materials from a previously submitted application, but we encourage you to update your materials to reflect the current status of the project. 

New or updated letters of recommendation are required.

SlideRoom allows you to save an application in progress and modify answers at any time until you submit the application. After submission, there is no way to change answers or update materials.

SlideRoom automatically saves your progress and will alert you if a required field has been left blank.

After your application has been submitted successfully, SlideRoom will display a confirmation screen with a confirmation number. An email confirmation with the same information will also be sent from SlideRoom. Please check your spam folder if the confirmation email doesn't arrive right away.

Long-Term Fellowships require two letters of recommendation.

Short-Term Fellowships require one letter of recommendation. There is an option to submit a second letter.

Other programs have separate recommendation requirements. See more information on the program pages: 

• Artist-in-Residence Fellowships
• NCAIS Fellowships
• Mellon Tribal Research Fellowships

While you are filling out your fellowship application, SlideRoom will prompt you to submit contact information for recommenders. SlideRoom will then send the recommender an email with a link to the recommendation portal, where they will be able to submit the letter as a PDF or Word file.

You can add your recommender information at any time in your application process. The request will be sent immediately. We recommend sending requests as soon as possible in your application process.

The names and contact information of recommenders must be submitted with the rest of your application.

The recommendation portal closes 10 days after the application deadline.

You can ask anyone familiar with your project and scholarship to write a letter of recommendation.

For PhD holders, this might be colleagues, editors, or former advisors.

For graduate students, this will often be the dissertation advisor. However, letters are also accepted from other individuals familiar with your work, such as other professors or fellowship directors.

The most successful letters address the significance of the proposed project, the value of a Newberry residency for the applicant, and the qualifications of the applicant. Letters that speak to the applicant’s project in specific, current terms are more effective than general letters from a dossier.

No. They will receive a submision link via email but do not need to register with SlideRoom to use it.

No. Letters should be received directly from the recommender.

Please log in to SlideRoom and confirm that the recommender’s contact information is entered correctly. 

If the recommender is still not receiving the SlideRoom email, ask them to check their spam folder, add notifications@slideroom.com as a contact, and/or add SlideRoom.com as a trusted email domain. 

If the recommender is still encountering difficulties, they can contact the Newberry Fellowships office at research@newberry.org for more support.

Yes.

SlideRoom will send you a confirmation email after a recommender submits a letter. You can also view the status of letters in SlideRoom and use the SlideRoom system to send reminders to recommenders.

We recommend double-checking your application before the submission deadline to make sure all letters have been received.

In SlideRoom, click on the “edit” link next to the recommender you wish to edit. Recommender information can be updated or removed and new information added.

Once a recommender has submitted a letter, they cannot be removed from your application.

No. Updated letters are required for every application.

Review processes and panel organization vary slightly across programs. All applications are evaluated by panels of experts from inside or outside the Newberry.

Long-Term, Short-Term, and Mellon Tribal Research Fellowships go through two rounds of review. The first is conducted by Newberry staff, who evaluate the relevance of Newberry collection items to the proposed project. They score each proposal based on the uniqueness of the items that the applicant plans to research at the library and, if the items are digitized, the demonstrated need to view the items in person. They do not evaluate the scholarly merits or other content of the application.

Long-Term Fellowships are selected by an independent, interdisciplinary panel of senior scholars from across the Midwest. The committee changes annually. Newberry staff have no input on the selection process.

Short-Term Fellowships are selected by interdisciplinary panels divided evenly between expert Newberry staff and Chicago-area scholars. The committee changes annually.

Long-Term and Short-Term Fellowship committees prepare ranked lists of candidates. These candidates are then matched with the available named fellowship funds by Fellowships staff.

NCAIS fellowships are selected by the NCAIS steering committee.

Artist-in-Residence and Mellon Tribal Research Fellowships are selected by internal panels of Newberry staff drawn from across library departments.

Newberry review panels generally consider three primary criteria for fellowship applications:

• Research Contribution: The significance or potential quality of the proposed project
• Collections Usage: The applicability of the Newberry’s collection to the proposed project
• Viability: The applicant’s ability to achieve the proposed project

For Short-Term, Artist-in-Residence, and Mellon Tribal Research Fellowships, the appropriateness of the Newberry collections is particularly important. Research with Newberry items should be vital to the success of the proposed project.

Due to the wide range of the Newberry collections, review committees may not be directly familiar with the applicant’s particular field of study. Therefore, successful applicants should articulate their project and its significance in terms that are clear to non-specialists.

Non-residential NCAIS awards have other criteria for selection, which can be learned about on the NCAIS Fellowships page.

No. The review committee considers the overall quality of applications when evaluating projects. The number of months of fellowship support requested does not factor into the evaluations.

Notifications occur on a rolling basis throughout the spring, depending on the schedule of review meetings.

The majority of programs will notify a group of alternates as well as awardees.

Notifications are generally sent within the following timeline:

• Early March: Long-Term Fellowships
• Late March: NCAIS, Mellon Tribal Research
• Late April: Short-Term Fellowships
• May: Artists-in-Residence

The Newberry may be able to provide a letter of support or other assistance for outside funding on a case-by-case basis. To learn more, please reach out to the Fellowships office.

For the Fulbright in particular, please note that the Newberry generally does not serve as the primary host institution. However, we are happy to welcome Fulbright scholars hosted at other institutions. If you do wish to name the Newberry as your host institution, please reach out as early as possible in the application cycle so we may discuss options.

If you are a scholar who would qualify for a Newberry Fellowship (a PhD holder or ABD graduate student) and you have obtained outside funding for your Newberry research visit, you may be eligible for Visiting Scholar status. Please reach out to the Fellowships office to learn more.

Visit the Weiss-Brown Publication Subvention page.