Monticello ICJS Fellowship Cohorts 2027–2028: Up to $18,000 for Jefferson Studies Research
Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello offers four-month onsite fellowships paying $4,500 per month and a yearlong hybrid fellowship with a $5,000 stipend for applicants researching Jefferson, the founding of the United States, and its legacies.
Monticello ICJS Fellowship Cohorts 2027–2028: Up to $18,000 for Jefferson Studies Research
Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello has opened applications for the 2027 fellowship program at its Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies (ICJS). The deadline is October 1, 2026. This is a research fellowship for applicants whose projects engage with Jefferson Studies in a broad sense: Jefferson and his world, the founding of the United States, and the legacies of that history.
The program has two formats. The Semester Cohorts are four-month, onsite fellowships in Charlottesville, Virginia. A fellow receives $4,500 per month, paid biweekly, for a potential total of $18,000 over the term. The Yearlong Hybrid Cohort is a 12-month, primarily virtual fellowship from July 1, 2027, through June 30, 2028. It provides a $5,000 total stipend, two onsite gatherings, and seven nights of hotel lodging, meals, and local transportation during those visits.
This page explains the published 2027–2028 opportunity and how to prepare a credible application. Monticello’s official page is the authority for the deadline, program terms, application portal, and any later changes.
Key details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Provider | Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello |
| Opportunity | ICJS Fellowship Cohorts, 2027 program and first half of 2028 |
| Formats | Four-month Semester Cohorts or 12-month Yearlong Hybrid Cohort |
| Funding | $4,500 per month for a Semester Cohort; $5,000 total for the Yearlong Hybrid Cohort |
| Semester dates | Fall: August 25–December 17, 2027; Spring: January 24–May 19, 2028 |
| Hybrid dates | July 1, 2027–June 30, 2028 |
| Eligible applicants | Applicants from any country and at any career stage, including artists, civic leaders, journalists, graduate students, public historians, researchers, early-career scholars, and teachers |
| Research focus | Jefferson Studies, the founding of the United States, and its legacies |
| Application deadline | October 1, 2026 |
| Required materials | Application form, CV, project proposal and outcomes plan (maximum 500 words), professional bio (maximum 300 words), and two reference letters |
| Official contact | Nicole Brown, ICJS fellowship contact |
What the ICJS fellowship provides
The ICJS fellowship is built around access to Monticello’s research community and collections. The center says its fellows work with expert staff and the holdings of the Jefferson Library. Fellows can also use nearby University of Virginia libraries and their archives, books, databases, and journal resources. That makes the program useful for a project that needs sustained work with primary or specialized collections rather than a short conference visit.
The onsite Semester Cohorts are the larger direct funding opportunity. Each fellow is expected to live in Central Virginia during the four-month term, remain active in the Monticello community, attend requested events, take part in cohort gatherings, and make substantial progress on a major project. The $4,500 monthly stipend is paid biweekly. Monticello states that Semester Cohort fellows arrange their own housing and transportation, with the stipend intended to cover housing, transportation, and living costs. The FAQ also says fellows are reimbursed for economy travel to and from Monticello at the beginning and end of the fellowship period.
The Yearlong Hybrid Cohort is designed for a lower-residency project. Most work is remote, with two onsite gatherings and online and in-person cohort participation. The $5,000 stipend is paid monthly. Monticello provides seven nights of hotel lodging, meals, and local transportation during the onsite visits. This format may suit an independent scholar, journalist, artist, teacher, or researcher who cannot relocate to Charlottesville for four months but can commit to a structured year and periodic travel.
The support is not limited to one academic discipline. The published eligibility list specifically mentions archaeologists, artists, civic leaders, curators, graduate students, historians, independent scholars, material-culture and decorative-arts professionals, preservationists, public historians, and related applicants. A successful project still needs a clear relationship to the center’s subject area; a general humanities project without a Jefferson, early America, or legacy connection would be difficult to place.
Choosing between the two cohort formats
Choose a Semester Cohort if your work depends on regular physical access to the Jefferson Library, Monticello staff, or nearby Charlottesville collections. The fall 2027 term runs from August 25 through December 17, 2027. The spring 2028 term runs from January 24 through May 19, 2028. The page asks applicants to choose the fellowship type they want to be considered for, so the application should make the format choice deliberate rather than treating it as an afterthought.
