Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowships in the Humanities

“Cultures in Transnational Perspective”

Click here to access the application system, and select “Register” from the menu to register for an account.

Submission Deadline: December 3, 2012 at 11:59 p.m. PST 

About the Program

The Division of Humanities at the University of California, Los Angeles, will soon begin accepting applications for the Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowships in the Humanities “Cultures in Transnational Perspective”.  We expect to appoint two or more fellows for a 1-year term in the Fall of 2013, potentially renewable for a second year, pending funding. Fellows must have earned their doctoral degree no earlier than January 2008 and no later than June 2013. The Mellon Fellowship provides a salary of $56,000 a year plus benefits, a one-time moving allowance of $1,500, and a research budget of $3,500.

All fellows will have the title of Visiting Assistant Professor and will be housed in relevant home departments for which they teach two courses.  Appointments begin on July 1, 2013 and visas/work authorizations must be effective by that date. Fellows are required to be in residence during fall, winter and spring quarters and participate in the monthly Mellon Seminars and annual Mellon Conference, as well as the on-going intellectual life of their home departments. Fellows will also write a progress report due on June 15th of each year of residence.

Designed to explore the emerging field of Transnational Studies, the aim of the Mellon Program at UCLA is to broaden the study of minority cultures from its national focus to global and comparative perspectives. We seek innovative scholarship that explores minority cultures as major components of world culture and history, generated by immigrant and minority writers, artists, filmmakers, playwrights, and musicians residing in metropolitan centers across the world and thereby reshaping the canons of literature, art, and music in their respective countries.

How to Apply

Before you submit an application, you will need to register for an account.  Click here to access the application system, and select “Register” from the menu to register for an account.  After you register for an account, please select the button “Begin Application” under “Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowships 2013-14.”  You will be asked to upload the following documents into the system: 

1.    Project Name -- title of the scholarly project you will work on during fellowship term 
2.    Statement of Purpose – cover letter outlining your interest in the program 
3.    Proposal -- 3000-word description (including bibliography) of the scholarly project that you will work on during the fellowship term
4.    Curriculum vitae 

Documents should be uploaded into the system as PDF, DOC (Word), or XLS (Excel) documents.  PDFs are preferred.  There are free PDF converters available on the web if you do not have the latest version of Acrobat or MS Office on your computer.   

In addition, you will be asked to provide the name and email address of three referees who will write letters of recommendation for you.  The referees will be sent a link that they can use to upload their letter of recommendation. Letters of recommendation are also due by December 3rd at 11:59 p.m. PST.

You have one hour to submit your application after starting it.  If you do not submit within one hour, your session will time out and your application data will be lost.  Once you submit it, it is possible to go back and update or revise your application multiple times. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use letters of recommendation from a dossier service?
Yes, you can use letters of recommendation from a dossier service.  Please have the letters emailed directly to Beth Velinsky at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  and we will upload them manually.  In the application, please include the names and necessary information of the recommenders who will be writing letters on your behalf.

You are also welcome to have the dossier service upload the letters of recommendation for you.  However, please keep in mind that direct upload service often takes several more days than email service to be completed.  As such, please make sure to make your requests to the dossier service well in advance of the application deadline.

How do I send the email to referees requesting the letter of recommendation before completing the application?
You should let your referees know that they will receive an email with a link to the website where they will be able to submit their letter.  Please make sure to let them know of the December 3 deadline.  

As you cannot issue this email to your referees until you have uploaded your application materials, you should upload materials as soon as you can so that your referees receive their email well in advance of the deadline.  If you do not have your final documents ready for upload, you can upload blank documents to serve as placeholders and replace them when you have final versions.  You will be able to log in to the website to update or edit your application as often as you would like until the December 3 deadline.

When are letters of recommendation due?
All application materials, including letters of recommendation, are due on December 3.

When does the application close?
The application will be open through 11:59 p.m. PST on December 3.

Am I still eligible if I will receive my Ph.D. soon after the June deadline?
No.  You must have filed for or have your Ph.D. in hand by June 30.  No exceptions can be granted.

May I send in additional letters of recommendation?
No, only a total of three letters will be accepted.  Additional letters will not be reviewed.

Are non-US citizens eligible to apply?
Yes,  if you are selected, the Mellon Program will assist you in securing the necessary visa. 

If you have further questions, please contact Beth Velinsky at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or (310) 267-4842