The Kennan Institute Digital Fellowship 2026-2027

The Kennan Institute Digital Fellowship program is meant to promote original scholarship and quality non-fiction writing about Russia and the former Soviet Union. Fellowships will be awarded to ten outstanding figures from academia, journalism, and the expert community. The program will give fellows six months of financial support, integrate them into a network, and assist them in communicating their ideas to the public and to the policy community in Washington, DC. This program will also establish an international cohort, which upon completion of their fellowship will be incorporated into the Kennan’s alumni network. A selection committee will choose awardees for a six-month fellowship, beginning in late October 2026 and concluding in March 2027. Fellows will meet virtually once a month, and in the course of their fellowship they will be required to publish a piece for the general public and policy community, working with Kennan Institute staff to develop and edit ideas. The Digital Fellowship is designed to support a diverse range of research proposals and meet the fellows’ needs during the research process, from making professional connections to providing a platform for sharing findings.

The Kennan Institute Digital Fellowship is a response to the challenges of the current moment. This program aims to breathe new life into something that twenty years ago might have been taken for granted: intellectual exchange between the former Soviet Union and the West. The importance of this tradition has been a core tenet of the Kennan’s work throughout its more than fifty-year history. The program’s digital format greatly extends its reach across the globe, an essential first step to reestablishing and adapting fellowships in the institution’s new era.

• Table of Content
• About Kennan Institute
• Kennan Institute Digital Fellowship Fellowship
• Aim and Benefits of Kennan Institute Digital Fellowship Fellowship
• Requirements for Kennan Institute Digital Fellowship Fellowship Qualification
• Application Deadline
• How to Apply

Kennan Institute Digital Fellowship Fellowship

Aim and Benefits of Kennan Institute Digital Fellowship Fellowship

Each selected participant will be provided with:

• A monthly stipend of $2,000 to support their research and participation in the program.
• Mentorship and consultation from the Kennan community of experts, where applicable.
• 6 virtual webinars tailored to the cohort's unique needs.
• Inclusion in the Kennan's alumni network of over 4,500 individuals across the globe.

The Kennan Institute will not be providing the following:

• Coverage for travel-related expenses, including visas. The program will take place entirely virtually.

Number of Fellowships

• 10 Digital Fellowships will be awarded per year, with at least 4 positions reserved for researchers pursuing topics in the natural sciences, medicine, technology, or related fields.

Dates and Duration of Program

• The inaugural Digital Fellowship program will take place from October 1, 2026, to March 31, 2027, to be followed by several months of possible integration into the Kennan Institute's event schedule. 

Requirements for Kennan Institute Digital Fellowship Fellowship Qualification

The envisaged participants of this Fellowship are those engaged in study of Russia and/or broader Eurasia that are seeking an opportunity to foster their skills, professional network, and body of research.

The desired qualifications of applicants include the following:

• The Fellowship is intended for individuals with several years of experience working on, studying, or otherwise examining Russia and/or broader Eurasia. 
• Applicants must have a good working knowledge of English as the fellowship will be conducted only in this language. Any publications produced by fellows for the Kennan Institute will be published initially in English, with the possibility of future translation into regional languages.

Application Deadline

How to Apply

For more information, kindly visit Kennan Institute Fellowship webpage.