Research & Analysis

Fellowships

Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) fellowships offer unique, transformational opportunities for U.S. citizens with a demonstrated commitment to a career in foreign policy to gain experience in a new environment. Selected fellows broaden their perspective on foreign affairs by work in a policymaking setting, at CFR exploring a policy relevant issue, or overseas working at a company, think tank, or university. CFR is committed to fostering a foreign policy community in the United States that is more representative of American society as a whole. Eligibility criteria for individual fellowships vary, and some are by nomination or invitation only. Please click each fellowship for more information.

Hear From Past International Affairs Fellows

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“We see the folks that really have a huge impact on the conversations that we are having, the questions that we are asking, and the direction that we are headed,” says historian Melissa Jane Taylor about her experience as a Council on Foreign Relations International Affairs Fellow. Described as the “Jewel of the Council,” the International Affairs Fellowship (IAF) programs aim to bridge scholarship and practice by giving participants transformative opportunities to work in a new environment they will give them a different perspective at a critical point in their careers. Whether at home in the United States or abroad in Canada, Europe, Indonesia, and Japan, fellows work in government, international organizations, and think tanks and universities. Join the more than 650 alumni—including Condoleezza Rice and Samantha Power—in shaping the field of foreign policy and the world.

Archived Fellowships