Short-Term Research Fellowships – The New York Public Library, New York, United States

Institution: The New York Public Library
Location: New York, United States
Contract: Fellowship
Salary: $1,000 per week
Deadline: March 23, 2026
Eligibility: Open to researchers based outside the New York metropolitan area with the legal right to work in the United States

The New York Public Library offers Short-Term Research Fellowships to support graduate-level, postdoctoral, professional, and independent research in the arts and humanities. These fellowships are intended for projects that benefit from in-person access to the Library’s collections across its three research centers: the Performing Arts Library, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, and the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building.

Fellowships provide support for 1–4 weeks of research, with a stipend of $1,000 per week. Scholars are encouraged to consult the NYPL Research Catalog, Archives and Manuscripts Portal, and Research Guides to plan their projects.

Fellowship Highlights

• Onsite research at one of NYPL’s research centers

• Stipend: $1,000 per week (1–4 weeks)

• Opportunity to access unique and specialized collections

• Short-Term Fellows may apply for the American Trust for the British Library (ATBL) Research Fellowship($2,500 stipend)

Eligibility

• Applicants must live outside the New York metropolitan area*

• Must have legal right to work in the United States (NYPL does not sponsor visas)

• Former fellows may reapply only after three years and with a new project

*New York metropolitan area includes NYC boroughs; Nassau, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Westchester Counties (NY); Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Monmouth, Union Counties (NJ); Greenwich and Stamford (CT).

Application Requirements

• Complete NYPL Fellowship Portal application

• Project proposal (≤1,500 words)

• Abbreviated CV (≤2 pages)

• One professional letter of recommendation

Successful proposals should clearly explain how in-person access to NYPL collections is essential to the project and include:

• Abstract of major themes, questions, and arguments

• Significance of the project

• Specific Library collections to be consulted

• Project plan with timeline and methodology

• Expected outcomes

• Personal statement (≤350 words) detailing the fellowship’s impact on the project/career