Brinson Prize Fellowship 2026

The Brinson Foundation announces the call for applications for postdoctoral fellowships under the Brinson Prize Fellowship Program beginning in the fall of 2026. The Space Telescope Science Institute is collaborating with The Brinson Foundation in support of this program.

Brinson Prize Fellowships are awarded to early-career astrophysicists and cosmologists who are committed to chasing bold ideas with creative, nimble, and innovative research. The awards support ambitious research in observational cosmology, with a focus on projects that complement and capitalize on the latest space science. Proposals describing instrumentation development should be connected with observing the sky, and all proposals should include a science communication plan and ideas for future engagement with broad audiences.

The fellowship is open to applicants who have earned (or will have earned) their doctoral degree on or after January 1, 2022 in astronomy, physics, or related disciplines. The duration of the Fellowship is up to three years.

We anticipate offering up to three Brinson Prize Fellowships this year. The Fellowships are tenable at the following participating U.S. institutions:

• California Institute of Technology
• Cornell University
• Johns Hopkins University
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Northwestern University
• Princeton University
• Stanford University
• University of Arizona
• University of California, Berkeley
• University of Chicago

The Announcement of Opportunity, which includes detailed program policies and application instructions, is available at the website:   

https://www.stsci.edu/stsci-research/fellowships/brinson-prize-fellowship-program/announcement-of-opportunity

The application submission page will be open from September 11 until the application deadline on November 6, 2025.

Applicants should follow the instructions given in the Announcement. Please send any further inquiries to [email protected].

Important dates:

Applications are due Thursday, November 6, 2025 (7 PM EST, 4 PM PST, 24:00 UTC)

Letters of reference are due Thursday, November 13, 2025 (Note: the applications are due one week before the letters.)

Offers will be made in January 2026 and new appointments should begin on or about September 1, 2026. Brinson Prize Fellowships are open to citizens from all countries.. 

Application Deadline: Thursday, November 6, 2025

Selection Deadline:  Tuesday, February 15, 2026