Graduate students and junior scholars who work with qualitative methods have a specific problem that most funding programs do not address. The money for a conference registration or a fieldwork trip is relatively easy to find. What is harder to find is dedicated time and expert guidance to actually strengthen the methodological foundations of ongoing research.
The IQMR fellowship competitions exist for exactly that purpose.
The Institute for Qualitative and Multi-Method Research at Syracuse University is offering fellowship funding for its 2027 institute running from 14 June to 25 June 2027. Three competitions are currently open: one for the general international pool one for researchers affiliated with African scholarly institutions and one for researchers affiliated with Latin American institutions. A fourth competition for scholars in the Arab MENA region is planned but not yet open.
The deadline for all three open competitions is 1 December 2026.
At a Glance
Last Information Checked: 21 October 2026
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Institute | IQMR 2027 at Syracuse University USA |
| Host School | Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs |
| Dates | 14 June to 25 June 2027 |
| Duration | Two weeks |
| Who can apply | Graduate students and junior scholars |
| Open competitions | General Africa Latin America |
| Pending competition | Arab MENA details not yet released |
| General slots | 12 |
| Africa slots | 5 |
| Latin America slots | 5 |
| Application deadline | 1 December 2026 General Africa Latin America |
| MENA deadline | To be announced |
What IQMR Actually Is
Before the fellowship details it helps to understand what participants are actually signing up for.
IQMR is not a conference. There are no panels to attend passively or presentation slots to fill. It is two weeks of intensive methodological training at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School one of the leading public affairs research institutions in the United States.
The institute has been running for 25 years and has trained nearly 3500 graduate students and junior faculty from around the world. That track record matters when evaluating whether the time investment is justified.
Training covers qualitative research design from multiple angles: case studies, narrative approaches, interpretive research, tests of necessity and sufficiency, qualitative data collection and analysis and methods that combine qualitative and quantitative approaches. Participants also receive direct feedback on their own research designs which is often where the most useful learning happens.
A weekend workshop between the two weeks focuses specifically on work-in-progress giving participants an additional structured opportunity to apply what they have learned to active research projects.
For a doctoral student mid-dissertation or a junior scholar refining their methodological approach two weeks of this caliber is difficult to replicate anywhere else.
The Four Fellowship Competitions
Each competition covers a different pool of researchers and provides a different level of financial support. Read the comparison carefully before deciding which to apply through.
General Fellowship Competition
Available slots: 12
Covers: Participation, lodging, meals, stipend
Travel: Not included. Applicants fund their own transportation to and from Syracuse.
Deadline: 1 December 2026
The general competition is open to eligible scholars from the broader international research community who do not qualify for the regional competitions. With 12 slots available it is the largest of the four pools.
The absence of a travel bursary is the key practical difference from the regional competitions. Researchers based outside North America should factor international airfare into their planning before applying.
Africa Fellowship Competition
Available slots: 5
Covers: Participation, lodging, meals, stipend, round-trip economy airfare
Deadline: 1 December 2026
Open to researchers affiliated with scholarly institutions in Africa. The addition of airfare makes this competition significantly more accessible for researchers who would otherwise face substantial international travel costs to reach Syracuse New York.
Five slots is a small number relative to the size of Africa’s research community. A competitive well-prepared application is essential.
Latin America Fellowship Competition
Available slots: 5
Covers: Participation, lodging, meals, stipend, travel bursary including support toward travel to Syracuse
Deadline: 1 December 2026
Open to researchers affiliated with Latin American scholarly institutions. The travel support makes attendance financially feasible for researchers who would otherwise be unable to cover international travel from their own funding.
Arab MENA Fellowship Competition
Status: Planned but not yet open
Application details the number of available slots the travel bursary and room-and-board arrangements are all listed as to be determined. Researchers affiliated with institutions in the Arab MENA region should monitor the official IQMR website for updates rather than waiting for a third-party announcement.
Fellowship Benefits Side by Side
| Benefit | General | Africa | Latin America | MENA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Participation | Covered | Covered | Covered | TBD |
| Lodging | Covered | Covered | Covered | TBD |
| Meals stipend | Provided | Provided | Provided | TBD |
| Airfare | Not included | Included | Included | TBD |
| Available slots | 12 | 5 | 5 | TBD |
| Deadline | 1 Dec 2026 | 1 Dec 2026 | 1 Dec 2026 | TBD |
Accommodation During the Institute
Fellows are housed in modern air-conditioned two and four-bedroom suites on campus. Each participant has an individual bedroom with a private bathroom. Suites also include shared living and kitchen areas.
For a two-week residential program the accommodation arrangement is practical and comfortable by any reasonable standard.
Who This Is Built For
IQMR targets a specific type of researcher at a specific career stage.
The fellowships are aimed at graduate students and junior scholars whose work involves qualitative or multi-method research designs. That includes researchers working with case study approaches interpretive frameworks, narrative methods or designs that combine qualitative and statistical components.
If your doctoral research or early-career scholarship involves any of these methodological approaches and you are affiliated with an institution in one of the eligible regions, this fellowship is directly relevant to your work.
Researchers interested in refining a dissertation chapter stress-testing a methodological framework or getting structured feedback from experienced scholars in their field will find the institute particularly useful.
The Nomination Route
Researchers who do not apply through a fellowship competition can also participate through nomination by their home centre, department or school.
Nominations for IQMR 2027 open on 2 December 2026 with nominations due by 28 February 2027. Most departments sponsor their nominees, though individual arrangements vary.
The fee structure for IQMR 2027 is expected to be announced by 15 November 2026.
How to Apply
Identify which fellowship competition applies to your institutional affiliation before starting your application.
Researchers at African institutions apply through the Africa competition. Researchers at Latin American institutions apply through the Latin America competition. All other eligible researchers apply through the general competition.
Submit your application through the official IQMR application system on the Syracuse University website. Review the eligibility requirements and application guidance for your specific competition before submitting.
The General Africa and Latin America competition deadline is 1 December 2026.
Do not send applications to any third-party website. Applications must go directly to Syracuse University through the official IQMR system.
