USA Scholarships
Stanford Science Fellowship 2027 - $98,000 Stipend
The Stanford Science Fellowship is a three-year postdoctoral appointment at Stanford University for early-career scientists doing fundamental research in any natural science, from astrophysics and mathematics to chemistry, biology and the earth sciences. Fellows receive a $98,000 annual stipend, Stanford benefits, up to $10,000 a year for research and professional development, and up to $2,500 toward the move. You join a faculty research group in Humanities and Sciences, Engineering, Medicine or the Doerr School of Sustainability, and you are part of a small cross-disciplinary cohort. Applications for the 2027 cycle close at 11:59 pm EDT on 16 October 2026 through Academic Jobs Online, and appointments start between July and September 2027.
What is the Stanford Science Fellowship?
The Stanford Science Fellowship is Stanford University's flagship postdoc for people who want to chase basic questions about the natural world rather than build a product. Run from the School of Humanities and Sciences, it places each fellow in a faculty research group of their choosing for three years, pays a stipend of $98,000 a year, and leaves plenty of room to work across departments. Astronomers, mathematicians, chemists, biologists, physicists and earth scientists all apply to the same programme, and the idea is that they end up talking to each other.
The package is generous by postdoc standards. On top of the stipend you get Stanford's postdoc benefits, up to $10,000 a year for research and professional development, and up to $2,500 for the move. Fellows with children can apply for childcare grants, and international fellows get help with visa costs. Your primary appointment sits in a department in Humanities and Sciences, Engineering, Medicine or the Doerr School of Sustainability, and because Stanford shares faculty with the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, the range of groups you could join is wide.
For the 2027 cycle, the deadline is 11:59 pm EDT on 16 October 2026, and everything goes through Academic Jobs Online, letters included. Most shortlisted candidates meet a faculty panel on Zoom in the first two weeks of December, and selection runs until the end of February 2027. Appointments usually begin on 1 September 2027, though 1 July or 1 August can also work. When Stanford opened applications for the first cohort in 2021, it said it expected to pick about 10 to 12 fellows, so places are scarce.
Two rules catch people out. The first is the clock: your PhD can be no more than three years old at your start date, which for this round means awarded on or after 1 July 2024, and you cannot bring more than two years of postdoc experience from elsewhere. The second is the host. No offer is made until a Stanford faculty member agrees to take you on, so write to potential hosts now rather than in the week before the deadline. A host can also write one of your three letters, which gives the committee a Stanford voice who already knows your plan.
Eligibility
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✓PhD within three years of your start dateYour doctorate must be no more than three years old when the fellowship begins. The earliest start is 1 July 2027, so a PhD awarded before 1 July 2024 rules you out. Graduating students can apply, but the degree has to be conferred by the start date.
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✓No more than two years of prior postdoc workYou can bring up to 24 months of postdoctoral experience from another institution. If you finished your PhD and began a postdoc before 1 July 2025 and have worked without a break since, you will be over the limit.
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✓Fundamental research in a natural scienceThe Stanford Science Fellowship funds basic experimental or theoretical work in any natural science discipline. Social science proposals are not considered, whatever the method, and applied engineering projects are a poor fit, though using engineering tools to answer a basic science question is welcome.
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✓No Stanford affiliation during selectionYou cannot hold any paid or unpaid Stanford position while the selection runs, which is through the end of February. Current Stanford PhD students and postdocs are ineligible, as is anyone starting a Stanford post before 1 March 2027.
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✓Open to all nationalities, on a J-1 visaInternational scholars are eligible, and Stanford helps fellows and their families with US legal status. Because the fellowship is not an employment contract, H-1B holders cannot take it up. Most international fellows need to qualify for a J-1 visa, with an F-1 extension possible in some cases.
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✓A Stanford faculty member willing to host youNo award is made until at least one Stanford faculty member agrees to host you in their research group. The programme strongly encourages you to contact potential hosts before you apply.
