United States Institute of Peace (USIP) Peace Scholar Fellowship Program

Information about the Peace Scholar Fellowship program can be found on this page. If you have additional questions, please email PeaceScholarFellows@usip.org.

Competition Deadlines

What is the timeline for the 2022-23 Peace Scholar Fellowship competition?

• Registration for the Peace Scholar competition opens on Tuesday September 14, 2021, and closes at 4:00 PM EDT on Friday October 15, 2021.
• Applications are due by 4:00 PM EDT on Tuesday October 26, 2021. Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered.
• Letters of recommendation are due by Tuesday, November 2, 2021.
• Awards are announced by spring 2022.

Eligibility

Who may apply for the Peace Scholar fellowship?

The competition is open to PhD candidates enrolled in U.S. universities who have successfully completed all of the required classwork and any required comprehensive exams.

Are non-U.S. citizens eligible to be Peace Scholars?

Yes, non-U.S. citizens are eligible to apply, however they must be PhD candidates currently enrolled at a U.S. university. Students at international and satellite universities are not eligible.

I am not a doctoral candidate, but I would like to apply for the Peace Scholars Fellowship. Am I eligible?

All applicants must be doctoral candidates at the time of application. Master’s students or other students pursuing graduate coursework are not eligible to apply.

Is there an age requirement for the Peace Scholar competition?

There is no age requirement for Peace Scholars.

What research topics are eligible for the Peace Scholar Award?

This fellowship supports research that deepens our understanding of conflict management, peacebuilding and relevant security studies. Priority will be given to applications closely related to the mission of USIP and/or research priorities of the Minerva Research Initiative.

The fellowships cannot support research focused on U.S. domestic issues, however, research on U.S. foreign policy may be eligible for support. Fellowships will not be awarded for dissertation projects that constitute policymaking for a government agency or private organization, focus to any substantial degree on conflicts within U.S. domestic society, or adopt a partisan, advocacy, or activist stance.

For examples of Peace Scholar research that USIP has supported in the past, please see the list of former Peace Scholars.

Application

How do I apply for the Peace Scholar Fellowship competition?

USIP uses the FLUXX Award Application System to manage the Peace Scholar Fellowship competition. All applications and documents related to this competition will be entered and stored in FLUXX’s secure online portal.

Applying to the Peace Scholar competition is a two-step process.

1. Registering for a FLUXX account

Applicants must first register for a FLUXX account in order to access the application system.

• Open the FLUXX registration page at https://usip.fluxx.io/user_sessions/new.
• Click “Register for an account” on the right side of the page.
• Select “Peace Scholars” as the competition type.
• Indicate whether you would like to be considered for either a USIP-funded Peace Scholar fellowship or a Minerva-funded Peace and Security Fellowship, or no preference.
• After completing the form, select “Submit Request.”
• Within 24 business hours, applicants will receive a FLUXX confirmation email containing a username and password.

If you do not receive login credentials within 48 business hours, please email PeaceScholarFellows@usip.org.

2. Creating and submitting an application

Once an applicant receives login credentials, they may begin the Peace Scholar application.

• Open the FLUXX application page at https://usip.fluxx.io.
• Enter the username and password sent in the FLUXX confirmation email.
• Click “Draft Applications” in the left toolbar to create a blank draft application.
• Begin entering information in the draft application.
• FLUXX does not auto-save so be sure to save your work often.
• Check your work before submitting your application. Once an application has been submitted, it cannot be edited or changed.

How do I reset my password?

Click the “reset or create password” button on the FLUXX login page.

2022-23 Peace Scholar Competition Application Questions

Applicants are required to complete the four sections below.

1. Contribution. What is innovative about the research? What unique contribution will the project make towards advancing the fields of conflict management, peacebuilding and related security studies? How does your research enhance USIP’s and/or Minerva’s understandings of the social, cultural, behavioral and/or political forces that shape the issues and dynamics of conflict? (400 words)
2. Relevance. State how your dissertation intersects with the USIP mission, and/or the Minerva Research Initiative mission. Describe the relevance of your project to the theory, policy or practice of the fields of conflict management, peacebuilding and related security studies. (400 words)
3. Research Integrity. Explain how you will analyze the research evidence to test your hypotheses or answer your projects’ defining questions. Describe your methodologies. Describe how your research findings will be generalizable across time, geopolitical regions, and/or other socio-cultural domains. Will your findings have predictive value? What is the broader significance of your project and what will be the likely lessons learned? (500 words)
4. Work Plan. Provide a timetable indicating the schedule of completion for your dissertation. Indicate which portions of your work (research, data collection, analysis, writing, etc.) are already finished, and which tasks remain to be completed. Please be as realistic as possible, considering the work that can be completed during the course of the fellowship. The Institute expects scholars to complete work described in the timetable or as agreed in subsequent consultation with the program staff. (500 words)

Additionally, applicants must complete the following sections.

