Senior Fellowship and Peace Scholar Awards

The Jennings Randolph Program for International Peace awards Senior Fellowships to enable outstanding scholars, policymakers, journalists, and other professionals from around the world to conduct research at the U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington on important issues concerning international conflict and peace. The program integrates the work of senior fellows into the Institute's education, research, and training activities. It also works closely with the Institute's Office of Publications and Office of Congressional and Public Affairs to disseminate knowledge from these projects among policymakers, researchers, educators, and the general public through a combination of policy briefings, public events, media appearances, and published materials—including books and reports.

The Jennings Randolph Program also awards Peace Scholar Dissertation Fellowships to students at U.S. universities researching and writing doctoral dissertations on international conflict and peace.

Members of the 2003-2004 senior fellows class gather outside at their annual retreat in Virginia.

Named for Jennings Randolph, the former United States Senator from West Virginia, whose efforts over four decades helped establish the Institute, the Jennings Randolph Program is one of the Institute's core programs. Since 1987, the Jennings Randolph Program has awarded over 200 Senior Fellowships and 140 Peace Scholar Dissertation Fellowships. The program has established itself since its founding as one of the nation's premier fellowship programs for research on international conflict management and peacebuilding.

The competition favors applications that demonstrate a project's consistency with the Institute's congressional mandate, which is to serve the American people through research, education, training, and the dissemination of information about the nature of interstate or civil conflict and peaceful ways to manage and resolve it.

Project proposals that deal with the sources and nature of interstate or civil conflict; with ways to prevent, limit, or end violent conflict; and with post-conflict reconstruction and reconciliation are welcome. Proposals should present a research agenda with a clear relevance to policy issues, although a policy dimension need not be the main thrust of the project. Historical topics are appropriate if they promise to shed light on contemporary issues. Area studies projects and single-case studies will be competitive if they demonstrate a focus on conflict and its resolution, as well as the applicability of the research to other regions around the world.

The United States Institute of Peace invites applications for the Senior Fellowship competition in the Jennings Randolph Program for International Peace. The Institute funds projects related to preventive diplomacy, ethnic and regional conflicts, peacekeeping and peace operations, peace settlements, post-conflict reconstruction and reconciliation, democratization and the rule of law, cross-cultural negotiations, U.S. foreign policy in the 21st century, and related topics.

The fellowship award includes a stipend based on the fellow's previous year's salary and professional standing, up to a maximum of $80,000 for a ten-month fellowship. Fellows are also provided partial reimbursement of health insurance premiums; an office with a computer and voicemail; and the services of a part-time research assistant.  The competition is open to citizens of all nations. Women and members of minorities are especially encouraged to apply.

The United States Institute of Peace invites applications for the Peace Scholar Dissertation Fellowship competition of the Jennings Randolph Program for International Peace. The Peace Scholar Fellowship program supports doctoral dissertations that explore the sources and nature of international conflict, and strategies to prevent or end conflict and to sustain peace. Citizens of all countries are eligible, but must be enrolled in an accredited college or university in the United States.

Applicants must have completed all requirements for the degree except the dissertation by the commencement of the award. The dissertation fellowship award is $17,000 for one year and may be used to support writing or field research.