The Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture at MIT (AKPIA@MIT) is pleased to announce its postdoctoral / post-professional degree fellowship program for the academic year 2025-2026. The fellowship program is intended for scholars with a Ph.D. and/or practitioners in any field related to architecture — including architectural, art, landscape, and urban history; and also contemporary art, design, landscape, heritage studies, urban planning, anthropology, and archeology. We seek applications both from fields close to AKPIA@MIT’s core research areas, e.g., historical, comparative, artistic and humanistic inquiry, and from complementary fields analyzing contemporary crises and responses. Eligibility criteria for practitioners include the completion of a terminal degree at least 3 years prior, as well as evidence of a research-informed practice. For Postdoc applicants, the degree should be in hand before the beginning of the fellowship.
Applicants should describe the scope of their proposed research project and how they plan to engage with the MIT academic community. Fellows are expected to engage in research, give at least one public lecture, submit an article / publication / exhibition on their input to the subject at the end of their fellowship that will be posted online and possibly included in a publication by AKPIA@MIT, and participate in the program's scholarly and academic activities during their stay at MIT.
One to three fellowships will be granted. The fellowship duration can range from two months to a maximum of two semesters, or nine months, of residency at MIT, that will have to fall within the academic year (September to June). The fellowship award consists of monthly stipend not to exceed the amount of $5,917 (before taxes) per month.
The Aga Khan Program does not provide financial assistance for travel, housing, or health insurance. Fellows will be responsible for these costs. MIT requires all fellows to have health insurance. Please see these links for healthcare info:
MIT Ship link
Main page info link
Cost sheet link
MIT Insurance FAQ
Please note that the links above are from last year, and the cost sheets above show last years rates, which are there for your reference only. New rates will be released in July 2025, which will most likely be higher than those from last year. MIT does not cover the costs on the sheet, affiliates are responsible for all healthcare costs needed for the insurance coverage.
AKPIA will also provide library cards, email accounts at MIT, and, if available, a workplace in the AKPIA@MIT office that is shared with other fellows. For practitioners, access to various fabrication facilities at MIT will be provided.
Deadline for application is Feb 20th, 2025 and recipients will be announced by April 3, 2025. To apply please complete the electronic form below and make sure to fill all fields marked with asterisks. The form includes a field for uploading accompanying documents, which should be formatted as a single compressed file or PDF file less than 12 MB in size. This file must include a C.V., research proposal, substantial writing sample (obligatory for scholars) and/or a portfolio (obligatory for practitioners), and two letters of recommendation in that order. Letters of recommendation can be sent separately to [email protected].
If health or other restrictions arise, as in the case of the COVID-19 pandemic, MIT reserves the right to suspend the fellowships at any time before the official start date. No remote fellowships will be allowed and fellows will have to resubmit their applications to a new cycle and compete with new applicants when MIT is reopened.
Applicants are encouraged to seek other sources of funding to supplement the fellowship award. Scholars on sabbatical or with their own financial resources are also welcome to apply to AKPIA fellowships. AKPIA reserves the right to prorate its fellowship when combined with another grant or fellowship.
Apply Here or on the akpia.mit.edu website at AKPIA Post Doctoral Fellowships
For further information please send email to [email protected]