The Leonard A. Lauder Research Center for Modern Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art welcomes applications for pre-doctoral, post-doctoral, mid-career, and non-residential doctoral dissertation completion fellowships in the 2027-2028 academic year.

Applications are open now for a range of fellowship opportunities in the Leonard A. Lauder Research Center for Modern Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Pre-Doctoral Fellowships (two years) are aimed at current PhD students working on their thesis. Post-Doctoral Fellowships (one or two years), for those within seven years of receiving their doctoral degree, are intended for scholars working on a book project. The Mid-Career Fellowship (one year) is for established scholars with a publication record commensurate with their career stage. The one-year Non-Residential Doctoral Dissertation Completion Fellowship is for PhD students in the final stages of writing who aim to submit their thesis by the end of the fellowship year.

The Non-Residential Fellow receives a stipend of $30,000 and the option for a two-week visit to the Research Center. Residential fellows receive a stipend and health insurance. For the year 2027-28, the stipend for a Pre-Doctoral Fellow is $50,000, for a Post-Doctoral Fellow $60,000, and for a Senior Fellow $70,000. All residential fellows receive a research travel allowance. They benefit from an office space in the Research Center to work on their projects, and participate in writing workshops, works-in-progress presentations, and discussions in the galleries. They also join the wider museum fellowship community, engaging with collections and gaining behind the scenes insights.

The leading center for scholarship on modern art across media, disciplines, and geographies from the last third of the nineteenth century to the 1960s, the Research Center also supports publications and programs, including public lectures, workshops, and film screenings, and organizes focused research exhibitions linked to works in the Leonard A. Lauder Cubist Collection.

How to Apply

All applications must be submitted online and in English. All Leonard A. Lauder Fellowship in Modern Art applications must include (as .docx or .pdf files):
- A research proposal, not to exceed 1,000 words. Please describe your research rationale or arguments, the focus of your project, and what you wish to accomplish during the fellowship. You may wish to include discussion of the research methods of your project, including how the project will benefit from the resources of the Research Center or The Met (e.g., its departments, collection, and libraries).
- A critical bibliographic statement, not to exceed 500 words. It should describe the key literature (the state of the field and/or interpretive frameworks) that forms the context for your proposal or planned research. It should also demonstrate how your contribution is original or develops a new perspective.
- A personal statement, not to exceed 500 words. This is an opportunity for you to share information about you and your work that cannot be learned from a school transcript or CV.
- A brief schedule of work to be accomplished during the fellowship period. (Applicants for the Post-Doctoral Fellowship should indicate whether they are applying for a one- or two-year period.)
- A brief schedule of travel for research visits (maximum of six weeks) during the fellowship period. Note that if you do not need to travel to complete the research for your project, it will not negatively affect the assessment of your application.
- Curriculum vitae of education, professional experience, honors, awards, and publications
- Three letters of recommendation. Applicants must submit 3 academic recommendations. These letters should be uploaded directly by the recommenders, none of whom may be current Met staff, contactors, or volunteers. Recommenders must submit their letters in English.
- Official transcripts (undergraduate and graduate)—for Pre-Doctoral Fellowship applicants only
- If you have not yet completed your PhD, you must upload a copy of your undergraduate transcript and any graduate transcripts. If you have transcripts from more than one institution, please upload them as one combined file.
- An application profile (This section can be updated at any point throughout and after the application process).

Visit the Fellowships page on our website for more information on how to apply: https://www.metmuseum.org/de/opportunities/fellowships/leonard-a-lauder-fellowships-in-modern-art

Application deadline: Thursday, October 15, 2026, 5 pm ET