Council of Councils
Think Global Health
Online Store
International efforts, such as the Paris Agreement, aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But experts say countries aren’t doing enough to limit dangerous global warming.
Fellowships
International Affairs Fellowship Programs
Hear From Past International Affairs Fellows
"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.
International Affairs Fellowship
Established in 1967, the International Affairs Fellowship (IAF) aims to bridge the gap between the study and making of U.S. foreign policy by creating the next generation of scholar-practitioners. The program offers fellows the chance to experience a new environment and gain a different perspective at a pivotal moment in their careers. Academics are placed in policy-oriented public service settings and government officials in scholarly settings. The IAF program now has more than 650 alumni, constituting a who’s who of the U.S. foreign policy community, including a former secretary of state, several undersecretaries of state and defense, ambassadors, and many other influential leaders in government, academia, and the private sector. Apply by October 31, 2023.
International Affairs Fellowship in Canada
Launched in 2016, the International Affairs Fellowship (IAF) in Canada, sponsored by Power Corporation of Canada, seeks to strengthen mutual understanding and cooperation between rising generations of leaders and thinkers in the United States and Canada. The program enables mid-career U.S. professionals to spend six to twelve months at a Canadian institution to deepen their knowledge of Canada. Individuals from academia, business, government, journalism, NGOs, and think tanks are all encouraged to apply. Prior experience working in or writing about Canada is not required. Apply by October 31, 2023.
International Affairs Fellowship in India
The International Affairs Fellowship (IAF) in India, created with a grant contributed by Bharti Enterprises, seeks to strengthen mutual understanding and cooperation between rising generations of leaders and thinkers in the United States and India. The program is intended for mid-career U.S. professionals who have had little or no experience in India. The program enables selected fellows to spend three to twelve months conducting research in India, developing a new professional network, and gaining deeper insights into the opportunities and challenges facing the world’s most populous democracy. Fellows come from academia, business, government, journalism, NGOs, and think tanks. The IAF in India program is not accepting applications for the 2024–25 fellowship year.
International Affairs Fellowship in Indonesia
The International Affairs Fellowship (IAF) in Indonesia, sponsored by Yayasan Persahabatan Indonesia Amerika Serikat (Indonesia-USA Friendship Foundation), seeks to strengthen mutual understanding and cooperation between rising generations of leaders and thinkers in Indonesia and the United States. The program enables mid-career U.S. professionals to spend three to twelve months conducting research in Indonesia, developing a new professional network, and gaining deeper insights into the opportunities and challenges the country faces. Individuals from academia, business, government, journalism, NGOs, and think tanks are all encouraged to apply. Prior experience working in or writing about Indonesia is not required. Apply by October 31, 2023.
International Affairs Fellowship in Japan
Founded in 1997, the International Affairs Fellowship (IAF) in Japan, sponsored by Hitachi, Ltd., seeks to strengthen mutual understanding and cooperation between the rising generations of leaders in the United States and Japan. The program enables mid-career professionals and scholars to carry out research at host institutions in Japan and to establish long-term professional and personal ties through their activities. Individuals from academia, business, government, media, NGOs, and think tanks are encouraged to apply. Prior experience in Japan is not required. Apply by October 31, 2023.
International Affairs Fellowship for Tenured International Relations Scholars
The International Affairs Fellowship (IAF) for Tenured International Relations Scholars, sponsored by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, offers tenured academics whose research and teaching are connected to international peace and security issues practical experience in foreign policy through a twelve-month placement at a U.S. federal government agency, in Congress, or with an international organization. The fellowship helps close the gap between research and practice, enriching both the teaching and scholarship of tenured academics give selected fellows experience as practitioners. The program also benefits policymakers by exposing them to critical scholarly research relevant to the foreign policy and national security issues facing the United States and the world. Professors from the humanities, social sciences, law, economics, regional studies, and other academic disciplines with research interests in international relations are encouraged to apply. Apply by October 31, 2023.
Robert A. Belfer International Affairs Fellowship in European Security
The Robert A. Belfer International Affairs Fellowship (IAF) in European Security seeks to strengthen mutual understanding and cooperation between rising generations of leaders and thinkers in Europe and the United States. The program enables mid-career U.S. professionals to spend up to twelve months conducting research and working in Europe at a think tank, university, government agency, or international organization on issues pertaining to European security. Individuals from academia, business, government, journalism, NGOs, and think tanks are all encouraged to apply. Apply by October 31, 2023.