About the programme
Fellows spend five months in residence at NED's International Forum for Democratic Studies in Washington, D.C., working on an independent research project on democratic development in a particular country or region. Two tracks exist: a practitioner track for mid-career democracy and human rights professionals, and a scholarly track for holders of a doctorate. Fellows complete a written or audiovisual product and give a formal presentation at the end. The program also functions as NED's Democracy Accelerator, linking fellows to NED's wider network.
Duration: Five months
Eligibility
- Proficiency in English
- Project proposal on political, social, economic, legal or cultural aspects of democratic development
- Available to work in residence in Washington, D.C. for the full five-month period; no other fellowships or jobs held at the same time
- Practitioner track: substantial practical experience promoting democracy or human rights in home country or area of interest
- Practitioner track: mid-career professional, typically with several years in democracy and human rights work; no degree requirement and no age limit
- Scholarly track: doctorate (PhD or academic equivalent) at time of application
- Scholarly track: proven record of publications in field
- Scholarly track: detailed research outline for fellowship project
- Former Reagan-Fascell fellows are not eligible for repeat fellowships
- Not participated in a J-1 research scholar program in the 24 months before the fellowship
- Sign in to check these against your background.
What they look for
- Program is intended primarily for practitioners from developing, aspiring and non-democratic countries
- Track record of building democracy and potential to advance democratic learning at a strategic level
Limits on using AI. Prohibited: wholesale copy-and-paste of AI-generated answers. Acceptable: limited use for generating ideas, editorial guidance and translation, provided it does not overly affect writing style or content. Overreliance may make applicants less competitive.
What you will need
- Applicant information
- Project proposal for practitioner or scholarly track
- Letters of recommendation
- Resume/CV and biography
How to apply
- Create an account on the online portal
- Submit applicant information, project proposal, letters of recommendation, CV and biography
- Submit all materials in English
- Applications assessed and finalists selected by NED Board of Directors
- Questions to fellowships@ned.org
Applications are submitted on National Endowment for Democracy (NED)’s own site. Open Doors helps you prepare; it is not the official application portal.
From people who applied
No notes yet.
Source and verification
- Official source
- National Endowment for Democracy (NED) · Application
- Last checked
- 10 Nov 2026, read automatically from the official page
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