#IAS_NUQ
Northwestern University in Qatar
Education City, Qatar +974 4454 5100
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The #IAS_NUQ Global Undergraduate Fellowship is an opportunity for students at NU-Q who have a new or ongoing research or creative project to develop it into an original contribution to evidence-based storytelling and, hence, to knowledge of the Global South.
#IAS_NUQ Global Undergraduate Fellows pursue a solo research or evidence-based creative scholarship project on a subject of their choosing over twelve months, focusing on the Global South and addressing one or more of our current research themes:
Under the mentorship of #IAS_NUQ’s director, #IAS_NUQ staff, #IAS_NUQ postdoctoral scholars, and NU-Q faculty mentors, Global Undergraduate Fellows develop their concept and deepen their research skills. They publish or produce the output of their projects with #IAS_NUQ_Press and present it to the NU-Q community at the annual #IAS_NUQ Global Undergraduate Fellow Presentations, held at the end of January each year.
Fellows have access to a shared workspace at the Institute, dependent on needs and availability. All Fellows are expected to participate in and promote #IAS_NUQ events, to contribute to stimulating conversations and learn about theories, methodologies, and intellectual debates in, from, and about the countries of the Global South.
This fellowship is open to advanced undergraduate students who meet ALL of the following criteria:
For help in developing your proposal, to discuss a potential project, or find out more about the opportunity, please contact Dr. Clovis Bergère, director of #IAS_NUQ, as early as possible at clovis.bergere@northwestern.edu.
The #IAS_NUQ Global Undergraduate Fellowship offers three distinct tracks that fellows may choose from: research papers, multimodal projects, and short documentaries.
Before you begin your application, please carefully review the general guidelines above as well as the track-specific checklist for the option you plan to pursue. The checklist is meant to help you plan, structure, and refine your responses before filling out the online application.
We highly recommend that you draft your responses in a separate Word document and use the checklist to make sure you have addressed all the requirements. Once finalized, you can copy your answers into the application form.
While there will be one single application link, each track has its own checklist to guide you through the process. Please make sure to consult the checklist for your chosen track before you begin filling out the application.
Please select the track you are applying for. Each button will take you to the checklist with details and questions specific to that track.
Research Paper Checklist Multimodal Project Checklist Documentary Film Checklist
Checklists are only to help you prepare your answers. All submissions must be made through the application portal below.
Current and previous #IAS_NUQ fellows have worked on projects culminating in research papers, multimodal/creative projects, and short documentaries.
Multimodal and creative projects have included graphic novels, games, podcasts, vodcasts, and interactive websites, among other formats. We are always open to new ideas, as long as the proposed project fits the broader criteria of the fellowship and your chosen track.
If you are a sophomore or junior at NU-Q at the time of application, you are eligible to apply.
First-year students and seniors are not eligible. That said, we encourage first-year students who are already thinking about a potential project to start developing their ideas early and reach out to us. We are always open to a conversation.
Absolutely! In fact, we encourage you to speak with us beforehand.
We usually hold a Q&A session on campus where interested students can drop by, learn more about the fellowship, and ask questions. If you miss the session, you can always reach out to us at ias@qatar.northwestern.edu to schedule a quick meeting.
Please note that we do not review or pre-assess applications during these meetings. The goal is to help you think through or fine-tune your project idea and answer any questions you might have about the fellowship or application process.
Yes. The mission speaks to the Institute’s broader purpose and the kind of scholarship and intellectual community we aim to support, while our research themes represent specific areas of inquiry that guide our programming and research.
Your project does not need to address every theme. We are interested in understanding how your proposed project connects meaningfully to the Institute’s mission and, where relevant, one or more of our research themes.
You can find both our mission and current research themes on the #IAS_NUQ website.
All applicants, regardless of the track they are applying for, must submit a 60-second elevator pitch video as part of their application.
Think of an elevator pitch literally; imagine you run into an #IAS_NUQ staff member in the elevator and have only the ride from the basement to the third floor to tell them about your project. What would you say to get them interested before the doors open?
