Applications are now open for the LEGO Foundation Fellowship 2027, a prestigious global research fellowship supporting early- and mid-career researchers whose work advances understanding of how children thrive across diverse contexts worldwide.

Administered by the Social Science Research Council (SSRC) in partnership with the LEGO Foundation, this highly competitive fellowship provides flexible funding of USD 300,000 over three years to scholars conducting ambitious, rigorous, and practically relevant research related to children’s wellbeing, development, learning, inclusion, resilience, and thriving.

The fellowship brings together researchers from multiple disciplines including education, psychology, child development, sociology, neuroscience, public health, data science, humanitarian studies, disability studies, implementation science, economics, and human-computer interaction.

Researchers selected for the fellowship will not only receive substantial financial support but will also become part of a global interdisciplinary cohort dedicated to generating evidence that informs real-world action for children.

Applications must be submitted by July 31, 2026.

About the LEGO Foundation Fellowship

The LEGO Foundation Fellowship is a global initiative created to support researchers whose work can strengthen understanding of how children learn, grow, develop, and thrive in complex and changing environments.

The fellowship reflects the LEGO Foundation’s long-standing commitment to improving children’s lives worldwide through education, creativity, learning through play, wellbeing, and inclusive development.

The programme coincides with the LEGO Foundation’s 40th anniversary and responds to urgent global challenges affecting children today, including:

Humanitarian crises and conflict
Displacement and instability
Mental health challenges
Educational inequalities
Neurodivergence and inclusion
The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence
Social disconnection and reduced learning engagement

The fellowship is designed to empower researchers who are producing evidence capable of shaping policy, practice, and systems that better support children globally.

Fellowship Funding and Benefits

Selected fellows will receive extensive support over a three-year period.

Fellowship Benefits Include:

1. USD 300,000 Flexible Research Funding

Each fellow receives:

USD 300,000 over three years
Funding inclusive of 15% indirect costs
Institution-administered funding support

The fellowship funding can be used for:

Research personnel
Professional travel
Equipment
Data collection
Dissemination activities
Trainee support
Research-related operational costs
IRB-related costs
Fellowship meeting travel expenses

2. Global Fellowship Community

Fellows join an international interdisciplinary network of researchers focused on children’s thriving.

Participants gain:

Global collaboration opportunities
Research exchange platforms
Peer learning experiences
Interdisciplinary dialogue
Networking with policy and practice audiences

3. Annual Convenings and Cohort Activities

The fellowship includes:

Annual meetings
Virtual cohort sessions
Research-sharing opportunities
Engagement with practitioners and policymakers

4. International Visibility

Fellows receive:

Recognition within the LEGO Foundation network
Media visibility opportunities
Dissemination support for research outputs

5. Long-Term Career Advancement

The programme supports researchers in:

Strengthening leadership capacity
Advancing impactful research agendas
Translating evidence into practice
Building interdisciplinary partnerships

Research Themes for the Fellowship

Applicants must align their proposed research with one or more of the fellowship’s three core themes.

Theme 1: The Youngest Children in Crisis and Conflict Settings

This theme focuses on children from birth to age eight living in crisis, displacement, or humanitarian settings.

Research areas include:

Mechanisms of Resilience and Pathways to Thriving

Studies exploring how children continue to develop and learn despite adversity.

Strengthening Caregiving and Family Environments

Research on parenting, caregiving, and family systems supporting child development.

Scaling and Sustaining Effective Interventions

Evidence on how child development and mental health interventions can be expanded and sustained.

Translating Evidence into Practice

Research examining how evidence-based interventions are adopted and implemented in humanitarian settings.

The programme welcomes studies involving:

Refugee children
Internally displaced children
Children in humanitarian emergencies
Children in recovery contexts
Vulnerable host community children

Theme 2: Inclusion and Wellbeing of Neurodivergent Children

This theme focuses especially on autism and ADHD.

Research may explore:

Support Before Diagnosis

How neurodivergent children can receive support before formal assessment or diagnosis.

Strengthening Family Environments

The role of home routines, caregiving, and family wellbeing.

Inclusive Learning Environments

How education systems and classroom practices can better support neurodivergent learners.

Transitions and Continuity of Support

Research on maintaining support during educational and developmental transitions.

Enabling Tools

Evidence on how digital technologies reduce barriers to communication, participation, and learning.

Theme 3: Children’s Learning and Development in an AI-Enabled World

This theme explores how artificial intelligence is reshaping children’s experiences and development.

Research topics include:

AI and Adult-Child Connection

Understanding how AI influences relationships between children and caregivers.

AI and Social-Emotional Development

Research on how AI affects emotional wellbeing, social interaction, and help-seeking behaviors.

AI and Productive Struggle in Learning

Studies examining AI’s effect on persistence, engagement, and motivation.

