The Sloan Research Fellowships 2027 support fundamental research conducted by early-career scientists working at degree-granting institutions in the United States or Canada. Awarded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, each fellowship provides $75,000 for a two-year term. The 2027 nomination period opened on July 15, 2026, and closes on September 15, 2026.
Programme Snapshot
Programme: Sloan Research Fellowships
Category: Early-career research fellowship
Host: Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
Eligible Institutions: Degree-granting institutions in the United States or Canada
Duration: Two years
Award Amount: $75,000
Nomination Period: July 15–September 15, 2026
Eligible Fields: Chemistry, computer science, Earth system science, economics, mathematics, neuroscience, physics, and related fields
About the Sloan Research Fellowships 2027
The Sloan Research Fellowships recognise early-career faculty members whose independent research demonstrates creativity, innovation, and the potential for scientific leadership.
The programme supports fundamental research rather than prescribing a single project format. Successful candidates generally have a record of significant independent research achievements and show the potential to make important contributions to their fields.
The Foundation awards the fellowships annually. Each selected researcher receives a two-year award that begins on September 15 of the award year.
Eligible Research Fields
Candidates must hold a Ph.D. or an equivalent degree in one of the recognised fellowship areas or a related field.
The seven Sloan Research Fellowship fields are:
• Chemistry
• Computer science
• Earth system science
• Economics
• Mathematics
• Neuroscience
• Physics
Eligibility is based on the candidate’s research area rather than the title of their academic department. For example, a researcher working in fundamental chemistry may be eligible even when appointed within an engineering department.
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Fellowship Award and Permitted Expenses
Each Sloan Research Fellowship provides $75,000 for a two-year period. The Foundation pays the award as a single lump sum.
Fellowship funds may support research-related expenses, including:
✓ Research staffing
✓ Professional travel
✓ Laboratory expenses
✓ Research equipment
✓ Summer salary support
✓ Other expenses considered supportive of the fellow’s research
The funds may not be used for indirect costs or institutional overhead charges.
Fellowship Conditions
The fellowship term begins on September 15 of the award year and continues for two years.
Recipients must:
• Notify the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation if they change institutions.
• Submit a substantive report once each year.
• Submit a financial report once each year.
• Explain how fellowship funds have been used.
• Follow the conditions stated in the formal fellowship agreement.
The substantive report describes the work undertaken during the award period. The financial report records fellowship expenditure.
Who Can Be Nominated?
Candidates must satisfy the programme’s academic-position and institutional requirements.
Eligible nominees must:
• Hold a Ph.D. or an equivalent degree in an eligible field or related area.
• Be a faculty member at a college, university, or other degree-granting institution in the United States or Canada.
• Hold a tenure-track position.
• Remain untenured as of September 15 of the nomination year.
• Have a regular teaching obligation as part of their faculty appointment.
The Foundation defines early-career faculty as researchers who are untenured but hold tenure-track appointments and can demonstrate independent research achievements.
A regular teaching obligation means that the faculty position requires teaching each year. Candidates may be asked to provide evidence of their teaching responsibilities.
Candidates Who Are Not Eligible
The official eligibility guidance excludes certain applicants.
• Tenured faculty members are not eligible.
• Researchers who do not yet hold a tenure-track position are not eligible.
• Previous and current Sloan Research Fellows cannot receive another Sloan Research Fellowship.
Researchers who have received support through another Alfred P. Sloan Foundation grantmaking programme may still qualify if they meet all fellowship requirements.
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Nomination Requirement
Candidates cannot submit a standalone application without an official nomination.
Every candidate must receive a nomination letter from:
• A department head; or
• Another senior researcher qualified to nominate the candidate.
Applications submitted without a nomination letter from a senior researcher are not accepted.
A department may nominate more than one candidate in each fellowship field. However, it may nominate no more than three candidates per field.
Who Should Be Considered for Nomination?
Competitive nominees generally demonstrate a strong record of independent research.
The Foundation looks for candidates whose work reflects:
✓ Significant independent research accomplishments
✓ Creativity and innovation
✓ Potential to become a leader in the scientific community
✓ Capacity to make important contributions to an eligible field
Candidates are normally several years beyond the completion of their Ph.D. This allows them to build a competitive body of independent research.
The Foundation strongly encourages institutions to nominate qualified candidates from all backgrounds.
Required Nomination Materials
A complete nomination requires several supporting documents.
Candidates and nominators must provide:
• An official nomination letter from a department head or senior researcher
• The candidate’s curriculum vitae
• A list of the candidate’s scientific publications
• Two representative research articles
• A one-page statement written by the candidate
• Three letters of support from other researchers
The one-page statement should describe the candidate’s significant scientific work and immediate research plans.
The two representative articles should demonstrate the candidate’s independent research. The Foundation prefers support letters from researchers who can assess the nominee’s work objectively and knowledgeably.
Guidance for Letters of Support
Letters of nomination and support form an important part of the selection process. They help the selection committee understand aspects of the candidate’s work that may not be evident from the CV, publication record, or research statement.
Support letters should ideally come from researchers with enough professional distance to provide an objective assessment.
The official guidance notes that letters from co-authors, personal associates, or professional mentors may be less useful than letters from researchers who can independently evaluate the quality and significance of the nominee’s work.
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How to Submit a Nomination
All nomination materials must be uploaded and submitted through the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation’s SM Apply service.
The submission process includes:
• Confirm that the candidate meets every eligibility requirement.
• Obtain an official nomination from a department head or senior researcher.
• Prepare the candidate’s CV and publication list.
• Select two representative research articles.
• Prepare the one-page research statement.
• Request three letters of support.
• Upload and submit the complete nomination through SM Apply.
Candidates must submit their application by the nomination deadline. The Foundation encourages nomination and support letter writers to submit their letters by the same date.
Selection Process
Independent selection committees review the nominations in each eligible research field.
Committee members evaluate candidates based on:
• Independent research accomplishments
• Creativity
• Research quality and significance
• Potential to become a scientific leader
• Expected contribution to the candidate’s field
Each committee consists of distinguished scientists with expertise relevant to the fellowship field.
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Application Deadline
The nomination period for the 2027 Sloan Research Fellowships opened on July 15, 2026.
The final nomination deadline is:
September 15, 2026
All application materials must be uploaded and submitted through the Foundation’s online application service.
Apply Here
Submit the nomination and required materials through the official application portal below.
