Important: the U4U program is currently not accepting new applications
Call for Applications: Universities for Ukraine (U4U) Non-Residential Fellowship Program
Economists for Ukraine and Science for Ukraine are happy to announce the Universities for Ukraine (U4U) Non-Residential Fellowship Program. The program matches researchers in Ukraine to colleges, universities, and research institutions worldwide, which provide funding to support research activities.
Summary of the U4U Non-Residential Fellowship Program
Economists for Ukraine and Science for Ukraine manage the application process and match Sponsors with pre-screened Fellows based on Sponsor-specific criteria.
If selected, U4U Fellows receive one-time unconditional funding of $5,000 and are matched with a Sponsor, which could be a university, a school or department within a university, a research group within a corporation or non-profit, etc.
Participating sponsors
Testimonies from Fellowship Recipients
Frequently Asked Questions
The U4U Fellowship is designed to support Ukrainian scholars who have chosen or were required to remain in Ukraine. To qualify for the fellowship, applicants must demonstrate (i) a record of scholarship conducted from Ukraine (e.g. publications or preprints prior to the Russian invasion while affiliated with a Ukrainian college, university, or research institution), (ii) a desire to remain in Ukraine, as attested by the applicant, and (iii) a plan of research describing how the fellowship would enable them to carry out additional research activities. Scholars who have fled to another country but desire to return to Ukraine are welcome to apply.
The U4U Non-Residential Fellowship Program is managed by scholars who volunteer through Economists for Ukraine and Science for Ukraine. In addition to maintaining the application portal, we conduct screening interviews with potential applicants, both to verify their stated level of English proficiency and to encourage them to become active in the U4U community even before they are matched.
Any interested college, university, or other research institution can act as a sponsor. Our available sponsor list constantly evolves as positions are filled, and new sponsors join the program. You can read about how sponsors join the program and how matches are made here.
If you have questions that are not answered here, please reach out to [email protected].
The application to the U4U Fellowship Program can be found here. In addition to providing basic information about themselves (e.g., name, email, affiliation, and education history), applicants are required to upload a 1-2 page plan of research, preferably in English, describing how the fellowship would enable them to carry out additional research activities. Fellows are also encouraged, but not required, to list their recent publications and courses taught and upload a recent curriculum vitae. There is no deadline to apply; we review applications periodically, in batches. Thus, applying earlier will yield the highest chances of being matched. Once you have applied, there is no need to re-apply. Your application will remain in our pool indefinitely unless you contact us ([email protected]) to withdraw it.
Once a prospective match is identified, applicants will be contacted for a virtual interview to verify their stated English proficiency and their identity. Applicants must be prepared to present identification (photocopy of passport) and proof of affiliation with a Ukrainian university or research organization (as of February 24, 2022). Finally, to receive payment, we expect that most sponsors will require a dollar-denominated bank account in the applicant’s own name.
Because the fellowship funds are unconditional and given to the fellow up front, there is no set fellowship length. If your sponsor provides additional opportunities, it is up to them and you to decide how long to maintain the relationship. Similarly, you can stay involved in the U4U community for as little or as long as you would like.
Applicants may not choose their own sponsor, but they can reject a proposed match for any reason. However, keep in mind that rejecting a proposed match may result in the applicant never being matched to a sponsor.
To ensure that fellows are not unduly burdened, sponsors are only allowed to impose minimal requirements on fellows—such as a short report on research conducted or a short presentation—and must notify fellows of any requirements prior to fellowship acceptance. Sponsors may offer additional opportunities but participating in these is always at the fellow’s discretion.
