The Olympic Studies Centre (OSC) of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is accepting applications for its 2027 PhD Students and Early Career Academics Research Grant Programme, an annual funding opportunity supporting humanities and social sciences research on the Olympic Movement, Olympism, and the societal impact of the Olympic Games.
The programme provides research grants of up to USD 6,000, including support for research visits to the Olympic Studies Centre in Lausanne, Switzerland, where successful applicants can access the IOC Historical Archives and one of the world’s leading collections on Olympic history and culture.
Applications close on 22 September 2026.
About the Research Grant Programme
The Olympic Studies Centre created this programme to support the next generation of scholars conducting innovative research on the Olympic Movement from humanities and social sciences perspectives.
The grant enables researchers to develop original academic work while benefiting from the Centre’s extensive collections, including primary sources, historical archives, publications, photographs, audiovisual materials, and other Olympic heritage resources.
The programme particularly welcomes applications from candidates representing diverse regions, institutions, and academic backgrounds.
Who Can Apply?
The programme is open to two categories of researchers.
PhD Students
Applicants must:
- Be enrolled in a PhD programme throughout the grant period.
- Conduct research in the humanities and/or social sciences.
- Have Olympism, the Olympic Movement, or the Olympic Games as at least one major focus of their doctoral research.
- Demonstrate that the proposed project contributes directly to their doctoral thesis.
Early Career Academics
Applicants must:
- Have completed their doctorate (or equivalent highest degree) in or after 2024.
- Hold a university appointment covering the duration of the grant.
- Conduct research within the humanities and/or social sciences.
Who Is Not Eligible?
The programme does not accept applications from:
- Previous recipients of the OSC PhD and Early Career Research Grant.
- Collective or group applications.
- Researchers working exclusively in natural sciences, including biomechanics, physiology, medicine, neuroscience, and related fields.
- Projects focused exclusively on athlete communities or topics under the responsibility of organizations outside the IOC, such as International Federations or the International Paralympic Committee.
Research Themes
Eligible projects should examine topics related to:
- Olympism and Olympic values
- The Olympic Movement
- Olympic history
- Sport and society
- Culture and the Olympic Games
- Politics and global governance of sport
- Media and communication
- Gender, inclusion, and identity
- Education and Olympic heritage
- Social, historical, or cultural dimensions of the Games
Projects must adopt a humanities and/or social sciences perspective.
Funding and Eligible Expenses
Successful applicants may receive a grant of up to USD 6,000.
The grant may support:
- Economy-class travel
- Living expenses during research visits
- Consultation of the IOC Historical Archives
- Research visits to Lausanne
- Translation of essential research materials
- Web hosting and digital dissemination
- Research software not provided by the applicant’s university
- Workshops, focus groups, and data collection
- Other justified research expenses
Knowledge dissemination activities—including publication fees, conference participation, podcasts, blogs, and similar outputs—are eligible for funding up to USD 1,500.
The grant does not cover salaries, tuition fees, institutional overheads, insurance, hardware purchases, or expenses incurred before the grant begins.
Required Application Materials
Applicants must submit a complete application in English or French, including:
- Official application form
- Proof of PhD enrolment or university appointment
- Signed recommendation letter from a supervisor or mentor
- Ethics approval certificate where required
- Disclosure of any AI tools used in preparing the application
It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that all supporting documents, including the recommendation letter, are submitted before the deadline.
Selection Criteria
Applications are evaluated by an international committee of Olympic studies experts and Olympic Studies Centre representatives.
Selection is based on:
- Academic quality of the proposal
- Originality and significance of the research
- Well-developed literature review and methodology
- Feasibility of the project
- Applicant’s ability to complete the research successfully
- Contribution to Olympic studies and the broader understanding of the Olympic Movement
The programme is highly competitive, with only a limited number of grants awarded annually.
Research Visit to Lausanne
Grant recipients who request archival access will have the opportunity to conduct research at the Olympic Studies Centre in Lausanne between February and December 2027. The Centre will schedule research visits in consultation with successful applicants.
This provides scholars with access to rare historical collections and primary sources unavailable elsewhere.
Important AI Policy
The Olympic Studies Centre permits the responsible use of AI tools, provided applicants fully disclose their use. AI may assist with tasks such as proofreading or summarization, but it must not replace the applicant’s original intellectual contribution. Researchers remain fully responsible for originality, academic integrity, ethical use, and plagiarism prevention.
Important Dates
| Activity | Date |
|---|---|
| Information Session 1 | 23 June 2026 |
| Information Session 2 | 1 September 2026 |
| Application Deadline | 22 September 2026 |
| Eligibility Confirmation | 6 October 2026 |
| Award Notifications | End of December 2026 |
| Research Visits | February–December 2027 |
| Final Report Due | 31 December 2027 |
How to Strengthen Your Application
Strong proposals should present a clearly defined research question, a robust theoretical framework, and a well-developed methodology. Applicants should demonstrate the originality and academic significance of their project while explaining how access to the Olympic Studies Centre’s collections will strengthen their research. A compelling recommendation letter and a realistic research plan can further enhance competitiveness.
How to Apply
Eligible PhD students and early career academics should submit the official application form and all supporting documents in English or French before 22 September 2026.
