Scholarship details
Entries have now been submitted for the Open Society Foundation Civil Society Scholar Awards 2022, applicants are kindly reminded that they must meet the eligibility criteria to be considered for this program.
Each year, the Open Society Foundations awards thousands of grants to groups and individuals who advance our values, through a unique network guided by local voices and global expertise.
About civil society foundations
The Open Society Foundations are active in more than 120 countries around the world. Basically, their national and regional foundations and our thematic programs make thousands of grants each year to build dynamic and inclusive democracies.
George Soros is the founder and president of the Open Society Foundations. He has donated more than $32 billion in personal wealth to fund the work of Open Society foundations around the world.
Practically, the Open Society Foundations awards grants, fellowships, and fellowships throughout the year to organizations and individuals who share the values of Open Society. They look for grantees who have a vision and whose efforts lead to lasting social change.
The vast majority of their grants go to organizations they contact directly, but below are some open opportunities. Other funding opportunities are available through the Open Society network of national and regional foundations.
- Democratic practice
- Early childhood and education
- Economic Equity and Justice
- Equality and anti-discrimination
- health and rights
- Universities
- Human rights movements and institutions
- Information and digital rights
- Journalism
- Justice reform and the rule of law
About the Scholarship Programs Civil Society Awards for Scholars
Basically, the Scholarship Programs Civil Society Scholars Awards support doctoral students and university professors to undertake academic projects. That will enrich socially engaged research and critical scholarship in your home country or region.
In addition, the Civil Society Awards for Fellows support doctoral students and university faculty to carry out academic projects that will enrich social research and critical scholarship in their home country or region.
Similarly, civil society scholars are selected on the basis of their excellent academic record, as well as their active engagement with local communities, their potential to champion open society values in their home regions, and their ability to strengthen academic and critical scholar networks within their fields. Proposals may include international travel, but this is no longer required.
Civil Society Scholar Awards Worth Scholarship Program
Maximum funding requests: $10,000 for doctoral students; $15,000 for faculty members.
The awards support short-term international academic projects, such as: fieldwork (data collection); research visits to libraries, archives or universities; course/curriculum development; and international research collaborations leading to a peer-reviewed publication.
Civil Society Awards Eligibility:
The awards are open to the following academic populations:
- doctoral students from eligible fields studying at accredited universities within or outside their home country
- full-time faculty members (must have a minimum of a master’s degree) teaching at universities in their home country
Scholarship Programs Civil Society Fellows Awards Field of Study
We seek to support academic research conducted in any field of the social sciences and humanities, but will prioritize research that specifically addresses pressing social problems within the following broadly defined themes:
Host Nationality
Award Provider: Open Society Foundation
Eligible Nationality
Candidates must be citizens of the following countries:
Afghanistan, Albania, Angola, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burundi, Cambodia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Georgia, Haiti, Kosovo, Laos, Libya, North Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Myanmar/Burma, Nepal, Palestine, Rwanda, Serbia, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, Swaziland, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Yemen.
Ineligibility Criteria :
Ineligible fields include Business Administration, Management Training, Computer Science, Finance/Banking, Marketing, Engineering, Hard Sciences (Physics, Biology, Chemistry, etc.), Mathematics, Medical Sciences, or Teaching English as a Language foreign/language instruction.
Applicants with permanent residence or dual citizenship in Australia, Canada, the European Union, New Zealand, the Nordic countries, the United Kingdom, and the United States are not eligible to apply.
Students or faculty currently enrolled in master’s programs are not eligible to apply.
How to apply for the Civil Society Awards:
Competition for civil society scholarships is based on merit. Selection will be made on the basis of proven academic excellence and the relevance of the project to the development of an open society in the candidate’s country of origin. Priority will be given to apps that address issues in one of the five main areas of intervention outlined above.
Applicants are strongly advised to verify the visa requirements of the host country (including the minimum level of funding required) before applying to the program.
Detailed instructions on the conditions of these scholarships are available in the Download files section.
download files
Guidelines for the Civil Society Academic Awards (223.48 KB PDF FILE)
Download the full guidelines. (Updated: May 26, 2021) Civil Society Awards Awards Frequently Asked Questions (135.97 KB PDF FILE)
Download the list of frequently asked questions. Civil Society Scholar Awards Application Form (334.42 KB DOCX FILE)
Download the application form.
online applications
Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply online.
paper applications
For those who wish to submit a paper application, an application form can be downloaded from the Download Files section. More details on submitting applications are available in the Guidelines.
Deadline for application
Project duration: between three and 10 months
Eligible dates: March 1, 2022 — December 31, 2022
Deadline: July 22, 2022
scholarship link
For more information, click the button below
Civil Society Academic Awards FAQS
When will the results of the competition be announced?
All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application by email by the end of October 2021.
I am not sure of the exact location of my research at this time. Can I change the location(s) after submitting my application?
CSSA grants are awarded by an independent selection committee based on the information you provide. A key part of that evaluation is your clear rationale for the suitability of the location. Be as accurate as possible with the
location and timing of grant activities at the time of application.
At this time, I am unable to provide a budget, a detailed work schedule, and a clear explanation of when and how I plan to use the requested funds. Will my application remain competitive?
No. All successful applications will have a detailed budget, work schedule, and an explanation of how and when the requested funds will be used. In light of the uncertainty created by the COVID-19 pandemic, we understand that research
projects are in flux and timelines change, but we may not be able to fund an application that does not contain a very clear overview of the project and a realistic (although, of course, projected) timeframe for completion.
Do I have to provide English translations of official documents such as degree certificates or transcripts?
Make sure that any documents you submit that are not in English are accompanied by a notarized English translation. If you are unable to provide a notarized translation before the shipping date, please provide the original
documents and a cover note explaining your situation. If your application is successful, you will be required to submit translations at a later date as a condition of your award.
