Scholars Without Borders Opportunities

Scholars Without Borders is a program supporting scholars displaced and impacted by Russia's war on Ukraine.

We share these opportunities purely for information. Our list does not mean we support the organizations offering them, and we cannot promise that our community members will have any special advantage when applying. We carefully check details like eligibility, field relevance, and deadlines, but we cannot guarantee our assessment is 100% perfect. We recommend that you also search for additional opportunities yourself. (Note: results are listed with in order of deadlines--the soonest deadline first.)

German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA) — Germany
Deadline:
PhD in economics or political economy
Additional Details

The German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA) invites applications for a full-time position to conduct research on the economic and political foundations of inclusive and sustainable development in support of GIGA’s "Globalisation and Development" research program. Fellowships are granted for an initial period of three years, with the possibility of extension, and begin as soon as possible.

 

University of Leeds — United Kingdom
Deadline:
PhD in relevant field, fluency in relevant language
Additional Details

The University of Leeds invites applications for a full-time position beginning February 1, 2026 and ending January 31, 2027.  Research fellows will join researchers working on a project titled ‘Transitions: Examining changing regimes of sexuality in post-Soviet Muslim Republics’. The salary is £41,064 to £48,822, and fellows will have access to on-sight-childcare and other generous benefits. Applicants should specialize in fields inducing History, Art, Gender and Sexuality Studies and be research-level fluent in either English and Russian, or English and Farsi, or English and Azerbaijani, or English and Kyrgyz. 

Azrieli Foundation — Israel
Deadline:
PhD in relevant discipline
Additional Details

The Azrieli International Postdoctoral Fellowship offers funding to scholars from any academic discipline to conduct research at leading Israeli academic institutions.

For Scholars of the Region
Association for the Study of Nationalities (ASN) — United States
Deadline:
Current relevant research in the humanities/social sciences
Additional Details

The ASN World Convention invites proposals for its 30th Annual World Convention to be held at Columbia University from May 28-30, 2026. Proposals on a wide range of topics are welcomed (ex. nationalism, national identity, ethnicity, political memory, gender, migration/diaspora studies, etc.) Popular themes include language, religion, EU integration/exit, security, energy politics, parties and elections, youth, media, political violence and civil society. Registration fees will be waived for discussants.

Wellcome Trust — Other (see description)
Deadline:
Mid-career researchers
Additional Details

Wellcome Career Development awards fund mid-career researchers from any discipline who are conducting research on mental health, infectious disease or the relationship between climate and health. Applicants must be affiliated with an administering organization based in Ireland, the UK, or a low- or middle-income country (apart from India and mainland China).

 

Gerda Henkel Foundation — Germany
Deadline:
Doctorate or post-doctoral lecturer qualification in the field of the historical humanities obtained in the last 10 years.
Additional Details

Applicants holding a PhD or who are eligible to be a junior professor in the historical humanities are invited to apply for the research scholarships by the Gerda Henkel Foundation, independent of nationality or place of work. The funding is granted to candidates wishing to carry out an independent research project alone.

For Scholars of the Region
Writing Across Borders — Other (see description)
Deadline:
Early-career scholars from Central and Eastern Europe, Russia, Central Asia, and the Caucasus
Additional Details

The Writing Across Borders program seeks to introduce early-career regional scholars to the academic journal publishing process. The program provides support and guidance on writing, editing, and preparing a manuscript for submission to an English-language, peer-reviewed professional journal. Sessions will be conducted virtually through Zoom from January-May 2026 (Wednesdays, 8:00-10:00 AM CST/2:00-4:00 PM GMT) with the expectation that participants will submit their work to a journal by October 2026. Doctoral students, postdoctoral researchers, and other early career scholars from all disciplines are encouraged to apply.

Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute — Czech Republic
Deadline:
Must have 1 year postdoctoral/work experience; experience with biophysical techniques.
Additional Details

We seek a motivated postdoctoral researcher with a PhD in Cellular & Molecular Biology/ Biochemistry/ Biotechnology to join our medicinal Innovative Chemistry group at CATRIN, Palacký University, the Czech Republic. The ideal candidate will have strong molecular biology skills covering ion exchange and affinity chromatography, ELISA, protein/RNA/DNA extraction, Western blotting and gel electrophoresis (PAGE, SDS-PAGE, agarose). Hands-on experience in molecular cloning techniques including primer design, plasmid extraction, transformation, competent E. coli preparation, gel extraction, enzymatic digestion, and ligation is essential.

For Scholars of the Region
University of Toronto — Canada
Deadline:
PhD in Slavic studies or related by time of appointment
Additional Details

The Department of Slavic and East European Languages and Cultures at the University of Toronto invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track Slavic Comparativist position. The appointment is expected to begin July 1, 2026. 