The onsite option has a higher total stipend, but it also brings the largest practical commitment. You need a plan for housing, a vehicle or other transportation, and full participation in a rural setting with no public transit. International applicants must secure their own visa to reside in the United States for the Semester Cohort. Travel reimbursement does not mean that every relocation or personal expense is prepaid, so build a realistic cash-flow plan around the biweekly payments.
Choose the Yearlong Hybrid Cohort when your research can be done primarily from your current location and benefits from a longer development period. The two visits and required gatherings still matter. A remote format is not an asynchronous grant: the published expectations include active participation, one major project during the fellowship, and a roundtable panel for staff during residency. Make sure your calendar can support those commitments before selecting hybrid.
Who is eligible and what makes a good fit
The program is open to applicants from any country and at any career stage. Monticello names students, established researchers, creative practitioners, civic leaders, and educators among the people it hopes to reach. There is no published requirement that an applicant hold a faculty appointment or a doctorate. Your evidence of fit should therefore focus on the project, relevant experience, and the work you can complete during the selected cohort.
The core eligibility question is topical. The successful application should explain how the proposed work contributes to Jefferson Studies broadly defined, the founding of the United States, or the continuing legacies of that history. The connection can be historical, cultural, artistic, civic, material, or public-facing, but it needs to be specific. For example, a public-history project might examine how a local community interprets Jefferson’s legacy; an artist might propose a collection grounded in Monticello sources; and a graduate student might connect a dissertation chapter to a defined set of Jefferson Library materials.
The project should also be achievable in the format requested. An onsite archival project needs a collection and work plan that justify residence. A hybrid proposal should explain what can be completed remotely and what the two visits will accomplish. Avoid presenting the two formats as interchangeable if the methods, access needs, and timeline are different.
Application process and required materials
Start at the official ICJS Fellowship Cohorts page and use its Apply Now link to open the Monticello application portal. Applications close on October 1, 2026. The page does not publish a separate daily time zone, so submit early enough to avoid a last-minute portal or reference-letter problem.
The application requires five components:
- Completed application form. Answer the program questions consistently with the cohort format and project proposal.
- Curriculum vitae. Make the work most relevant to the project easy to find. Include research, teaching, public-history, creative, archival, or community experience that demonstrates you can deliver the proposed work.
- Project proposal and outcomes plan, maximum 500 words. State the question or creative aim, the sources or methods, the intended output, and what will be completed during the fellowship. This is short enough that every sentence needs a job.
- Professional bio, maximum 300 words. Give the selection team a concise account of your background and the perspective you bring to Jefferson Studies.
- Two letters of reference. References must arrive within seven calendar days after the application portal closes, according to the published FAQ. Ask early and confirm that each referee understands the deadline and submission process.
Keep the proposal and CV aligned. If the proposal promises a book chapter, exhibition, documentary, database, lesson series, or public program, the CV should show the relevant preparation or explain the credible bridge to it. Do not use the short proposal to repeat a biography; use it to show what the fellowship makes possible.
Timeline, residency, and practical planning
The immediate date is October 1, 2026, when the application portal closes. Reference letters have a separate operational risk: Monticello says they must be received within seven calendar days of the portal closing. Treat that as an earlier personal deadline. Ask referees now, send them the final proposal, and check that they can upload their letters rather than merely agreeing to write them.
If selected for a Semester Cohort, plan for the full four-month term in Central Virginia. Fall fellows are onsite from August 25 through December 17, 2027; spring fellows are onsite from January 24 through May 19, 2028. Housing is not provided. The program says it can share suggestions for finding housing near Charlottesville with successful applicants, but the fellow must arrange and pay for housing and local transportation using the stipend and other resources.
The Yearlong Hybrid Cohort runs July 1, 2027, through June 30, 2028. It is primarily remote and includes two onsite gatherings. The published support for visits includes seven hotel nights, meals, and local transportation. Monticello also says fellows are reimbursed for economy travel to and from Monticello at the beginning and end of the fellowship period; confirm how that applies to the hybrid schedule if travel timing is important to your budget.
