The International Arctic Science Committee (IASC), in cooperation with the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation (FPA2) and the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS), is launching its IASC Fellowships Program 2026.
The IASC Fellowship Program is meant to engage early career researchers in the work of the five IASC Working Groups (WGs):
- Atmosphere Working Group (AWG),
- Cryosphere Working Group (CWG),
- Marine Working Group (MWG),
- Social & Human Working Group (SHWG)
- Terrestrial Working Group (TWG)
Indigenous Fellows will also be invited to join the IASC Standing Committee on Indigenous Involvement (SCII) throughout their Fellowship period.
In total, 8 IASC Fellowships will be offered for 2026:
- Six IASC Fellowships:
- five regular IASC Fellowships: one Fellow for each of the five IASC Working Groups.
- one IASC Indigenous Fellowship: for an early career Arctic Indigenous Scholar or Knowledge Holder
- Two IASC-FPA2 Fellowships, generously funded by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation (PA2F) as part of the Polar Initiative:
- one IASC-FPA2 Indigenous Fellowship for an early career Arctic Indigenous Scholar or Knowledge Holder.
- one IASC-FPA2 Science Diplomacy Fellowship for an early career researcher with an interest / background in science diplomacy.
IASC Fellows are early career researchers who actively participate in selected activities of the IASC WGs. Fellows are expected to contribute scientifically and also to help organize specific activities and to help with reporting to the IASC Secretariat. Thus, the Fellowship Program provides the opportunity for early career researchers to become involved in leading-edge scientific activities at a circum-Arctic and international level, to build an international network, and also to develop management skills. The level of involvement very much depends on the Fellow's interest - the more you invest, the more you get out of it!
The total duration of the IASC Fellowship Program is 1+2 years:
- First year: the Fellows will receive travel support to attend two consecutive Arctic Science Summit Weeks (ASSWs) where the annual IASC WG meetings are held.
- Second and Third Year (optional): Fellows have the opportunity to stay involved in their IASC WG for up to two additional years without dedicated funding support from IASC.
Important Note: The travel support during the first Fellowship year is the only financial remuneration for the Fellows. Salary is not included during the Fellowship.
The IASC Fellowship Coordinator Armina Soleymani will hold an IASC Fellowships 2026 Information Session for those interested in applying to the Fellowships on 26 September 2026 from 16:00 - 17:00 GMT. Registration link.
For more information on the IASC Fellowships please see the IASC website or contact the IASC Secretariat (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) or the IASC Fellowship Coordinator Armina Soleymani (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) or the APECS International Directorate (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
How to apply for the IASC Fellowships 2026?
The application and selection process for the IASC Fellowships 2026 is coordinated by APECS in cooperation with IASC.
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Application and Selection Criteria
Applicants should fulfill the following criteria:
- PhD student/candidate or postdoctoral researcher (up to 5 years past terminal degree). Exceptions will be made only for the two Indigenous Fellowships that also accept applications from Master students and recent Master graduates (up to 3 years past graduation).
- Located/ affiliated with at an institution in an IASC member country
- Able to commit to participating in the activities of one of the IASC Working Groups (WG) for at least from January 2026 until April 2027, and voluntarily for up to two more years until March 2029. (without dedicated travel funding).
- Able to attend the two upcoming ASSWs:
- ASSW 2026 from 25 March - 1 April 2026 in Aarhus, Denmark.
- ASSW 2027 from 12 - 20 April 2027 in Hakodate, Japan
- Have a good command of English
- The IASC Indigenous Fellowships are for someone who identifies as an Arctic Indigenous person themselves. Non-Indigenous people who study/work with Arctic Indigenous-related topics are not eligible.
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Application Form
If you are interested in these opportunities then please fill out this application form. If you have problems accessing or submitting the form, please contact the IASC Secretariat at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Application deadline is 20 October 2025 at 18:00 GMT. Late applications will not be considered. Successful applicants will be notified by December 2025. All other applicants will be informed about the outcome of their application in January 2026.
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Selection Process
The selection of candidates is coordinated by the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS) and will only be based on the material you provide in the application form – so please be as specific as possible.
All applications will be reviewed in a blind review process with each application being reviewed by at least 2 independent reviewers. Applications will be reviewed according to multiple criteria including your research background and the quality of your statement of interest of why you would like to become an IASC Fellow. After this initial review process, top ranked candidates will be forwarded to the IASC Secretariat as well as the IASC Working Group Steering Groups, who will make the final decision on their Fellows.
