Suppose, hypothetically, that I am midway through my second or third year in a first-entry undergraduate program at the University of Toronto. I haven’t had an easy time navigating the enormous range of study options, and my transcript shows it: I’ve tried courses across the humanities, maybe a language or an introductory science, and an increasing number of social sciences.
I’ve finally settled into what might be described as a boutique degree: something made for me—a combination of disciplines or a nontraditional program that seems like it will prepare me for a changing world while allowing me to explore the specific issues I want to address after graduation. Or perhaps I’ve stayed within my chosen specialization, but I need something more.
I am frustrated. I can’t quite get at the thing I want to do. My assignments are overwhelming, my workload is intense, and I still don’t feel like I’ll have the chance to write that Really Important Paper sitting at the back of my mind. Maybe in graduate school. But it’s expensive. I don’t know how to get where I want to go.
Every year, the JHI selects six undergraduate fellows from across the humanities and social sciences, and from all three campuses. They have strong GPAs and an idea sparked by the annual theme. Each student is paired with a faculty research fellow, often from a different discipline, whose work resonates in unexpected and productive ways with the student’s project.
The 2026-27 Undergraduate Fellows call is open. Deadline to apply is April 21, 2026.
Over the course of the year—typically their fourth, and for some their third—fellows register for a full-year Independent Study credit in their home unit. With careful supervision, they research and write a graduate-level essay, which they present to the Circle of Fellows at the end of the year.
Each week, they share lunch with faculty members, postdocs, doctoral students, an artist, an Indigenous faculty member, and a visiting external fellow. They attend presentations by their colleagues and participate as equals in a sustained conversation that moves across disciplines, time periods, and geographies.
They form deep friendships and gain a detailed understanding of academic life. Those considering graduate study receive expert guidance. Fellows also have 24/7 access to the JHI, including their own locked carrel. They read more than they ever have before.
As the year progresses, their ideas begin to take shape. They structure a long paper—paring, refining, and learning how to support their claims. Final presentations may take the form of a traditional talk, but flexibility is key: some projects become films, dances, hip-hop videos, or fully designed courses. There is room to create as well as to analyze.
Their JHI supervisor assigns the grade for the Independent Study credit, based on the written work and final presentation.
And after the JHI? Most undergraduate fellows (about 90%) go on to graduate study, whether direct-entry PhD (18%), master’s programs (60%), or professional degrees (11%), or after a short gap. All fellows graduate; none has ever left their program.
Over 18 years, career outcomes are clear. Just under half (46%) of former fellows now pursue academic careers; 10% are lawyers; and about 15% work in government, healthcare, NGOs, publishing, museums, or university administration. Around 22% remain in graduate study, and about 10% are self-employed, including musicians, poets, writers, influencers, and even an Olympic athlete.
How do they describe their experience at the end of the year? Here are some comments from the 24-25 cohort:
I was utterly delighted to find a place among a group of academics who were so dedicated to thinking expansively across disciplinary and methodological lines… My time at the Jackman Humanities Institute gave me a glimpse into what a possible future in academia could be like.
I will simply write a thank you here for the chance to learn from so many intelligent and out-of-the-box thinkers who encouraged me to think in new ways. The JHI gave me the space to be incredibly creative with my academic work… made me confident in my writing and ideas, while deeply imprinting into me the value of communal knowledge formations.
Next year, I will be leaving Toronto to pursue a joint MA degree offered by Columbia University and the London School of Economics. The geographical, temporal, and thematic scope of the dissertation I plan to develop for this program will closely align with that of my JHI project, and I expect to draw heavily on the research I conducted during my time here.
My fellowship gave me meaningful levels of access to a series of events, presentations, and other opportunities which significantly enriched my work… JHI is intentional about creating a space that fits a lot of interests and helps fellows to connect with one another in meaningful ways. Our disciplines and interests were varied, so I was always learning. My supervisor was a delight, but having access to a writing space and being able to strike up conversations with the other fellows had a real impact and added new depth to my research.
This fellowship provided both the time and the space for my current and future work to crystallize. I especially appreciated the quiet and focused work environment, which made deep thinking not only possible but sustainable… I am deeply grateful for the resources, support, and trust invested in me over the course of this year. This fellowship has been one of the most formative and meaningful experiences of my academic life.
JHI provided an environment – physically and intellectually – that not only allowed me to still see massive success, but in fact achieve the strongest academic performance of my four years at the University of Toronto. The JHI office space was a wonderful location to do both my fellowship research and my course work, which was particularly welcome as I underwent my final year of undergraduate course work.