Are you a scholar with a passion for regional history, cultural intersections, or the untold stories that shaped a state? Here’s your chance to bring Missouri’s rich heritage into academic light — and get rewarded for it!
The Center for Missouri Studies Fellowships 2026 cycle is now officially accepting applications! This prestigious opportunity by the State Historical Society of Missouri (SHSMO) offers international students, academic professionals, and independent researchers a funded chance to explore and publish on lesser-known facets of Missouri’s past.
Fellowship Overview
The Center for Missouri Studies aims to deepen the understanding of Missouri’s complex history through original, interdisciplinary research. Whether your lens is history and science, business and sociology, or other boundary-blurring fields — this is your time to explore how Missouri’s past intersects with broader global narratives.
Fellowship Benefits
- Stipend: $5,000 USD
- Essay Length: 8,000–10,000 words (exclusive of notes)
- Output: A publishable-quality scholarly essay using primary sources and following The Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)
- Publication Consideration: Submitted essays may be published in the Missouri Historical Review
- Public Presentation: Fellows may also be invited to present their work publicly
Who Can Apply?
This is a competitive program open globally to:
- Academic researchers (affiliated with institutions)
- Independent scholars (without institutional ties).
Research Themes for 2026
Topics for the 2026 Fellowships will be released before May 1, 2025. Applicants are encouraged to monitor the SHSMO site for the official topic list and tailor their proposals accordingly as follows:
Apply: https://shsmo.org/awards/center-fellowship
Application Deadlines
The application period for the 2026 Center for Missouri Studies Fellowships will run from May 1 to September 2, 2025. All proposals must be submitted no later than the application deadline of September 2, 2025. Successful applicants will be notified of their selection by December 15, 2025.