Purpose of the Programme
This fellowship exists to give the most promising early-career researchers the time and space to pursue their ideas, free from many of the usual academic distractions. At IAST, the focus is on interdisciplinary research—on questions about human behaviour, organisation, society, evolution, institutions, health and more. The institute welcomes applications from researchers who want to remain firmly anchored in one discipline, but who are also keen to explore connections with at least one other discipline represented at IAST. In short: you’ll get to be a specialist and a collaborator.
Eligibility Criteria
Before you spend hours drafting your application, let’s check whether you’re eligible. In a nutshell: yes if you’re an early-career researcher, no if you’re already tenured or on a permanent senior track, and your PhD must be recent or nearly complete.
Key Requirements
- You must have completed your PhD after December 2022 and before September 2026. If you expect to finish between October and December 2026, note the fellowship start will be postponed accordingly.
- If your PhD was completed in 2022 or earlier, you may still apply — but you need to explain in your cover letter why you qualify despite that.
- You must not hold a tenure-track or tenured position at your current institution when you apply.
- You must show a strong research background in your discipline, plus a genuine interest in engaging with at least one other discipline at IAST.
- Applications are welcomed from any country; IAST explicitly encourages applications from under-represented groups in academia, including from the Global South.
Benefits of the Fellowship
What will you get, exactly? Here’s what the fellowship offers:
- A two-year contract (CDD), full-time, allowing you to focus on research.
- Office space, computer/IT facilities and membership in the IAST scholarly community.
- Integration into a dynamic research environment: seminars, annual retreat, social/institutional events, possibly contributing to summer school in quantitative social sciences.
- The possibility — if you choose — to use the fellowship as a base for applying for a Marie Skłodowska‑Curie Fellowship (if you indicate this in your cover letter).
- Networking across disciplines: you’ll be surrounded by scholars from anthropology, behavioural biology, economics, history, political science, psychology, sociology, maths, philosophy and others.
While salary amounts are not publicly fixed in the announcement, the value is substantial in that you receive institutional support, dedicated resources and time to research.
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Fields of Study / Disciplines
One of the most appealing things about the IAST Fellowship is its breadth. Though rooted in the social and behavioural sciences, motivated applications from outside those boundaries are considered. Here are examples of the research areas you might work in:
- Anthropology: cooperation & conflict, life history theory, human development, plasticity, aging, demography, diet & nutrition, global health, infectious disease.
- Evolutionary Biology: evolutionary theory, social evolution, behavioural ecology, major evolutionary transitions.
- History: quantitative economic history (cliometrics), empirical political economy in history, social history.
- Political Science: public opinion, public policies, political economy, development, institutions, networks, experimental political science.
- Psychology: AI ethics, human-machine cooperation, cumulative culture, social learning, moral dilemmas, social preferences.
- Sociology: analytical sociology, social networks, mobility, inequality, stratification, environmental sociology.
- Mathematics, Philosophy and other motivated disciplines may also apply if their research touches on human behaviour or organisation and links to IAST’s teams.
Application Process
To apply well means to prepare early and carefully. The process is not overly complex, but attention to detail matters.
Step-by-Step:
- Prepare your materials: Make sure your CV is up to date; craft a strong cover letter (max two single-spaced pages) explaining your current research and future plans; select at least two writing samples (journal articles, working papers, book chapters).
- Identify referee contacts: Provide names, titles and emails of at least three references. After you submit, they’ll receive an automatic email from IAST to submit their letters. (Tip: ask them to check spam folders.)
- Submit your application online by the deadline (15 November 2025). Materials must be in English.
- Ensure reference letters are submitted by 30 November 2025 (or whatever the deadline is that cycle).
- Interview stage: The timeline suggests Zoom interviews may take place mid-January to early February the following year; final decisions around mid-March.
- Start your fellowship: If selected, you’ll begin shortly after PhD completion and the formal start date will be worked out with IAST.
Key tips for success
- Engage with potential supervisors or IAST faculty in advance if possible — show you know the institute and how your research fits.
- Make sure your research proposal is clear, original and shows interdisciplinarity (or at least willingness to engage with other disciplines).
- Demonstrate how your work connects to IAST’s themes and how you will benefit (and contribute) in that environment.
- Give referees plenty of time; check they are willing and available.
- Double-check all materials are in English and comply with page/length guidelines.
Deadlines and Key Dates
- Application deadline (main package): 15 November 2025.
- References deadline: 30 November 2025.
- Interview period (tentative): mid-January to early February 2026.
- Decision announcement: around mid-March 2026.
- Fellowship start date: After PhD completion; start date will be arranged with IAST.
Because these deadlines are fixed and part of a competitive selection, mark your calendar and plan ahead—especially if you are finishing your PhD later this year.
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Why Choose IAST?
Deciding where to pursue a post-doctoral fellowship is a big decision. Here are some compelling reasons to consider IAST.
- Interdisciplinary environment: If you’re curious, eager to cross boundaries between disciplines and collaborate, this is fertile ground.
- Dedicated resources: Having office space, computing facilities, a contract: this gives you the stability to focus on research.
- Global outlook: Applications are open internationally; diverse cohorts enrich your network and perspective.
- Flexible but structured: It’s full-time research, but in a supportive environment with events, retreats and training opportunities.
- Momentum builder: For early-career researchers, this kind of fellowship can serve as a launch pad for a research career with impact.
Final Thoughts & Encouragement
If you’re standing at that critical post-PhD moment—when the world of research seems wide open but also a little daunting—this fellowship might give you a bridge into what you really want to do. Yes, you’ll need to commit time, craft a strong application, and show you’re ready for the challenge. But the payoff is significant: two years of focused, supported research in a rich scholarly setting. So take the time now to sketch your idea, gather your materials, reach out to referees and make your case. You could well find yourself at IAST, collaborating across disciplines, exploring the frontiers of social and behavioural science, and taking your next big step in your academic career.
Warmest wishes in preparing your application—go for it, believe in your research and what you bring.
Official link to apply: [https://www.iast.fr/research-fellowships]