Apply for a Fellowship
What is a CNAIR fellowship?
The Center for Native American and Indigenous Research (CNAIR) supports undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty fellows. The Center’s fellowship program seeks to generate and support research that is responsive to and engaged with Native communities and organizations and NAI research. Fellows will present their work at the annual CNAIR research symposium, and join a community of scholars dedicated to research by and for Indigenous people. We welcome fellowship applications from all Northwestern majors and schools.
Apply for funding for Spring 2026, Summer 2026, Fall 2026, and Winter 2027!
ALL APPLICATIONS ARE DUE JAN 6TH 2026
This page will cover the graduate fellowship, undergraduate fellowship, and 3 faculty fellowship opportunities. The faculty fellowship options are split in 3 applications to allow for clarity for the fellowship review committee. This page will also cover the Indigenous Methods & Studies Travel Fellowship. Students, postdoc, faculty are eligible for the travel fellowship.
Please email all questions to Kat Castillo-Valentin at KatherineCastillo@northwestern.edu and copy cnair@northwestern.edu
GRADUATE Fellowship DUE 1/06/26
Graduate Fellowships for all PhD & Masters Student
- All graduate students are eligible to apply across schools
UNDERGRADUATE Fellowship DUE 1/06/26
Undergraduate Fellowships for all current students.- This also includes students wanting to work with a faculty member on a project related to Indigenous Methods or Indigenous Studies. We also encourage all NAIS Minor capstone project or senior thesis to apply. This can be utilized during the school year or summer. Please note this is DIFFERENT from the CNAIR Summer Indigenous Externship since this fellowship opportunity can be used to support research with faculty.
Faculty Fellowship: THREE options available DUE 1/06/26
(1) Course buyout/leave extension fellowship
(2) Indigenous studies course enhancement fellowship
(3) Indigenous methods/studies project support fellowship
- Faculty Research Fellowship for Course Buyout/Leave Extension DUE 1/06/26
- This application is for faculty interested in applying for a course buyout (reducing teaching load) or a leave extension. Faculty must be using their time towards a project that centers Indigenous methods or Indigenous studies. This fellowship is equivalent to up to $30,000 - depending on faculty rank.
- Indigenous Studies Course Enhancement Fellowship DUE 1/06/26
- This application is for faculty interested in designing a course towards the Native American and Indigenous Studies Minor. This funding can also be used to enhance an existing course. Faculty may apply for up to $15,000 max in funding to design and support the course (examples from past awards: course materials, field trips, guest speakers, gifts for guest speakers). Faculty also have the option to budget $8,000 max in summer salary towards course design time.
- Indigenous Methods or Indigenous Studies Project Support Fellowship DUE 1/06/26
- This application is for faculty interested in getting project support. Faculty may apply for up to $20,000 max in funding to support a current or new project that is grounded in Indigenous methods or Indigenous Studies. The $20,000 budget can be used towards paying undergraduate RAs to work on the project, purchasing project supplies, books, project related travel, etc. Faculty also have the option to budget $8,000 max in summer salary.
Indigenous Methods & Studies Travel Fellowship
DUE 1/06/26 for remainder of AY26 - Applications also accepted on a rolling basis
If you are presenting at a conference and need travel support, CNAIR has travel funding for NAIS capstone students, CNAIR Fellows, and CNAIR faculty and postdoctoral scholars. Please apply by Jan 6th for all upcoming conference dates for the remainder of the year and the following academic year AY26-27. The committee will also consider requests on a rolling basis.