Differential Effects of AI

Evidence on whether AI reduces or deepens educational inequalities.

Is Play Required in the Research Proposal?

No.

Applicants may include play where relevant, but it is not mandatory and is not a condition for eligibility.

Who Can Apply?

The fellowship is open to early- and mid-career researchers worldwide.

Applicants Must:

Hold a PhD or equivalent research doctorate by July 31, 2026
Have received their PhD no earlier than January 1, 2016
Be employed by a university or research institute
Submit an individual application
Propose research aligned with at least one fellowship theme
Have institutional capacity to administer the grant

The programme also recognizes documented career breaks such as:

Parental leave
Caregiving responsibilities
Illness
Displacement
Other research interruptions

Eligible Disciplines

Researchers from diverse academic backgrounds are encouraged to apply, including:

Education
Psychology
Public health
Sociology
Neuroscience
Economics
Data science
Disability studies
Humanitarian studies
Child development
Human-computer interaction
Implementation science

Countries Eligible to Apply

Applicants from all countries are welcome except those subject to EU or US sanctions.

Number of Fellowships Available

Up to 10 fellowships

Fellowship Duration

February 1, 2027 – December 31, 2029

Selection Criteria

Applications will be evaluated based on:

1. Alignment with Fellowship Themes

The research must clearly address one or more programme themes.

2. Clarity and Strength of Proposed Work

Applicants must demonstrate:

Strong research questions
Clear research gaps
Practical relevance

3. Applicant Readiness

Reviewers will assess:

Research accomplishments
Leadership potential
Research capacity

4. Feasibility and Research Quality

Applications should include:

Sound methodology
Ethical considerations
Realistic timelines
Feasible implementation plans

5. Contribution to the Field

The proposed work should contribute meaningfully to scholarship, policy, or practice.

6. Fellowship Fit

Applicants should explain why the fellowship is timely and valuable for their work.

Application Materials Required

Applicants must submit:

1. Online Application Form

2. CV or Resume

Maximum 2 pages

3. Research Abstract

250-word limit

4. Personal Statement

500-word limit

The statement should explain:

Motivation for studying childhood development
Contribution to scholarly knowledge
Leadership potential

5. Research Proposal

Maximum 5 pages covering:

Research relevance
Original contribution
Methods
Feasibility
Work completed to date

6. Budget and Budget Justification

7. Selected Bibliography

Maximum 2 pages

Learn more about the application details HERE.

Application Timeline

Key Dates

Application Opens: June 1, 2026
Application Deadline: July 31, 2026
Fellowship Period: February 1, 2027 – December 31, 2029

Click HERE to submit your application.

How the Selection Process Works

The fellowship uses a two-stage evaluation process.

Stage One

Applications reviewed by:

International childhood development specialists
Multidisciplinary reviewers

Stage Two

Final selections made by:

LEGO Foundation review committee

Applicants will be informed of results in November 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can research address multiple themes?

Yes. Applicants may address more than one fellowship theme.

Can research teams apply?

No. The fellowship is awarded to individual researchers only.

Can existing projects receive funding?

Yes. Fellows may extend or continue existing projects.

Can fellows receive additional funding from other sources?

Yes.

Are MD or MBBS degrees accepted?

Yes. Equivalent research doctorates are eligible.

Is a budget required?

Yes. Budget submission is mandatory.

Can fellows change institutions?

Yes, with programme approval.

Does the fellowship support visas and IRB costs?

Yes. These expenses may be included in the project budget.

Why This Fellowship Is Important

The LEGO Foundation Fellowship arrives at a critical moment globally.

Children worldwide are facing:

Conflict and displacement
Educational disruption
Mental health challenges
Exclusion and inequity
Rapid technological transformation

This fellowship invests in researchers whose work can directly influence policies, systems, and interventions that improve children’s lives.

By combining rigorous research with real-world application, the programme aims to bridge the gap between academic evidence and practical solutions for children globally.

Visit HERE to learn more about the LEGO Foundation Fellowship 2027.

Conclusion

The LEGO Foundation Fellowship 2027 is one of the most significant global research fellowships focused on children’s thriving, wellbeing, inclusion, and development.

With substantial funding, interdisciplinary collaboration, and strong institutional support, the programme offers researchers an extraordinary opportunity to advance impactful work capable of shaping the future for children worldwide.

For scholars committed to generating evidence that improves children’s lives across diverse contexts, this fellowship represents a major platform for research, leadership, and global influence.

Discover more global Fellowship and Research opportunities on OFY.

LEGO Foundation Fellowship 2027: $300,000 Global Research Fellowship for Early- and Mid-Career Scholars Working on Children’s Thriving @and Mid-Career Scholars Working on Children’s Thriving