How to prepare a stronger proposal
Begin with one research problem rather than a broad interest in Jefferson. Name the question, the people or communities affected by the interpretation, the sources you need, and the output you will deliver. Then connect each activity to the selected term. A four-month plan might divide time between collection work, analysis, drafting, feedback, and a final public or scholarly product. A yearlong plan might set milestones for research, a working draft, cohort discussion, revision, and the roundtable panel.
Explain why Monticello is the right setting. Refer to the Jefferson Library, Monticello staff expertise, nearby University of Virginia resources, or the community of fellows only when those resources are genuinely part of your method. A generic statement that the fellowship would provide prestige is weaker than a practical explanation of how a particular collection, conversation, or research environment changes the project.
Make the outcomes observable. “Study Jefferson’s legacy” is an intention. “Complete a 12,000-word article and a public lecture script based on three identified collections” is a deliverable. The official page asks for a project proposal and a plan that identifies outcomes; use that language as a prompt to specify what will exist at the end of the term.
Finally, ask referees to address the qualities the proposal cannot prove by itself: reliability, care with evidence, ability to work independently, openness to feedback, and contribution to a scholarly or public community. A letter that simply confirms a job title is less useful than one that describes how you carry a project from question to finished work.
Common mistakes to avoid
Treating the stipend as all-inclusive cash. The onsite stipend is substantial but must cover housing, transport, and living costs. Hybrid travel support has defined categories. Build a budget rather than assuming every expense is reimbursed.
Ignoring the format’s attendance requirements. Semester fellows must reside in Central Virginia and participate in the community. Hybrid fellows still have onsite gatherings, online meetings, and a staff roundtable. Do not select a format you cannot attend.
Submitting a topic without a project. A theme such as “Jefferson and democracy” needs a research question, sources, method, and outcome. The 500-word limit rewards focus.
Leaving references until the deadline. The letters can arrive after the portal closes, but only within seven calendar days. A referee who misses that window can put an otherwise complete application at risk.
Assuming a degree is required or irrelevant. Monticello welcomes applicants at any career stage, but it still needs evidence that the applicant can complete the proposed work. Show relevant experience whether or not you hold a doctorate.
Frequently asked questions
Can international applicants apply?
Yes. The published FAQ says the fellowship is open to U.S. citizens and international applicants. International applicants to a Semester Cohort must secure their own visa for the U.S. residency. The hybrid format may reduce the need for extended residence, but confirm travel and immigration requirements with Monticello before relying on that assumption.
How much is the fellowship worth?
Semester Cohort fellows receive $4,500 per month for four months, or $18,000 if they complete the full term. Yearlong Hybrid Cohort fellows receive a $5,000 total stipend. The two amounts describe different formats and should not be compared as if they were the same duration.
Is housing included?
No housing is provided for Semester Cohorts. Fellows arrange housing and transportation in Central Virginia, and the stipend is intended to help cover those costs. For the Yearlong Hybrid Cohort, Monticello provides seven hotel nights, meals, and local transportation during onsite visits.
What fields can the project cover?
The program is multidisciplinary. The published list includes historians, artists, journalists, archaeologists, curators, preservationists, civic leaders, teachers, public historians, graduate students, and independent scholars. The project must still connect to Jefferson Studies, the founding of the United States, or its legacies.
What should I do if a referee cannot submit on time?
Ask another qualified referee before the portal closes. Monticello says all references must be received within seven calendar days after the portal closing date, so do not assume an informal email or a late letter will be accepted.
Where do I apply and ask questions?
Use the official ICJS Fellowship Cohorts page and its Apply Now link. The page lists Nicole Brown as the contact for application questions and provides the current portal route.
Official links and next steps
Read the ICJS Fellowship Cohorts details and FAQ, choose the Semester or Yearlong Hybrid format, and draft the 500-word project proposal before opening the form. Ask two referees for letters, prepare a focused CV and 300-word bio, and submit before October 1, 2026. Recheck the official page immediately before submitting in case Monticello updates the portal, deadline instructions, or cohort information.