Dumbarton Oaks One-Month Research Awards
Awards of $5,000 available to scholars working on research projects in Byzantine studies, Pre-Columbian studies, Garden and Landscape studies, or related fields.
One-Month Research Award for Scholars
Dumbarton Oaks offers One-Month Research Awards of $5,000 to scholars holding a PhD or other relevant terminal degree (e.g., MLA for Garden and Landscape studies applicants) and working on research projects in Byzantine studies, Pre-Columbian studies, Garden and Landscape studies, or related fields.
One-Month Research Award for Predoctoral Candidates
Dumbarton Oaks offers One-Month Research Awards of $5,000 to predoctoral candidates who are working on their dissertation in Byzantine studies, Pre-Columbian studies, Garden and Landscape studies, or related fields. Students should have a dissertation proposal submitted by the time of application.
The awards were established to make the intellectual community as well as the library, rare book, garden, and museum resources of Dumbarton Oaks more widely available to a broader range of scholars for shorter terms and with some flexibility in starting dates. Awards are intended especially for those who might not be able to avail themselves of a longer-term fellowship at Dumbarton Oaks, or scholars in related disciplines who seek greater exposure to our fields of study.
Terms
Award recipients are invited to use the research facilities at Dumbarton Oaks for the month covered by the award. The general library collections at Dumbarton Oaks contain more than 210,000 items in a variety of formats, while our Rare Book Collection holds more than 10,000 volumes, prints, drawings, photographs, and blueprints. We welcome and encourage you to peruse our holdings in advance via the HOLLIS catalogue. Due to the short-term nature of the award, we are unable to process inter-library loan requests.
Recipients are expected to make significant progress in a research project that leads to publication (either an article or part of a larger work); or achieves some other form of professional enhancement that has been described in the application. A report on the results of the work accomplished during the tenure of the award will be submitted upon completion of the term. Resulting publications should acknowledge Dumbarton Oaks and be brought to our attention.
Conditions
Applicants who live 75 or more miles from Washington, DC, will receive preference. Individuals currently affiliated with Dumbarton Oaks are not eligible for the award. Recipients may not combine (or take in immediate succession) these awards with summer or academic year fellowships at Dumbarton Oaks. We welcome applications from applicants who have not received previous support from Dumbarton Oaks. Recipients of prior fellowships or awards from Dumbarton Oaks are requested to wait two years before making another application for a one-month research award. The award period is four consecutive weeks.
Awards are distributed either by stipend check or reimbursement of travel and local lodging upon submission of receipts, up to the amount of $5,000 (USD). Dumbarton Oaks does not provide campus housing for One-Month Research Awards. US citizens must provide a copy of an original Social Security card for the disbursement. For non-US citizens, a US Social Security number or an International Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) must be obtained in advance of submitting an application if the stipend selection is intended. Please see more information about ITIN application.
Dumbarton Oaks may provide a J-1 visa for the month, as part of our US Department of State-designated Exchange Visitor Program. To qualify, scholars must provide proof of health insurance that fulfills the criteria of the J-1 visa. Please be advised that scholars who have been in the United States with J status within the past 12 months may not qualify for a Dumbarton Oaks J-1 visa unless they were in the United States for a total time of less than six months. These individuals and all other non-U.S. citizens are strongly urged to check their prospective visa status for the requested research period prior to submitting an application.
To Apply
Please submit an application electronically according to the following deadlines prior to your proposed research visit:
- September 15 (for January 15–June 30 award periods)
- March 15 (for July 1—31 and September 1–December 20 award periods)
Note: The spring 2026 award period will cover January 15 to May 15, 2026.
Awards will be announced within six weeks of the application deadline.
If you have any questions, please email the Manager of Academic Programs at FellowshipPrograms@doaks.org.
A completed online application should include:
- A proposal of no more than 1,000 words that provides an overview of the project, explains its significance for your field, and identifies ways in which it will complement, expand or challenge prior research. Please describe in the statement the importance of Dumbarton Oaks library holdings or museum collections to your project.
- One letter of reference (posted directly by the recommender to the online application). The letter of recommendation for predoctoral applicants should come from the dissertation advisor.
