Description

The Lieberthal-Rogel Center for Chinese Studies (LRCCS) at the University of Michigan (U-M) is pleased to announce the 2025 LRCCS Postdoctoral Fellowships to support research in the study of China. This opportunity is open to scholars in the humanities or social sciences conducting well-designed research and writing projects. Two fellows will be selected for two-year terms, with the second year contingent on satisfactory participation in the program.

Eligibility

• Research topics may cover any historical period of China—including contemporary China—and involve any academic discipline in the humanities and social sciences.
• Candidates must provide evidence of successful completion of their Ph.D. degree by August of the year of appointment and may not be more than five (5) years beyond receipt of the Ph.D.
• Applicants who do not have native command of English, or whose doctorate is not from a university where the language of instruction is English, must include the date and score of an international English proficiency examination such as the iBT TOEFL, IELTS, or ECPE. (Applicants are expected to have full command of the English language as University of Michigan classes, meetings and business are conducted in English.)
• University of Michigan doctoral degree recipients are not eligible for this fellowship.

Stipend and benefits

• Fellows receive an annual stipend of US$62,500 for each year of the fellowship appointment.
• Fellows and their dependents are eligible for University of Michigan health insurance and health-savings benefits.
• Fellows receive up to US$10,000 of research funding over the duration of their two-year appointment to support their scholarly activities.
• Fellows receive up to US$3,000 to reimburse relocation expenses.
• Fellows are encouraged to hold a book manuscript workshop during their postdoctoral term, with funding and administrative support provided

Application process

• Apply online through Interfolio. 
• Please submit: (a) cover letter; (b) current CV; (c) research and/or writing plan for the fellowship appointment; (d) teaching portfolio including statement of teaching philosophy and evidence of teaching effectiveness if available; (e) recent writing sample; (f) two letters of reference; (g) other documents (such as additional evidence of English proficiency).
• Applications for AY 2026–2028 will open in November 2025 and are due on February 15, 2026.

Requirements

• The fellowship appointment begins in September 2026 and concludes in August 2028. Fellows must physically reside in the vicinity of the University of Michigan during the academic year and participate actively in the events and the intellectual life of the Center.
• Each fellow is expected to give a presentation in the LRCCS Noon Lecture Series, and contribute to the greater Michigan community by mentoring Chinese Studies students and helping to coordinate the LRCCS Interdisciplinary Workshop.
• Each fellow is expected to teach either CCS 501 (Social Scientific Studies of Historical and Contemporary China) or CCS 502 (Humanities Studies of Historical and Contemporary China) once during their two-year term. CCS 501 and CCS 502 are graduate-level courses.