 

For Scholars of the Region
European University Viadrina Frankfurt — Germany
Deadline:
PhD in related field, fluent in German
Additional Details

European University Viadrina Frankfurt is centered around interdisciplinary Ukrainian studies and leads the Competence Network for Interdisciplinary Ukraine Studies. Ukrainian scholars are encouraged to apply. This position will begin January 1, 2026 and last for 3+ years.

For Scholars of the Region
Max Weber Foundation's Research Centre Ukraine — Ukraine
Deadline:
Additional Details

The German-Ukrainian Fellowship Programme is intended for doctoral candidates and postdoctoral researchers in the humanities and social sciences who are affiliated with a research institution in either Germany or Ukraine, and whose work centres on East-Central Europe and/or German-Ukrainian history. Research stays are envisaged either in Ukraine (preferably at the RCU in Lviv) or in Germany (preferably in Munich).

 

KTH Royal Institute of Technology — Sweden
Deadline:
PhD in Nuclear Engineering, Materials Science, Engineering Mechanics or similar.
Additional Details

The Nuclear Science and Engineering (NSE) Division seeks a postdoc to join the nuclear fuel materials team to study the thermal stability and pellet-cladding mechanical and chemical interaction of burnup simulated doped UO2 fuel.

University of Manchester — United Kingdom
Deadline:
Relevant research experience
Additional Details

The University of Manchester invites applications for a 2 year, fixed term research position, paying  £37,694-£46,049 per year with flexible working hours and the possibility of hybrid work. Researchers will conduct workshops, interviews, and data gathering to investigate social and built infrastructures research in the North of England.

Ghent University — Belgium
Deadline:
Doctorate in relevant field, Dutch language skills or willingness to learn
Additional Details

The Department of Political Science at Ghent University seeks applications for a five-year, tenure-track docent position to conduct research and teach various courses on the EU in global politics. Upon positive evaluation, the position may be converted to a permanent appointment as an associate professor. The position will begin on September 1, 2026.

For Scholars of the Region
University of Florida — United States
Deadline:
M.A. degree or higher in related field, native or near-native Russian language proficiency
Additional Details

The Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures at the University of Florida invites applications for a full-time, non-tenure Lecturer or Assistant Instructional Professor in Russian Language and Culture. The position begins August 15, 2026 for a period of nine months with the possibility of renewal.

For Scholars of the Region
The Max Weber Network Eastern Europe — Germany
Deadline:
Researcher in related fields
Additional Details

The Max Weber Network Eastern Europe invites papers concerning 19th Century Transnational History in East Central Europe that engage with theoretical debates and methodological innovations, such as network analysis, transnational historiography, and discourse analysis. Submissions require a title, an abstract of 250-300 words, and a brief biographical statement. Selected writers will be invited to a conference April 16-17, 2026 (funded accommodation and travel costs). 

For Scholars of the Region
Virtual Ukraine Institute for Advanced Study (VUIAS) — Ukraine
Deadline:
Affiliation with Ukrainian academic institution
Additional Details

The VUIAS is offering up to 15 fellowships to Ukrainian citizens or those with long-term residence permits who are affiliated with an Ukrainian academic institution. The fellowships will provide up to 500 euros per month for postdocs and 1,000 euros per month for professors to support their work at their home institutions in Ukraine. 

The International Institute of Molecular Mechanisms and Machines Polish Academy of Sciences — Poland
Deadline:
PhD degree in specified field; very good command of English
Additional Details

The project is studying how bunyaviruses, segmented negative-strand RNA viruses, reorganize and exploit cellular translation during infection. Key responsibilities of the successful candidate will be to study dynamics of the proteome and transcriptome in the bunyaviral infection context, and/or to study localization, composition and structural re-organization of the cellular translation machinery producing viral proteins. We particularly encourage candidates with a strong background in human cell culture assays and in vivo experiments to apply. Prior expertise in RNA virus infection biology, bioinformatical analysis of proteomic and transcriptomic data, and/or cryo-EM/ET will be considered a strong asset.

For Scholars of the Region
University of Notre Dame — United States
Deadline:
Ph.D.; have demonstrated excellence in undergraduate teaching
Additional Details

The Department of German, Slavic, and Eurasian Studies at the University of Notre Dame invites applications for a Visiting Assistant Professor of Russian. This is a sabbatical replacement position for the spring semester, expected to be renewed for the duration of the 2026-2027 academic year. The ideal candidate will be able to teach Russian language at all levels from beginning to advanced as well as offer courses in literary and cultural studies

Charles University — Czech Republic
Deadline:
Enrollment in IMS PhD program, Serbian language proficiency (C2 level)
Additional Details

The Institute of International Studies (IMS) at Charles University invites applications for a 30-month junior researcher/PhD student position to begin July 1, 2026. The successful applicant will conduct research on the Serbian case as part of the project "Displacement and (Post)secular Memory: Contemporary Crises and Historical Legacies in Southeastern and East-Central Europe (MEMCRIS)," which examines how societies in East-Central and Southeastern Europe draw on memories of historical displacement in response to contemporary political and social crises.