Gulbenkian Institute for Advanced Study Fellowships

The Gulbenkian Institute for Advanced Study (GIAS) is an independent institute established in 2025 by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. It provides fellows with protected time and an intellectually stimulating environment in which to pursue independent work with relatively few regular obligations. The 2027/28 fellowship call is currently open.

The fellowship brings together researchers and intellectuals from different disciplines, professional backgrounds and countries. Fellows are encouraged to work on projects of their own choosing while participating in an interdisciplinary community that supports reflection, concentration and intellectual exchange.

GIAS expects many candidates to be active academics, but eligibility is substantially broader. Emeritus academics, independent scholars, professionals outside academia and practitioners of the arts can also be considered. Although many successful applicants may hold PhDs, a PhD is not a formal eligibility requirement.

Applications are welcome across most fields. However, the proposed work must not require laboratory or experimental facilities and should not be primarily practice- or application-oriented. This makes the fellowship particularly suited to independent theoretical, conceptual, humanities, social-science and non-laboratory research, while still permitting suitable proposals from other disciplines and the arts.

Fellows are based in Lisbon and are expected to remain in continuous residence during their fellowship, apart from exceptional short absences. The preferred arrangement is an eight-month academic-year fellowship from 15 September to 15 May, although shorter three-month autumn and four-month spring fellowships can also be considered.

• Applicants from all nationalities are eligible.
• Pakistani academics, researchers, professionals and artists may therefore apply.
• Most applicants are expected to be active academics, but applications from emeriti, independent scholars and practitioners of the arts are also considered.
• Professionals associated with academia, other professionals outside academia and artists may be eligible under the formal regulations.
• A PhD is not formally required.
• No specific academic degree is required.
• Knowledge of Portuguese is not required.
• Applications can be made in most fields of inquiry.
• Proposed work must not require laboratory or experimental facilities/procedures.
• Proposed work should not be primarily practice- or application-oriented.
• Fellows are expected to maintain continuous residency during the fellowship, subject to limited exceptional absences.
• Previous GIAS fellows may reapply only after at least five years since their previous residency.

Successful fellows receive:

• A monthly stipend.
• Coverage of travel expenses.
• Travel insurance.
• Health insurance.
• A partial housing/accommodation allowance.
• Individual office space at GIAS.
• Access to seminar rooms and electronic resources.
• Borrowing privileges at university libraries in the Lisbon area.
• Access to the Gulbenkian Art Library.
• Assistance or guidance with finding accommodation where needed.
• Assistance with identifying schools for accompanying children where required.
• A formal fellowship letter that may be used to support visa arrangements.

Initial Application

• Curriculum Vitae (CV).
• Brief description of the activities/project proposed for the GIAS residency.
• Research/work proposal of no more than three pages.
• Names of two referees who may be contacted for references.

The proposal should concisely address:

• Main themes of the project.
• Scholarly context.
• Novelty/originality.
• Objectives for the applicant's period at GIAS.

If References Are Requested

GIAS contacts referees directly and asks them to submit recommendation letters through the MyGulbenkian platform. Reference letters sent by email are not accepted.

After Selection

Selected candidates may be required to provide:

• Proof of bank account ownership.
• Copy of an identification document.
• Full permanent residential address.
• Additional information where required for the Foundation's due-diligence procedures.

According to the formal fellowship regulations, applications are evaluated using:

• Candidate's CV – 40%
• Innovative nature of the proposed work – 60%
• Quality and originality of the proposed project.
• Compatibility of the proposal with the intellectual environment and purpose of GIAS.

Applications are assessed competitively by the GIAS Advisory Board. The formal regulations state that the evaluation, ranking and selection process is subject to the final decision of the Executive Board of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.

• Work independently on an original research or intellectual project.
• Join an international and interdisciplinary cohort in Lisbon.
• Receive dedicated time for research with minimal regular obligations.
• Gain access to individual office space and academic resources.
• Connect with scholars, researchers, intellectuals and artists from different disciplines.
• Access Lisbon-area university libraries and Gulbenkian resources.
• Benefit from financial support for travel, living and housing costs.
• Develop a major piece of work in an intellectually focused environment.