Funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Program for Research and Training on Eastern Europe and the Independent States of the Former Soviet Union (Title VIII), the American Councils Combined Research and Language Training (CRLT) Program provides full support for U.S. graduate students, faculty, and independent scholars seeking to conduct in-country, independent research in Eurasia and Eastern Europe, while increasing proficiency in regional languages.

About The Program

Designed to expand the accessibility of overseas research while increasing U.S. knowledge and expertise on the region, the CRLT Program supports fellows who, in addition to conducting overseas, policy-relevant research, seek to increase their language proficiency through targeted language instruction. Fellowships last three to nine consecutive months and include round-trip international travel; housing and living stipends; visa support; overseas health, accident, and evacuation insurance; archive access; weekly language instruction in the host country language; and logistical support. Following the completion of the research term, fellows will return to the U.S. and share their findings through presentations, articles, and lectures in order to strengthen and broaden current scholarship on the region.

Award Components

The total value of each fellowship, administered by American Councils, ranges from $9,000 to $26,000, with actual levels of support depending on the duration of the overseas research period. Typical awards include: 

• International airfare from the scholar's home city to their host city overseas 

• Up to ten academic hours per week of advanced language instruction in Russian, the host-country language, or a combination of the two 

• Academic affiliation at a leading local university or educational institution 

• Visa(s) arranged by American Councils in direct collaboration with academic host institutions in order to facilitate archive access and guarantee timely visa registration 

• A housing stipend 

• A monthly living stipend 

• Health insurance of up to $100,000 per accident or illness 

• Ongoing logistical support from American Councils staff, including in-country orientation and 24-hour emergency aid 

Language Classes

The CRLT Program provides fellows with up to ten academic hours per week of advanced language instruction during the course of their overseas research program. Fellows can choose to study the host-country language, Russian, or a combination of the two, all taught by expert faculty. Classes are often conducted as private tutorials, focusing on each participant's individual needs and interests. 

Locations

Applicants should indicate their proposed research location(s) in the application. Applicants to the Research Scholar Program may only apply for research in a total of two countries maximum. 

Programs are available in: 

Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia (currently suspended), Serbia, Tajikistan, Ukraine (currently suspended)

Reporting and Outreach Requirements for Fellows 

Fellows on the CRLT Program will be expected to submit regular "check-in" reports to American Councils with updates on research progress, as well as information on any obstacles encountered or significant changes undertaken in the original research plan. These brief reports will be submitted bi-monthly while in-country. Following the completion of the overseas work, fellows will submit a final report, summarizing their in-country work, relevant findings, and any significant collaborative activities (e.g., publications, presentations at conferences, joint projects) undertaken. All fellows will also complete pre- and post-program surveys. 

Research conducted on the Title VIII CRLT Program must contribute to a body of knowledge enabling the U.S. to better understand the region and formulate effective policies within it. Fellows will be expected to share their research findings through established channels of scholarly communication, outreach activities briefings with policy making communities or think tanks, as appropriate. 

Application Requirements

U.S. graduate students, faculty, and independent scholars are eligible to apply. While a wide-range of topics receive support each year, all funded research must contribute to a body of knowledge enabling the U.S. to better understand the region and formulate effective policies within it. All applicants should clearly describe the policy-relevance of their work, be it in anthropology, history, international relations, political science, or some other field. Applicants must submit: 

• A completed online application form 

• Research proposal (3 to 5 pages) and bibliography 

• Proposed program timeline (including monthly research goals) 

• Research synopsis in the host country language (700 words) 

• Policy-relevance essay (1-2 pages) 

• Archive list and/or sample of survey instrument for those proposing survey activity 

• Updated curriculum vitae or resume 

• Photocopy of the inside page of current U.S. passport, clearly showing photograph, passport number, and expiration date 

• Two letters of recommendation 

• Official transcripts (of all college- and university-level coursework from the past five years, including all summer programs)* 

*For graduate students only

Letters of recommenders are asked to comment on the relevance and feasibility of the proposed in-country research and the candidate’s qualifications for undertaking the proposed research overseas at this time. The letters of recommendation can be from colleagues, professors, advisors, or other qualified persons who are familiar with the applicant's work. At least one letter of recommendation should address the applicant’s language skills and ability to conduct research in the host country. 

The competition for funding is open and merit-based. Participants must have the necessary academic background for conducting advanced, independent in-country research. In order to receive funding, applicants must be U.S. citizens. All applications will receive consideration without regard to any factor such as race, color, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, national origin, geographic location, socio-economic status, marital status, family responsibilities, veteran status, political affiliation, or disability. 

Selection Process and Notification 

All applications are reviewed by outside readers with expertise in the applicant's specific research field and region. Written comments from these evaluators, along with all application materials, are then reviewed by a final, independent selection committee of leading U.S. scholars. Criteria used to evaluate applications include (but are not limited to): 

• Relevance of research to U.S. policy makers 

• Potential of proposed research to provide new insights into the region and/or discipline 

• Project focus and degree to which timelines for completion of research are realistic 

• Sufficiency of applicant's training and background, including knowledge of existing literature 

• Degree of scholarly need for access to resources overseas 

• Sufficiency of applicant's language skills to carry out the proposed work (as demonstrated by the applicant's research synopsis and at least one letter of reference) 

Fellowship awards are announced roughly twelve weeks after the application deadline. Alternate awards are finalized approximately two weeks after initial fellowships have been announced; however, some alternate awards may take significantly longer to be finalized. 

Important Dates and Program Timeline

Passports: For many other countries, you passport must be valid for 6 months after the program end date. It can take as long as two months to receive a new passport. American Councils is not responsible for travel delays stemming from the late submission of valid passports or other travel documents. 

Program Dates: All programs are three to nine consecutive months in duration. All Title VIII Research Scholar programs must take place between June 1, 2025 and August 31, 2026. 

Reporting: Title VIII Research Scholar Program fellows must submit final reports within thirty days of completing their program. 

Support Services

American Councils is dedicated to helping scholars maximize their research time in-country by providing effective logistical support to fellows both before they leave the U.S. and while they are abroad. Before their departure, fellows receive comprehensive pre-departure materials providing detailed information on such topics as health and safety, travel, and communications. American Councils’ Washington D.C. staff consult regularly with scholars to plan convenient travel, obtain appropriate visas, arrange academic affiliations, finalize housing, and provide stipend payments. 

Fellows are enrolled in comprehensive overseas health, accident, and evacuation insurance through Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI) for the duration of the program. CISI provides medical coverage of up to $250,000 per accident or illness. Enrollment in the CISI plan also provides full coverage for emergency medical evacuation. 

For countries requiring visas for entry, fellows may choose to apply for their visa with the support of American Councils or an institution of their choice in the host country (e.g. a local university, academy of sciences, etc.). If the visas are issued with the assistance of American Councils, fellows are provided with a single-entry visa to the host-country for the duration of the program. It is the fellow's responsibility to obtain any other visas required by individual itineraries. Visa application information is provided upon acceptance to the program. 

Program Snapshot

Program Dates

All Title VIII Research programs must take place between June 1, 2025 and August 31, 2026.

Eligibility

• Applicants must be U.S. citizens 

• Graduate students, Ph.D. candidates, faculty, and post-doctoral scholars 

• Applicants must be at least 18 years old by the application deadline 

What’s included in the Fellowship?

• Round-trip international travel 

• Housing and living stipends 

• Visa support 

• Overseas health, accident, and evacuation insurance 

• Archive access 

• Pre-departure informational materials 

• In-country logistical support 

• 24/7 emergency contact 

Applications Deadlines

October 1