Benefits
- Stanford Science Fellowship stipend $98,000 a year
- Research and professional development funds Up to $10,000 a year
- Relocation expenses Up to $2,500
- Stanford postdoc benefits Included
- Childcare assistance grants For eligible fellows
- Visa expense assistance For eligible fellows
- Funding beyond year three Not part of the award
- Length Three years
- Start date 1 July, 1 August or 1 September 2027
- Appointment type Postdoctoral scholar
- Participating schools H&S, Engineering, Medicine, Doerr
- Faculty host and research group Required
- Community and training activities Included
- Based at another institution Not allowed
Document checklist
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✓Academic Jobs Online applicationEverything is submitted through AJO. Add a phone number and an email you check often to the cover sheet, and choose a primary research area so the right reviewers see your file.
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✓Curriculum vitaeInclude your publications, your full legal name, your contact details and the date of your PhD, or the expected date if it has not been conferred yet.
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✓Cover letterStanford leaves the salutation and content up to you. Use it to say why this fellowship, which host or hosts you have in mind, and what you would bring to the cohort.
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✓Career goals statementUp to two pages on your career goals, relevant experience and how you would contribute to the aims of the Stanford Science Fellows programme.
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✓Research statementUp to two pages, plus one extra page for references. Answer three questions: what the research problem is, what could be achieved on a three- to five-year timescale, and how Stanford makes it possible.
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✓Three letters of recommendationOne letter from your PhD advisor is advised. Your writers upload directly to AJO, and all letters are due by the application deadline for full consideration.
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✓Formatting rulesBoth statements need at least 11-point type and margins of at least 3/4 inch. Single or double spacing is fine, and figure legends must be 9-point or larger.
How to apply
Deadline and timeline
FAQ
What is the Stanford Science Fellowship?
The Stanford Science Fellowship is a three-year postdoctoral programme at Stanford University for early-career scientists doing fundamental research in the natural sciences. Fellows join a faculty research group in Humanities and Sciences, Engineering, Medicine or the Doerr School of Sustainability, and take part in a shared programme of seminars, workshops and science communication training.
How much does the Stanford Science Fellowship pay?
Fellows receive an annual stipend of $98,000 for three years, plus Stanford benefits, up to $10,000 a year for research and professional development, and up to $2,500 in relocation costs. Eligible fellows can also get childcare assistance grants and help with visa expenses.
When is the Stanford Science Fellowship deadline for 2027?
Applications for the 2027 cycle close at 11:59 pm EDT on 16 October 2026. Every document, including your three reference letters, should be uploaded to Academic Jobs Online by then. Late applications are not accepted.
Who is eligible for the Stanford Science Fellowship?
Early-career scientists whose PhD will be no more than three years old at the fellowship start date and who have at most two years of postdoc experience at another institution. Your research must be fundamental work in a natural science, and you cannot hold any Stanford position while selection runs through the end of February.
Can international applicants apply for the Stanford Science Fellowship?
Yes. The fellowship is open to all nationalities and Stanford helps international fellows and their families with visas and legal status. Because the award is not an employment contract, H-1B holders are not eligible, and most international fellows come in on a J-1 visa.
Can engineering PhDs apply for the Stanford Science Fellowship?
Possibly. Applied engineering projects are not a good fit, but a proposal that uses engineering tools to push forward basic research in a natural science is welcome. Proposals in the social sciences are not considered at all.
Do I need a Stanford faculty host before applying?
You do not need a signed agreement to submit, but Stanford will not make an award until at least one faculty member agrees to host you. Reach out to potential hosts early. A host is also allowed to write one of your recommendation letters.
How many Stanford Science Fellows are selected each year?
When the programme opened applications for its first cohort in 2021, Stanford said about 10 to 12 new fellows would be chosen. That makes it a small, highly competitive intake, and Stanford does not give feedback to unsuccessful applicants, though you may apply again if you still meet the rules.
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