Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellowship

Supports recent college graduates working in the area of peace and security affairs for up to nine months in Washington DC.

The Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellowship, established in 1987, is a highly-competitive national fellowship program that provides recent college and graduate school alumni with the opportunity to gain a Washington perspective on key issues of peace and security. Twice yearly, the fellowship’s  Board of Directors selects a group of outstanding individuals to spend six to nine months in Washington. Supported by a salary, the fellows serve as full-time junior staff members at the participating organization of their choice.

Fellows serve as full-time junior staff members working on peace and security issues, at participating organizations. The program also arranges meetings for the fellows with policy experts. Many former Scoville Fellows have gone on to pursue graduate degrees in international relations and related fields and taken prominent positions in the field of peace and security with public-interest organizations, the Federal  Government, academia, and media. To date, 176 fellowships have been awarded.

Deadline Information

Spring 2022: Friday, October 1, 2021

Fall 2022: Friday, January 7, 2022

Eligibility Requirements

Application is open to US citizens and permanent residents who have completed a baccalaureate degree by the start of the program.

Applicants should have experience with public-interest activism, including organizing campus forums, letter-writing campaigns, rallies, or meeting with decisionmakers.

Conference participants and persons who have written opinion pieces for the press are also encouraged to apply.

Note: This fellowship is not intended for students or scholars interested in pursuing independent research in Washington DC.

Application Process

A complete application contains the following materials:

  • A cover sheet (not a cover letter) with telephone number, email address, semester you are applying for, contact information for references, list of participating organizations you would like to work for (5-6), and specific information on how you found out about the fellowship
  • A full curriculum vitae
  • A personal essay (limit 1,000 words)
  • A policy/opinion essay (limit 1,000 words)