How to Apply
All applications must be submitted online and in English. Academic and Professional Programs will not accept applications or related materials via email, postal mail, or in person.
Materials Required for All Applications
The following materials must be included with all applications (as .doc or .pdf files):
- Curriculum vitae of education, professional experience, honors, awards, and publications
- Three letters of recommendation. For History of Art and Visual Culture, Interdisciplinary, and Conservation/Scientific Research fellowships, applicants must submit at least one academic and one professional letter of recommendation. For Leonard A. Lauder Fellowships, applicants must submit three academic recommendations. These letters should be uploaded directly by the recommenders, none of whom may be current Met staff. Recommenders must submit their letters in English.
- Project proposal or statement (see instructions for specific fellowships below)
- Official transcripts (undergraduate and graduate)—for predoctoral (junior) fellowship applicants only If you have not yet completed your PhD, you must upload a copy of your undergraduate transcript and graduate transcript. If you have transcripts from more than one institution for either category (undergraduate or graduate), please upload them as one combined file.
Please read Fellowship-Specific Application Requirements below. Depending on the category of fellowship for which you are applying, additional materials may be required.
For more information about the application process, please read our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page. If your question is not answered there, please contact us at Academic.Programs@metmuseum.org.
Please note: Participants in all fellowship programs are expected to have valid work authorization for the entire duration of the fellowship. If you are not a US citizen or permanent resident, please review the additional details on the FAQ page, and ensure you have confirmed your eligibility prior to submitting an application.
Attend an information session about the Fellowship program on August 27, 1 pm ET. Register now.
All applicants will be notified by the last Friday in February following the application deadline.
Program-Specific Application Requirements
The deadline for Fellowship in History of Art and Visual Culture application materials, including transcripts and letters of recommendation, is Friday, October 18, 5 pm ET.
All History of Art and Visual Culture Fellowship applications must include:
- Curriculum vitae of education, professional experience, honors, awards, and publications
- A project proposal, submitted as a single document, not to exceed 1,000 words, specifying why The Met is uniquely suited to your fellowship objectives, what you wish to accomplish during the fellowship period, and how you can utilize the Museum's resources and collections to achieve your goals
- A brief schedule of work to be accomplished during the fellowship period (separate from project proposal). If you are a postdoctoral fellow, please specify if you are applying for a term less than one year in length.
- A brief schedule of travel required (maximum of six weeks) during the fellowship period
- Official transcripts (undergraduate and graduate)—for predoctoral (junior) fellowship applicants only
If you have not yet completed your PhD, you must upload a copy of your undergraduate transcript and graduate transcript. If you have transcripts from more than one institution for either category (undergraduate or graduate), please upload them as one combined file. - An application profile (This section can be updated at any point throughout and after the application process)
Due to limited resources and staff time in the Department of Scientific Research and the conservation departments, some proposed scientific analysis or conservation work components may not be able to be accommodated.
Attend an information session about the History of Art and Visual Culture Fellowship on August 22, 3 pm ET. Register now.
Access a rubric for how History of Art and Visual Culture fellowships are assessed here.
The deadline for Conservation Fellowship and Scientific Research Fellowship application materials, including transcripts and letters of recommendation, is Wednesday, November 13, 5 pm ET.
All fellowship applications must include:
- Curriculum vitae of education, professional experience, honors, awards, and publications
- Three letters of recommendation. Applicants must submit at least one academic and one professional letter of recommendation. These letters should be uploaded directly by the recommenders, none of whom may be current Met staff. Recommenders must submit their letters in English.
- Official transcripts (undergraduate and graduate)—for predoctoral (junior) fellowship applicants only
If you have not yet completed your PhD, you must upload a copy of your undergraduate transcript and graduate transcript. If you have transcripts from more than one institution for either category (undergraduate or graduate), please upload them as one combined file. - An application profile (This section can be updated at any point throughout and after the application process)
Junior fellowship applicants must also include:
- A statement of interest and intent, not to exceed 1,000 words, describing why The Met is uniquely suited to your fellowship objectives, what you expect to accomplish during the fellowship period, and how you will utilize the Museum's resources and collections to achieve your goal.
Senior fellowship applicants must also include:
- A project proposal, not to exceed 1,000 words, describing why The Met is uniquely suited to your fellowship objectives, what you expect to accomplish during the fellowship period, and how you will utilize the Museum's resources and collections to achieve your objectives
- A brief schedule of work to be accomplished during the fellowship period and, if you are proposing a fellowship period shorter than one year, your proposed starting and ending dates (separate from project proposal)
Paper Conservation applicants (junior or senior) must also include:
- Two treatment reports and associated documentation with explanations justifying the reason for treatment and decisions entering each stage of treatment (not to exceed 750 words per object)
Attend an information session about Conservation and Scientific Research fellowships on August 29, 10 am ET. Register now.
