FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Fellowships and Fellowships for Advanced Social Science Research on Japan

The questions are grouped into four categories: I. Eligibility, II. Other Fellowship Opportunities, III. Application and References, and IV. Using Grants.gov.

I. Eligibility

1. I am an independent scholar. What are my chances of receiving a Fellowship?

Your chances are the same as any other applicant’s. All Fellowships applicants must propose a significant project and present evidence of their qualifications, including publications, presentations, and other relevant experience.

2. I am a graduate student. Am I eligible to apply for a fellowship?

No. Graduate students seeking support for a degree in the humanities should consider the Department of Education’s Jacob K. Javits Fellowship Program. But if you have successfully defended your dissertation and are waiting for your degree to be conferred, you are eligible to apply for an NEH Fellowship. Have your dean or department chair fax a signed letter to NEH (to 202-606-8204), stating that you have successfully completed all requirements for the Ph.D.; alternatively, a PDF version of the signed letter may be included as an attachment to an e-mail message sent to fellowships@neh.gov.

3. Does NEH support projects whose results will be written in a language other than English?

Yes. Applicants must provide a rationale for projects that will be written in a language other than English. The proposal itself must be written in English

4. May I apply to translate a work into English if other English translations already exist?

Yes. In the proposal narrative, provide a rationale for a new translation.

5. I am involved in a collaborative project. Can collaborators split a fellowship?

No. For NEH Fellowships, each collaborator must submit a separate application, and panelists will be asked to evaluate each application on its own merit. Applicants proposing to work together may wish to apply instead or in addition for an NEH Collaborative Research Grant. Guidelines for Collaborative Research Grants are located here.

II. Other Fellowship Opportunities

Does NEH collaborate with other institutions to provide additional funding for individual scholars in the humanities?

NEH collaborates with several organizations to offer support for research programs:

Library of Congress (LOC) – John W. Kluge Center Fellowships
Projects that draw on the collections of the Library of Congress are eligible for support. Interested applicants should apply directly to LOC’s Kluge Center Fellowships Program.

Japan-United States Friendship Commission (JUSFC) – Fellowship Program for Advanced Social Science Research on Japan
Subjects may include modern Japanese political economy, international relations and society, and United States-Japan relations. Applicants may consult the JUSFC website for additional information. Application guidelines are located here.

NEH Grants for Fellowship Programs at Independent Research Institutions (FPIRI)
Projects to be undertaken at independent centers for advanced study, libraries, and museums in the United States, and research centers overseas, are eligible for support. Individual scholars must apply directly to the institutions themselves. Available here is a list of currently funded institutions.

NEH and National Science Foundation Fellowship Program for Documenting Endangered Languages (DEL)
Projects on endangered languages are eligible for support. A full description of the DEL program is located here.

III. Application and References

1. What help is available for preparing the proposal?

Because of the large number of applications, NEH staff members are not able to comment on draft proposals. NEH staff will, however, answer questions about preparing your proposal and about your eligibility. They may be reached at (202) 606-8200 and at fellowships@neh.gov. Hearing-impaired applicants can contact NEH via TDD at 1-866-372-2930.

Applicants are encouraged to review the samples of previously funded applications, as well as the broader list of projects.

2. I applied for a grant last year and my proposal was unsuccessful. Will I be at a disadvantage if I reapply?

No. NEH encourages previous applicants to reapply and does not inform panelists that a proposal was unsuccessful in a previous competition. Moreover, NEH employs different panelists each year.

3. My project is interdisciplinary. What is the most effective way of characterizing it for the review process?

NEH supports proposals that cross disciplinary boundaries. When selecting the project field, choose one area that best captures the central focus of the proposal. When selecting references, choose two who can effectively attest to your ability to work in the different disciplines that are relevant to your project.

4. My reference is unable to submit a letter online. Is there an alternative?

NEH strongly encourages referees to submit their letters online. If they are unable to do so, referees may e-mail letters to fellowships@neh.gov or fax them to 202-606-8204.

IV. Using Grants.gov

1. How do I know if I have submitted my application successfully?

You will receive four e-mail messages confirming receipt of your application. The first three are from Grants.gov:

1. “Grants.gov Submission Receipt”;


2. “Grants.gov Submission Validation Receipt”; and


3. “Grants.gov Grantor Agency Retrieval Receipt.”



Note: Each of these three e-mail messages includes your application’s Grants.gov tracking number. Keep these e-mail messages for your records.



These messages are normally sent within twenty-four hours of the submission, but delays could occur in the event of heavy system usage.



If you do not receive all three of these messages, or if the messages indicate that the application has been rejected, contact Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov/index.jsp) at 1-800-518-GRANTS (4726) or support@grants.gov. Include the Grants.gov tracking number in correspondence regarding the application.


4. NEH confirmation receipt

You will need both your Grants.gov tracking number and your NEH tracking number in order to send reminder e-mail messages to your referees, if that should be necessary.