This is your chance to get the selection committee excited about your idea and to give us a sense of who you are beyond the written application. Keep it short, focused, and engaging. Rather than repeating what you have already said elsewhere, think about what you want us to remember about your project. What makes the idea interesting? Why does it matter? Why should we care? And why are you the right person to take it on?
While the content of the pitch matters most, the video is also a space to showcase some of your other skills. For applicants proposing multimodal or documentary projects in particular, feel free to be creative and give us a sense of the style, visual thinking, or sensibility you would bring to the project.
Ultimately, in 60 seconds, we should get a clear sense of your project, your voice, and why we should be excited to see the idea come to life.
No. The Global Undergraduate Fellowship is an individual fellowship, rather than a research grant for a group project.
One of the goals of the fellowship is to provide one-on-one mentorship to each #IAS_NUQ fellow. You may still collaborate with others as part of your project, for example, working with a cinematographer on a short documentary or an illustrator on assets for an interactive website, but #IAS_NUQ will work directly with the selected fellow.
The fellow remains responsible for the project and its completion.
Absolutely not. Students from both Journalism and Communication are encouraged to apply.
What matters most is the strength of your project idea, how you plan to approach it, and how it connects to the goals of the fellowship.
You do not need to be an expert before applying. Fellows receive mentorship and regular feedback throughout the fellowship from #IAS_NUQ staff, faculty mentors, postdoctoral scholars, and others depending on the project.
That said, a strong application should show that you have already begun thinking seriously about your project and are prepared for the track you are applying to.
We typically have some minimum academic requirements for each track. Applicants proposing documentary or multimodal projects should have completed at least the MIT 190 course, while applicants proposing a research paper should have completed a research methods course.
Beyond these requirements, relevant experience can further strengthen your application. This might include experience as a research assistant, additional research or production coursework, film set experience, work with Studio 20Q or other student organizations, internships, or other academic, creative, or technical projects.
Rather than simply listing these experiences, we encourage you to explain what you gained from them and how they have prepared you for the project you are proposing.
Decisions are typically released in mid-November.
Not necessarily. We spend a lot of time during the fellowship fine-tuning ideas and helping fellows develop their projects.
That said, a strong application should demonstrate that you have thought seriously about both your project and your readiness to carry it out. This includes background research on your topic, familiarity with the methods or medium you plan to use, and relevant academic, research, creative, or production experience.
We strongly encourage applicants to think carefully about what makes them a good fit for their chosen track and proposed project. Rather than simply listing courses, internships, or previous experiences, explain what you gained from them and how that knowledge or skill set will support the work you are proposing.
For example, if you are applying to produce a short documentary, you should highlight relevant production courses, film set experience, Studio 20Q projects, internships, or other filmmaking experience, and explain the specific skills you developed through them. Similarly, applicants proposing a research paper or multimodal project should identify relevant coursework, research experience, methods training, creative practice, or technical skills and explain how these experiences have prepared them for the project.
The goal is not to have done everything before you apply, but to show that you understand what your chosen project requires and that you have already begun building the knowledge, skills, and experience needed to take it on successfully.
Yes, but you should be very clear about what you want to do with the project as an #IAS_NUQ fellow and how the fellowship will allow you to take it further.
We want to understand what is new about the work you are proposing, what you hope to achieve through the fellowship, and how the project will develop beyond what you have already completed for a class.
Be clear about your intention, your goals, and what the fellowship will allow you to add, expand, rethink, or develop.
The fellowship typically begins in December and runs for approximately one year.
Throughout the year, fellows develop and complete their projects through different stages of research, fieldwork, production, workshops, working groups, and mentorship. Completed projects are then presented at the annual #IAS_NUQ Global Undergraduate Fellowship presentations, where fellows share their work with the wider NU-Q and Education City communities.
Change is a natural part of the research and creative process, so you should expect your project to evolve as you move through the fellowship.