Access a rubric for how Conservation and Scientific Research fellowships are assessed here.
The deadline for Leonard A. Lauder Fellowship in Modern Art application materials, including transcripts and letters of recommendation, is Friday, October 18, 5 pm ET.
All Leonard A. Lauder Fellowship applications must include:
- A research proposal, not to exceed 1,000 words: Please describe your research rationale or arguments, the focus of your project, and what you wish to accomplish during the fellowship. You may wish to include discussion of the research methods of your project, including how the project will benefit from the resources of the Lauder Research Center at The Met (e.g., its departments, collection, and libraries).
- A critical bibliographic statement, not to exceed 500 words. It should describe the key literature (the state of the field and/or interpretive frameworks) that forms the context for your proposal or planned research. It should also demonstrate how your contribution is original or develops a new perspective.
- A personal statement, not to exceed 500 words. This is an opportunity for you to share information about you and your work that cannot be learned from a school transcript or CV.
- A brief schedule of work to be accomplished during the fellowship period. (Applicants for postdoctoral fellowships should indicate whether they are applying for a one- or two-year period.)
- A brief schedule of travel for research visits (maximum of six weeks) during the fellowship period. Note that if you do not need to travel to complete the research for your project, it will not negatively affect the assessment of your application.
- Curriculum vitae of education, professional experience, honors, awards, and publications
- Three letters of recommendation. Applicants must submit 3 academic recommendations. These letters should be uploaded directly by the recommenders, none of whom may be current Met staff. Recommenders must submit their letters in English.
- Official transcripts (undergraduate and graduate)—for predoctoral (junior) fellowship applicants only
If you have not yet completed your PhD, you must upload a copy of your undergraduate transcript and graduate transcript. If you have transcripts from more than one institution for either category (undergraduate or graduate), please upload them as one combined file. - An application profile (This section can be updated at any point throughout and after the application process).
Attend an information session about the Leonard A. Lauder Fellowship on August 22, 3 pm ET. Register now.
The deadline for the Eugene V. Thaw Fellowship for Collections Cataloguing, including all application materials, including transcripts and letters of recommendation, is Friday, October 18, 5 pm ET.
Please submit:
- A statement of interest, not to exceed 1,000 words, specifying your areas of research and their relationship to the European Paintings collection and activities. Include relevant experiences related to your chosen curatorial area
- A copy of a published paper or recent writing sample, not to exceed 5,000 words
- Curriculum vitae of education, professional experience, honors, awards, and publications
- Three letters of recommendation. Applicants must submit 3 academic recommendations. These letters should be uploaded directly by the recommenders, none of whom may be current Met staff. Recommenders must submit their letters in English.
- Official transcripts (undergraduate and graduate)—for predoctoral (junior) fellowship applicants only
If you have not yet completed your PhD, you must upload a copy of your undergraduate transcript and graduate transcript. If you have transcripts from more than one institution for either category (undergraduate or graduate), please upload them as one combined file. - An application profile (This section can be updated at any point throughout and after the application process).
Finalists for the Eugene V. Thaw Fellowship for Collections Cataloguing will be contacted for an interview.
The deadline for the Interdisciplinary Fellowship, including all application materials, is Friday, October 18, 5 pm ET.
Please submit:
- A statement of interest and project proposal, not to exceed 1,000 words, which addresses the following questions: 1) Why is this fellowship important or integral to your career or current practice? 2) How will you utilize the Museum's resources and collections to achieve your objectives? 3) What will be the concrete result(s) of your fellowship project?
- A brief schedule of work to be accomplished during the fellowship period (separate from project proposal)
- A brief schedule of travel required (maximum of six weeks) during the fellowship period
- Curriculum vitae of education, professional experience, honors, awards, and publications
- Three letters of recommendation. Applicants must submit at least one academic and one professional letter of recommendation. These letters should be uploaded directly by the recommenders, none of whom may be current Met staff. Recommenders must submit their letters in English.
- Official transcripts (undergraduate and graduate)—for predoctoral (junior) fellowship applicants only
If you have not yet completed your PhD, you must upload a copy of your undergraduate transcript and graduate transcript. If you have transcripts from more than one institution for either category (undergraduate or graduate), please upload them as one combined file. - An application profile (This section can be updated at any point throughout and after the application process).
Attend an information session about the Interdisciplinary Fellowships on August 28, 2024, 11 am ET. Register now.
Access a rubric for how the Interdisciplinary Fellowship is assessed here.