International Affairs Fellowship
Established in 1967, the International Affairs Fellowship (IAF) aims to bridge the gap between the study and making of U.S. foreign policy by creating the next generation of scholar-practitioners. This transformational program offers fellows the chance to experience a new environment and gain a different perspective at a pivotal moment in their careers. The IAF program’s more than 550 alumni constitute a who’s who of the U.S. foreign policy community, including a former secretary of state, several undersecretaries of state and defense, ambassadors, and many other influential leaders in government, academia, and the private sector.
Each year, to ensure that national security remains a focus within the program, two or more awardees whose proposed research focuses on existing or emerging national security threats are given the special designation of International Affairs Fellow in National Security, sponsored by Janine and J. Tomilson Hill.
It’s not an exaggeration to say it played a critical role in the rest of my career path… I’m nothing but a fan of this program. I applaud the Council for having it.
Government Track
Fellows coming from academia or the private sector are placed on the government track and will spend their fellowship year in the U.S. government or at a New York or Washington, DC-based international organization. Applicants for the government track will list placement preferences in their application and are encouraged to begin conversations with prospective host organizations early on to assess feasibility. Once selected, CFR actively supports fellows to find and secure their placements. Fellows play a central role in this process, driving conversations with prospective hosts and taking ownership of securing their placement. All placements are made at the discretion of the host institution, and CFR cannot guarantee placement at any particular agency, office, or organization.
Fellows seeking to spend their fellowship working at a U.S. government agency will likely need to obtain a security clearance. The process for obtaining a security clearance can be lengthy, and the U.S. government alone determines when a clearance can be granted. Therefore, affected fellows will have until January 1 of their award year to begin their program. Should a clearance be delayed or not come through by January 1, fellows must be willing to begin their fellowships in a position that does not require a security clearance. Placements at NY and DC-based international organizations and on Capitol Hill typically do not require security clearances.
CFR Track
Fellows coming from the federal government or the U.S. military will be placed at CFR. Applicants may list their preference for CFR’s New York or Washington, DC office in their application. Fellows on the CFR track will have the opportunity to conduct research and produce written work on their proposed research topic. Fellows will also contribute to ongoing projects at CFR by collaborating with CFR staff and researching and writing on policy-relevant issues.
The fellowship will be a full-time, in-person experience. Fellows should expect to work on-site with their host organization or agency at least four days per week.
Eligibility
- Applicants must be U.S. citizens
- Applicants must be mid-career professionals
- Applicants must have a strong record of professional achievement and a firm grounding in the field of foreign policy
- Applicants must hold at least a bachelor’s degree or equivalent
- Applicants cannot have applied for another Council on Foreign Relations fellowship program in the same year
Fellowship Award
The fellowship begins in September each year and lasts for twelve months. The program awards a stipend of $120,000 as well as a modest travel grant. Fellows are independent contractors rather than employees of CFR and are not eligible for employment benefits, including health insurance. No indirect costs can be deducted from the stipend.
A PhD is not required for university-based applicants, though successful candidates from academia typically hold an advanced degree. The IAF program does not fund pre- or postdoctoral research, work toward a degree, or the completion of projects on which substantial progress has been made before the fellowship begins. The program is intended to be a transformational experience that gives awardees the opportunity to work in a setting substantially different from their current employment. For candidates from academia and the private sector, preference is given to candidates with no significant prior work experience in the U.S. government or at an international organization.
If given the rare opportunity to have an experience that redefines your career trajectory … take it! That’s what my IAF did for me!
How to Apply
The application window for the 2026–27 fellowship cycle is now closed. Interested candidates who meet the program’s eligibility requirements can apply online in the fall for the 2027–28 fellowship cycle. Awardees will be notified by spring 2027.
To apply, you will need to submit the following:
- Basic biographical, educational, and employment information
- Two letters of support
- For applicants from academia, the private sector, NGOs, and state or local government: Proposed placements in the U.S. government or at a New York or Washington, DC-based international organization and proposed focus of work
- For applicants from the federal government and the U.S. military: Research proposal on a foreign policy-relevant issue
Selection Process
Selection as an IAF is based on the following criteria:
- Scholarly qualifications and/or professional experience
- Demonstrated interest in foreign policy
- The merits and feasibility of a proposal to work on some aspect of U.S. foreign policy or to contribute to policy-relevant work at CFR
- The contribution the fellowship will make to the applicant’s career development
The selection process is highly competitive. A selection committee reviews all applications and conducts formal interviews with finalists. CFR awards eight to ten fellowships each year. Strong preference is given to candidates who have never received a CFR fellowship.
Contact Us
For more information, please contact [email protected]