Ethereum Foundation Launches PhD Fellowship Program Offering $24K Grants For Blockchain-Related Research

Ethereum Foundation, a non-profit organization supporting the Ethereum blockchain, announced the launch of its 2026 PhD Fellowship Program, aimed at advancing academic research related to Ethereum. 

The program seeks to support PhD students across all disciplines, with a particular emphasis on economics, political science, business, public policy, computer science, urban planning, and sociology. 

Applicants are invited to explore innovative approaches to blockchain applications, including economic models enabled by decentralized trust systems, improvements to small business operations through Ethereum-based solutions, and programmable institutional design and governance.

Research proposals may also focus on programmable financial infrastructure to enhance settlement, reconciliation, and compliance efficiency, as well as on verifiable coordination frameworks for urban governance and municipal systems that preserve privacy and institutional integrity. 

Additional areas of interest include intelligent capital formation mechanisms onchain and AI-driven protocol security, including smart contract auditing and vulnerability detection. The program encourages researchers to propose pragmatic, deployable solutions, prototypes, or pilots that integrate with existing tools and institutional processes while exploring the potential of Ethereum as a foundation for decentralized coordination, automation, and verifiable trust.

The fellowship will award seven to eight recipients, each receiving a stipend of $24,000 USD over one year. Submissions must be made by 23:59 AoE on April 1st. Applicants are encouraged to use the listed research areas as guidance while exploring creative and impactful approaches to advancing the Ethereum ecosystem.

Ethereum Foundation 2026 PhD Fellowship Sets Enrollment And Proposal Requirements For Applicants

All applicants for the 2026 Ethereum Foundation PhD Fellowship Program must be actively enrolled in a doctoral program at a recognized university or academic institution. Proposed projects are expected to generate formal academic research intended for publication in conferences or peer-reviewed journals. While the publication or presentation may occur after the fellowship period, applicants are required to provide evidence that the submission process is underway, such as a receipt of submission, notification of an upcoming call for papers, or other relevant documentation reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Research outputs must be made available through open-access channels under a free and permissive license.

Applications must include a written proposal submitted in PDF format, written in English and structured according to the provided template. Each proposal should contain a detailed applicant profile and links to publicly accessible repositories or prior published work. Multiple applications from the same candidate are allowed, provided each proposal is unique and directly addresses a specific research topic outlined in the Request for Proposals (RFP). Selection for funding will be determined individually for each submission, with decisions communicated via email approximately six weeks after the application deadline. The fellowship application period opens on Monday, February 2nd, and closes at 23:59 AoE on Wednesday, April 1st.

Applications will be evaluated on the expected scholarly and practical impact of the proposed research, the quality and experience of both the applicant and their supervising faculty, the clarity and organization of the proposal, the potential for sustained involvement in the Ethereum ecosystem, and the accessibility of research findings to non-technical audiences. Fellows will receive a grant of $24,000 over one year, intended to supplement the recipient’s existing PhD funding. Upon successful completion of the fellowship, scholars may be considered for an additional continuity stipend to support ongoing development of their research, contingent on the quality and impact of the project.

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