von der Heyden Global Fellows

von der Heyden Global Fellowship Application 2026-27

Apply Here by January 5, 2026arrow

The von der Heyden Global Fellowship (vdH Fellows) offers full, twelve-month financial support, a cohort experience and professional development opportunities to current advanced Duke PhD students (post-prelim and post-field work completed) whose dissertations are situated in international or regional studies.

Together with a cohort of researchers bringing insights from different world regions and disciplinary perspectives, fellows will learn from each other and from speakers how to make an important contribution to advancing understanding of global inequalities.

Fellows will receive:

  • Twelve-month financial support
  • Inclusion in a cohort with like-minded, transdisciplinary students who will share insights across regions around justice and equity.
  • Professional development opportunities including:
    • Opportunities to share work and research with mixed (community and academic) audiences
    • Opportunity to invite scholars to discuss how they make change through their work
  • Opportunities for meaningful engagement and service in the local community

Applications are due January 5, 2026. Fellowship awardees will be notified by January 30, 2026, with acceptance or declines requested by the end of February 2026. We anticipate awarding four fellowships for a full academic year, starting in June 2026 and ending in May 2027. To be eligible, applicants must have completed field work and be post-prelim.

To Apply

1. Submit an application (via the Apply Here link at the top, starting the week of December 1, 2025).
2. Request two letters of recommendation to be sent by e-mail to global@duke.edu. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that all letters of recommendation are received. One recommendation must come from the student’s dissertation advisor. vdH Fellows will not request letters of recommendation from advisers if they are missing from the application file.
3. All documents (application form and 2 references) must be received by vdH Fellows by January 5, 2026.

The vhD Global Fellowship has given me the opportunity to connect with peers across disciplines who are studying similar concepts at a high level, but with vastly different methods and topics. Being part of this transdisciplinary peer group is an invaluable opportunity and one of the highlights of my time at Duke to-date.

-Robin Fail, Marine Science and Conservation
(2023-2024 vhD Fellow)