Launch of the 2026 PhD Students and Early Career Academics Research Grant Programme

02 July 2025 – The IOC Olympic Studies Centre (OSC) has launched a new edition of the grant programme for PhD Students and Early Career Academics engaged in scholarly research on the Olympic Movement, its history and ideals, the athletes, the Olympic Games and their impact on society and culture.

Since the creation of this programme in 1999, more than 142 researchers from all over the world have benefited from this programme and received a grant, allowing them to conduct their research and, where relevant to visit the IOC Olympic Studies Centre in Lausanne, Switzerland to consult its collections (including primary sources from the IOC’s historical archives).

Who is eligible to apply?

All current postgraduate students enrolled in a PhD degree programme within the human and/or social sciences encompassing Olympism, the Olympic Movement or the Olympic Games as, at least, one of their research foci.

All academic staff members and postdoctoral fellows who have completed their doctorate or equivalent highest degree (including masters, depending on the field) in or after 2023, are also eligible.

Rules, application form and deadline for submission

Application files and any related correspondence should be sent to the OSC before 22 September 2025. The programme’s rules and guidelines and the application form are available on our website.

Grant Selection Committee

The Grant Programme Selection Committee is composed of academic experts who are internationally renowned for their involvement in Olympic studies and of OSC representatives.

Other grant opportunities

University professors, lecturers and research fellows who have completed their doctorate and who hold an academic/research appointment are eligible to apply to the Advanced Olympic Research Grant Programme. This programme aims to promote advanced research by established researchers with a humanities or social sciences perspective in priority fields of research, which are identified every two years by the IOC. See here for additional information.

Our unique collections of resources to assist your research

We invite you to discover the Olympic World Library (OWL), our library catalogue entirely dedicated to Olympic knowledge, with over 42.000 official and academic publications.You will also find an overview of the IOC historical archives, accessible via the OSC. For more information on the IOC Olympic Studies Centre, its resources, services and programmes, visit our website or contact studies.centre@olympic.org.