The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has opened applications for its 2027 PhD Students and Early Career Academics Research Grant Programme. This chance helps young scholars study the Olympic Movement, the Olympic Games, and their effects on society. If you research sports history, culture, or related fields, this grant offers funding and special access to Olympic archives.
What Is the IOC Olympic Studies Centre?
The IOC Olympic Studies Centre acts as the main source for Olympic knowledge worldwide. It keeps, grows, and shares details about the Olympic Movement and its role in society. Started years ago, the centre supports scholars through grants like this one.
Since 1999, the programme has aided over 148 researchers from many countries. It lets them use the IOC’s collections in Lausanne, Switzerland. This helps create new work on Olympic topics.
Goals of the Grant Programme
The programme pushes for strong research on Olympism and the Olympic Movement. It welcomes studies from different fields like sports and society. Key aims include supporting new scholars around the world and sharing Olympic values.
It also boosts access to IOC archives. This raises the quality of studies and keeps Olympic history alive.
Research Topics Covered
Scholars can focus on many areas linked to the Olympics. Common topics include:
- Olympic history and heritage
- Athlete growth and roles
- Sports rules and policies
- Olympic education and values
- Gender and variety in sports
- Media in the Olympic world
- Social, political, and economic effects of the Olympics
- Olympic legacy and green efforts
- Sports in world relations
- Olympic effects on culture
The programme favors views from humanities and social sciences.
Key Benefits: Access to Resources
Grant winners get to visit Lausanne for primary sources and archives. They also use the Olympic World Library, with over 42,000 books and papers on Olympics. This huge collection helps make fresh, strong research.
Who Can Apply?
This grant targets new researchers in Olympic studies.
PhD Students
You must be in a PhD program in humanities or social sciences. Your work needs to cover Olympism, the Olympic Movement, or Olympic Games as a main focus.
Early Career Academics
You qualify if you finished your doctorate or top degree in 2024 or later. Postdocs and academic staff count. In some fields, a master’s may work as the top degree.
People from all countries can apply.
Application Process and Deadline
Download forms from the IOC Olympic Studies Centre site. Send them to the centre by email. Check rules and guides first.
Deadline is Tuesday, 22 September 2026.
Two online info sessions will help with questions on rules, needs, and steps. Watch for dates on the site.
Email [email protected] for details.
How Applications Are Reviewed
A committee of Olympic experts and IOC staff checks entries. They look at:
- Quality of the work
- New ideas in the topic
- Fit with Olympic studies
- Strength of methods
- Value to the field
This picks the best projects.
Other IOC Research Grants
The IOC runs an Advanced Olympic Research Grant Programme too. It fits professors, lecturers, and senior researchers with doctorates. Applications open in October 2026 for 2027-2029.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the deadline for the IOC 2027 Research Grant applications?
The deadline is Tuesday, 22 September 2026. Send your application by email to the IOC Olympic Studies Centre after downloading the forms from their site.
Who can apply for this grant?
PhD students in humanities or social sciences with a focus on Olympism, and early career academics who finished their doctorate or top degree in 2024 or later, from any country.
What research topics does the grant cover?
Topics include Olympic history, athlete roles, sports policies, education, gender in sports, media, social effects, legacy, and culture, mainly from humanities and social sciences.
What benefits do grant winners get?
Winners visit Lausanne for IOC archives and use the Olympic World Library with over 42,000 resources to support their research.
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