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Program guide

How to apply to Wilson Center Research Fellowship

Residential fellowships in Washington, D.C. for scholars, practitioners and journalists working on policy-relevant research about US and global foreign-policy challenges.

Official pageListing details

Step by step

  1. Check that you are eligibleThe published rules: Open to researchers, licensed professionals, creators and freelancers.
  2. Gather the materialsYou will need: Research proposal, Academic CV, Recommendation letters (drafts for your referees), Work samples.
  3. Write the answersWrite to a potential host early with a short, specific note on shared research interests; many programs require their agreement.
  4. Submit on the official pageApply through the official page (Interfolio), and keep the confirmation.
  5. Follow upNote when results are due. If the organiser invites questions, ask once, briefly, after the date has passed.

Timeline

  1. 42 days before the deadlineAsk referees and order documentsAsk your referees, and order transcripts or score reports; these depend on other people's timelines.
  2. 28 days before the deadlineDraft the statementDraft the statement around one clear plan, with evidence from your record.
  3. 10 days before the deadlineReview and remindReview against the selection criteria; gently remind referees of the date.
  4. 2 days before the deadlineSubmit and keep the confirmationSubmit early and check that every reference shows as received.

Questions you will meet, answered honestly

What will you work on during the visit?

A focused project that uses something specific about the host institution.

How is the visit funded?

List your funding sources accurately; if you need the program's funding, say so.

What reviewers of visiting scholar programs look for

  • Write to a potential host early with a short, specific note on shared research interests; many programs require their agreement.
  • Propose a realistic plan for the visit's length and what you will produce.
  • Check visa and funding rules; some programs ask for proof of funding for the whole stay.
The full playbook for visiting scholar programs

How Onward Scout helps

This one is submitted on the organiser's own site, behind your login. Onward Scout prepares every answer and file in the form's order with one-tap copy, so submitting takes minutes; you mark it submitted when you're done.

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Let Onward Scout prepare your Wilson Center Research Fellowship application

Get your CV and research proposal for this programme, drafted from your own documents in about two minutes. Free to start, no account needed. Every answer is drafted from your own documents with sources, and nothing is submitted without your tap.

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