Established in 1994, Monticello’s Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies (ICJS) is a multidisciplinary research center that leads the study of Thomas Jefferson and his world and supports the ongoing work of preservation and education at Monticello. To date, the ICJS has awarded more than 600 fellowships to researchers from around the country and globe.
ICJS has introduced two newly developed cohorts of fellows: the Semester Cohorts and Yearlong Hybrid Cohorts.
The duration of the Semester Cohorts is 4 months in the fall or spring. Fellows in the spring cohort are expected to be on site from late January to May 2026; fellows in the fall cohort are expected to be on site from late August to mid-December 2026. Semester Cohorts of fellows are expected to be on site in Charlottesville, to utilize resources at ICJS, where they will have access to Monticello’s expert staff and holdings at the Jefferson Library as well as the resources at nearby institutions, including libraries at the University of Virginia. Fellows are expected to be active and engaged members of Monticello’s community and are expected to present a 60-minute forum during residency. Fellows in Semester Cohorts receive a stipend of $4,500 per month for fourth months, paid monthly.
The duration of the Yearlong Hybrid Cohorts is a 12-month term beginning July 1st, 2026, and ending June 30th, 2027. This low-residency fellowship cohort will be primarily virtual, with fellows conducting their research offsite, with occasional visits to Monticello in fall 2026 and spring 2027. Fellows receive a stipend of $5,000 for the year and 7 nights of hotel lodging, meals, and local transportation will be provided during visitation. Fellows in the Yearlong Hybrid Cohorts will actively participate in their cohort gatherings hosted online and in-person. Fellows will be expected to complete one major project per fellowship and participate in a public forum at Monticello. Funding for this fellowship has been provided by our generous donors.
These fellowship cohorts are open to applicants at any career stage and across many relevant fields, especially public historians, researchers, and scholars, from any country. Successful applicants will be working on Jefferson Studies (broadly defined), the founding of the United States, and its legacies.
Learn more about fellowship cohorts at ICJS on our website.