Eligibility Criteria

These projects are designed principally for full-time or part-time teachers and librarians in public, charter, independent, and religiously affiliated schools, as well as homeschooling parents. Museum educators and other K12 school system personnel – such as administrators, substitute teachers and curriculum developers – are also eligible to participate.

Applicants must be US citizens, residents of US jurisdictions, or foreign nationals who have been residing in the US or its territories for at least three years immediately preceding the participation deadline. Foreign nationals teaching abroad at non-US charted institutions are not eligible to apply. 

Participants may not be delinquent in the repayment of federal debt (e.g. taxes, student loans, child support payments, and delinquent payroll taxes for household or other employees). Individuals may not apply to an NEH Summer Institute whose director is a family member, is affiliated with prospective applicant’s institution, or is someone with whom the prospect applicant has previously studied.

In any given year, an individual may apply to a maximum of two Seminars, Institutes, or Landmarks, but may attend only one.

Please note:  Five institute spaces may be reserved for teachers who are new to the profession (those who have been teaching for five years or less). Individual projects that target particular grade levels (K-5, 6-8, and/or 9-12) may give preference to applicants who serve that project’s intended audience.  (Becoming U.S. will give preference to secondary teachers.) Special consideration also will go to those who have not previously attended an NEH Seminar or Institute. When choices must be made between equally qualified candidates, preference will be given to those who would enhance the diversity of the program.

Application Instructions

A complete application consists of three items: 

• The application webform, with
• An attached resume or short biography detailing your educational qualifications and professional experience (1-2 pages only)
• And an attached application essay ideally of one double-spaced page, but no more than two pages. In the essay, please explain your biggest challenge in teaching the subject of immigration, especially within the context of current events, and how you hope the institute will enhance your ability to teach it.

Completed applications (including all of the above listed parts) must be submitted by March 3, 2023. 

If you cannot apply online, please contact us at education@hsp.org to discuss alternatives. 

A selection committee, comprised of the project director and three other people, one of whom is a K12 teacher, will evaluate all compete applications to select a group of 30 Summer Scholars and to identify alternates.  All applicants will be notified of acceptance, wait list, or non-acceptance by Monday, April 3, 2023. Applicants will then have until Friday, April 14, 2023 to accept or reject the offer. 

Applicant Expectations

Summer Scholars are expected to attend all meetings of the Institute and engage fully as professionals in the work of the project. During the project, participants may not undertake teaching assignments or professional activities unrelated to their participation in the project. 

Summer Scholars are offered a stipend for participation in the project ($1300). The stipend is intended to help cover travel, housing, meals, and basic academic expenses.  Those who, for any reason, do not complete the full tenure of the project will receive a reduced stipend. 

Equal Opportunity Statement

Endowment programs do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or age. For further information, write to the Equal Opportunity Officer, National endowment for the Humanities, 400 7^th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20024. TDD: 2002-606-8282 (this is a special telephone devise for the Deaf).