Are you a PhD student or early-career academic at an African university using case studies, interviews, fieldwork or other qualitative methods? The Institute for Qualitative and Multi-Method Research (IQMR) at Syracuse University in the United States is offering five fellowships specifically for researchers at African institutions to attend its two-week summer institute from 14 to 25 June 2027. Fellows get free participation, accommodation, a meals stipend and return economy airfare. Applications close on 1 December 2026.
Fellowship at a Glance
- Organiser: Center for Qualitative and Multi-Method Inquiry, Maxwell School, Syracuse University
- Event: IQMR 2027, an intensive two-week training institute
- Dates: 14–25 June 2027
- Location: Syracuse University, New York State, USA
- Africa fellowships: 5 places
- Covered: Participation, lodging, a meals stipend and return economy-class flights
- For: Graduate students and junior faculty based at African scholarly institutions
- Deadline: 1 December 2026
About IQMR
IQMR has trained nearly 3,500 graduate students and junior academics in how to design and critique rigorous qualitative research. Over two weeks, more than 30 faculty members, many of them authors of leading methods textbooks, teach a wide menu of techniques. These include:
- case study design
- process tracing
- comparative historical analysis
- ethnography and field research
- interpretive and discourse analysis
- qualitative comparative analysis (QCA)
- text analysis
- combining qualitative and statistical methods
Participants also present their own research design and get detailed feedback. The institute is supported in part by the US National Science Foundation and the American Political Science Association.
Benefits
- Free participation in the full two-week institute
- Return economy airfare to Syracuse (for Africa, Latin America and MENA fellows)
- Accommodation in modern suites, each participant with a private bedroom and bathroom
- Meals stipend
- Feedback on your own research design from leading methodologists
- Hands-on training in methods you choose from a rich menu of classes
- One-to-one consultation on your data management plan
- An international network of researchers and methods experts
Eligibility
- You’re a graduate student (usually a PhD student) or a junior faculty member.
- Your main current institutional affiliation is with an African scholarly institution, such as a university or research institute.
- Your research uses, or plans to use, qualitative or multi-method approaches, most often in political science and related social sciences.
- You can travel to the USA for the full two weeks in June 2027 and obtain a US visa.
Note: If you’re African but based at a university outside Africa, you would apply through the General competition instead. It has 12 places and covers participation, lodging and meals, but not travel.
Other Competitions
| Competition | Places | Travel covered? | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Africa | 5 | Yes | 1 December 2026 |
| General (any country) | 12 | No | 1 December 2026 |
| Latin America | 5 | Yes | 1 December 2026 |
| Arab MENA (includes North Africa) | To be announced | To be announced | To be announced |
Universities can also nominate their own students or staff. Nominations open on 2 December 2026 and close on 28 February 2027, and the nominating department usually pays the fee. Fees for 2027 will be announced by 15 November 2026.
Tips for a Strong Application
- Use the Africa form. IQMR has separate forms, and the general form tells African-based applicants not to use it.
- Explain your research project clearly: your question, the cases or places you’ll study, and your planned methods.
- Say what you want to learn. Name the techniques, such as process tracing, interviews, ethnography or QCA, and how they’ll improve your project.
- Show where you are in your career, such as your PhD stage, publications or teaching.
- Plan your US visa early. If selected, apply as soon as possible, as appointment waits can be long.
How to Apply
- Read the details on IQMR’s official page at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School.
- Open the “IQMR Open Pool Application – Africa” form.
- Complete the form and submit by 1 December 2026.
- Fellowship results are announced in December 2026 or January 2027.
For questions, email [email protected].
Apply for the IQMR 2027 Africa Fellowship
Read the official IQMR programme page