1. Personal Statement. Why are you applying to the USIP-Minerva Peace Scholar Fellowship? Tell us who you are and why you are a great candidate for this fellowship. What do you expect to accomplish after this fellowship? (300 words)
2. Project Summary. Clearly and concisely state your dissertation’s hypothesis. Explain its potential contribution to the field of conflict management, peacebuilding and related security studies. Include the specific focus of countries or regions. The summary is a critical part of the application as it is the first item that most reviewers will read to determine the substance and relevance of the project. (400 words)
3. COVID-19 Research Plan. Explain how you intend to carry out your research during the COVID pandemic. (200 words)

Letters of Recommendation

How many recommendation letters are required?

Two letters of recommendation must be attached to your application in the FLUXX system. One letter must be from the dissertation advisor, and one from a current professor.

When are Letters of Recommendation due?

Letters of Recommendation are due within two weeks of the application deadline. All Letters of Recommendation for the 2022-23 Peace Scholar competition must be submitted by Tuesday November 2, 2021.

Uploading letters of recommendation to the application.

Letters of recommendation must be uploaded directly by the applicant’s advisor and professor (referees). However, the applicant must send a letter of reference request to their referees through the FLUXX system. See instructions below.

• To send a FLUXX link to the referees, click the green “+” under the “Reference Letters/Letters of Recommendation” section of the application. Enter the name and email address of each referee. An email with an upload link and instructions on how to submit the letters of recommendation will be sent to the referees.
• Inform your referees that the link to upload the letters must be used within 72 hours, or the link will expire. If the link does expire, reenter the referee information in the FLUXX application and remind your referees to look for the email with the new link.
• If you or your referees experience technical difficulties with FLUXX, please email the Fellowship team at PeaceScholarFellows@usip.org. You will receive a response within 24 business hours.

Is there a deadline to send the Letter of Recommendation link to my recommenders?

We highly recommend that applicants send the Letter of Recommendation link to their dissertation advisor and professor as soon as they begin their application to ensure that the letters are received by the deadline.

Does the link to submit recommendation letters expire?

Yes, the link expires after 72 hours (three days). Please tell your referees about 72-hour window so they can submit the recommendation before the link expires.

If my referee encounters difficulty while submitting their recommendation letter, who should they contact?

If your referee is not able to upload their recommendation letter to the application, they may email the letter, in PDF format, to the USIP Fellowship Team at PeaceScholarFellows@usip.org. The name of the applicant should be included in the subject line of the email.

Can I submit my application before my advisor or professor has submitted the recommendation letter?

Yes, applications may be submitted before the recommendation letters are submitted.

What additional attachments are required with my application?

All applicants must upload their curriculum vitae. Though not required, we recommend attaching relevant, self-authored papers and published articles to your application.

Requirements and Conditions of the Award

What are Peace Scholar requirements?

Peace Scholar fellows carry out their fellowship work at their universities or other sites appropriate to their research. Peace Scholars are expected to devote full attention to their work and provide the following:

• Participate in the annual Peace Scholar Workshop each fall;
• Submit quarterly dissertation progress reports to be signed by the dissertation advisor;
• Submit updates for the USIP Peace Scholar newsletter;
• Participate in virtual roundtable discussions;
• Submit a copy of the completed dissertation to USIP;
• Submit copies of any other publications, including articles and books, resulting from the fellowship.

General Fellowship Questions

How many Peace Scholar Fellowships are awarded each year?

USIP awards up to 18 Peace Scholar fellowships each year.

What is the duration of the Peace Scholars fellowship?

The Peace Scholar fellowship last for 10 months, starting on September 1 of each year, and ending on June 30 of the following year.

What is the amount of the award?

Peace Scholar fellows receive a stipend of up to $20,000 for the academic year, paid directly to the fellow in three tranches.

Can this award be combined with other fellowship awards?

A combined amount of $30,000 is the maximum that a Peace Scholar can receive from additional major residential awards or fellowships during their fellowship tenure.

Is it possible to defer the Peace Scholar Fellowship to another year?

No. The fellowship cannot be deferred to any other academic year. It must be used for the year it is awarded.

What is the difference between the USIP Peace Scholar Fellowship and the Minerva Research Initiative Peace and Security Fellowship?

The fellowship requirements, timeline and stipend amount are the same. The only difference is the source of the funding. On the application form please indicate the funding source for which you would like to be considered:

• The USIP Peace Scholar Fellowship;
• Minerva Research Initiative Peace and Security Fellowship; or,
• No preference.

Where can I find more information on the Minerva Research Initiative?

More information about the Minerva Research Initiative can be found at https://minerva.defense.gov.

What is the difference between the Peace Scholar Fellowship program and the Jennings Randolph Senior Fellowship?

The Peace Scholar program awards non-residential fellowships to PhD candidates enrolled U.S.-based universities. The Jennings Randolph Senior Fellowship is and eight-month residential fellowship geared toward senior experts across various disciplines.