Simons Dissertation Fellowship in Mathematics – Request for Applications 2026: How to Apply

The deadline to submit applications is February 25, 2026, at 12 p.m. (noon) Eastern Time. Applications should be started and submitted under the applicant’s own account in the Simons Award Manager (SAM), https://sam.simonsfoundation.org/. Once logged in, select the Funding Opportunities icon. For the Simons Dissertation Fellowship in Mathematics application, click on Create Application, then Begin Application. NOTE: There is no budget requirement for the application. If selected, grantees will be awarded $19,200 per year for a total of $38,400 USD.

Please note that in the event of budgetary or other considerations, The Simons Foundation, Inc. (“the Foundation” or “SF”) reserves the right to refer an application to The Simons Foundation International, Ltd. (“SFI”) for consideration and funding. SFI and SF have entered into an agreement pursuant to which SF provides program operations and grant administration services, including payment processing, to SFI. SFI grant recipients are subject to SF Policies and Procedures.

Complete the application as follows:

1. Proposal Tab:
   1. Applicant Details: Complete required fields for the applicant including title, department, academic rank and ORCID iD. The applicant may use the Edit Profile button to update their information as needed.
   2. Academic Degrees:
      1. Enter degrees (optional).
      2. Indicate whether the mathematics department at the grantee’s institution has a Ph.D. granting program. See the eligibility section of the RFA for further information.
   3. Application Details:
      1. Enter the title of the application.
      2. Start and end dates are fixed. The grant will commence September 1, 2026 and end August 31, 2028.
   4. Proposal:
      1. Upload a PDF of the following:
         1. Statement of Research Plans (two-page limit, plus up to one page for references and figures, which can be embedded within the text): A statement summarizing the applicant’s research contributions, research plans for the immediate future, and career goals.
         2. Letter from Thesis Advisor (two-page limit): Must be signed by the letter writer. The letter should summarize the scientific accomplishments of the applicant and the applicant’s potential in the field of mathematics.
         3. Applicant Biosketch: Upload a biosketch using the template provided, or upload a SciENcv, NIH- or NSF-style biosketch.

      2. Indicate the extent to which, if any, generative AI technology was used and how it was used to develop your proposal.
      3. Indicate whether the applicant is affiliated with the Simons Foundation or the Flatiron Institute as a Visiting Scholar / Independent Contractor or Employee.
         1. Note: Simons Foundation employees who receive a W-2 (Wage and Tax Statement) from the Simons Foundation, including employees of the Flatiron Institute, may not apply as a PI to any Simons Foundation or Simons Foundation International RFAs released by the Simons Foundation. If the applicant will receive funding for salary, travel, support for students, postdocs or research staff, lab equipment, computing time or other individual expenses they may not be employees of the Simons Foundation, which includes the Flatiron Institute.
2. Contacts & Personnel Tab: Refer to the instructions provided in SAM to add Institution Administrative Contacts.
3. Abstract & Keywords Tab:
   1. Keywords: Click on the Add/Modify Keywords button to select up to two tags as it applies to the applicant’s research. Your choices will be used to select the most suitable reviewers.
4. Check Application Progress: Click the Check Application Progress button to check for any missing required information or files. All missing required information will be listed at the top of the screen and must be corrected before the application can be submitted.
5. Send for Sign-off: When the application is complete, click on the Send for sign-off button to send to your signing official for signature. You will receive a notification when the application is signed.
6. Submit Application: When the full proposal application is complete and signed, click on the Submit Application button. A confirmation page will appear once the application is successfully submitted. The application will appear in the Submitted tab of the Applications in Progress table. You will not be able to submit an application if the deadline has passed.