That said, you generally cannot switch the track you applied for after being selected, for example, from a research paper to a short documentary. This is why we strongly encourage applicants to think carefully about what they want to do, why they want to do it, and which format makes the most sense for their project before applying.
If your project begins moving in a different direction after you have been selected, don’t hesitate to bring it up with us. We are always open to a conversation and can help you think through what makes sense for the project.
Funding for the #IAS_NUQ Global Undergraduate Fellowship is divided into two parts: a fellowship stipend and research expenses.
Fellowship stipend
Fellows receive a total stipend of QAR 12,000, divided into two installments:
Receiving the full stipend is contingent on satisfactory progress and meeting the requirements of the fellowship, including submitting assignments and deliverables on time and attending required #IAS_NUQ events and activities.
Research expenses
Fellows may receive up to QAR 5,000 in research expenses, in addition to roundtrip airfare between Doha and an approved research/fieldwork site.
The QAR 5,000 can either be requested as an advance before fieldwork begins or claimed, in whole or in part, as reimbursement after returning from fieldwork.
These figures are provided as an estimate and may be subject to change. Please also keep in mind that all research expenses and travel plans must be approved by #IAS_NUQ in advance.
Fellows receive regular mentorship and feedback throughout the fellowship.
Depending on the project and stage of the fellowship, this may include support from #IAS_NUQ staff, an assigned NU-Q faculty mentor, #IAS_NUQ postdoctoral scholars, and other experts.
You will also participate in working groups where members of your cohort share work-in-progress and provide feedback to one another.
Throughout the year, we also organize workshops and sessions around different stages of the research and creative process, some of which may include guests and practitioners from outside NU-Q.
Yes. Being a fellow means being part of the wider #IAS_NUQ intellectual community.
Your main responsibility is, of course, to make consistent progress and complete your project on time. Fellows are also expected to attend required workshops, meetings, and #IAS_NUQ events throughout the year, including conferences, colloquia, lectures, etc.
Because you are part of a cohort, you are also expected to participate actively in working groups and provide thoughtful feedback to your peers.
Yes. Fellows particularly working on short documentaries and certain multimodal projects may check out equipment from the NU-Q Cage based on the needs of their projects.
The same equipment policies that apply to all NU-Q students also apply to fellows, including any required training or equipment authorizations.
If you are traveling with NU-Q equipment for fieldwork, additional restrictions may apply. Only certain equipment may be approved for travel, so you will need to make sure that you are both authorized to use the equipment and permitted to travel with it before making your plans.
Absolutely! Your project can be based in Qatar or anywhere else in the world, as long as the site you have chosen makes sense for your project, is relevant to the research you want to conduct, and is safe and feasible for you to travel to.
Travel is not a requirement of the fellowship. If Qatar is the right site for your project, there is absolutely no need to conduct fieldwork elsewhere.
The fellowship can generally be thought of in three phases: development, fieldwork/production, and postproduction or completion.
The development phase usually takes place during the spring semester, when fellows refine their ideas, methods, and plans. Fieldwork or production typically takes place during the summer break. The fall semester is then largely focused on postproduction, writing, analysis, revisions, and bringing the final project together.
All projects produced as part of the Global Undergraduate Fellowship are showcased in January at our annual presentations event, where fellows share their work with the wider NU-Q and Education City communities.
Once the fellowship ends, projects also move into the publication and archiving process through #IAS_NUQ_Press. We stay in touch with fellows beyond the fellowship and continue working with them as their projects move through this next stage.
You can check out projects from previous fellows on the #IAS_NUQ website, with many more currently in the works.
Yes, and in fact, we encourage it.
Wherever possible, #IAS_NUQ supports fellows as they move into the distribution and dissemination phase of their projects. Previous fellows have presented research papers at international academic conferences, screened documentaries at film festivals, and shared their work with audiences beyond NU-Q.
The fellowship may be where your project begins, but it does not necessarily end there. We want fellows to think about where their work can go next and will support that journey wherever we can.