The Schomburg-Mellon Humanities Summer Institute returns this summer 2025! The four-week fellowship program is open to rising college seniors who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents. It will take place from June 2–27. 

The in-person summer institute will provide archival research at the Schomburg Center, dormitory housing, meals each day, and a stipend for 10 rising college seniors. There is no virtual format offered. The online application is open through March 28, 2025. 

The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation created the Schomburg-Mellon Humanities Summer Institute to encourage students of color and others with interests in African-American, African, and African Diaspora Studies to pursue PhDs in the humanities.

Program Details

• Full-day sessions with breaks
• All sessions are mandatory
• Seminars led by distinguished scholars
• Mentorship from emerging scholars
• Assigned readings
• Archival research
• Trips to local cultural institutions
• Most out-of-state transportation costs covered
• Free housing and lunch Monday through Friday
• $4,000 stipend. Students who are enrolled in the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Program are NOT eligible for the stipend. 

Qualifications

• College students entering their senior year in Fall 2025
• U.S. citizens or permanent residents
• 3.0 GPA or higher
• Demonstrated interest in Africa and the African Diaspora

If you do not meet ALL eligibility requirements, your application will not be considered.

Application Instructions

Application Requirements (All application materials must be received by March 28, 2025)

• Completed application form 
• Academic transcripts must be received by March 28, 2025. We will accept an official or student copy of a transcript. Please send, or have your college/university's registrar's office send your complete transcript via email to [email protected] OR via postal mail to Schomburg-Mellon Institute, Schomburg Center, 515 Malcolm X Blvd., New York, NY 10037. Applicants may combine a transcript with their resume PDF and upload both required items together.
• One letter of recommendation from a faculty member
• Research statement (500 words)
• Personal Statement including why you may want to pursue a PhD  (500 words)
• Recent resume

If you do not provide ALL required materials by the deadline, your application will not be considered. 

Selected students will be informed via email no later than April 28, 2025.