Olympic Studies Centre Grant (Quick Answer)
The Olympic Studies Centre Grant provides research funding through the IOC Olympic Studies Centre for projects in the humanities and social sciences focused on the Olympic Movement. Each year, the programme offers support to PhD candidates and early-career researchers, who must apply using the official application form.
This guide covers everything you need to know about the Olympic Studies Centre Grant:
What Is the Olympic Studies Centre Grant?
This Grant is a search term, not one official programme name. The OSC runs two research grant programmes:
- PhD Students and Early Career Academics Study Grant Programme: annual, for researchers at the start of their careers.
- Advanced Olympic Study Grant Programme: for established researchers, held every two years.
Both are research grants, not a scholarship. A scholarship usually supports study. These grants fund a defined research project. This article focuses on the annual programme.
Olympic Studies Centre Grant at a Glance (2027 edition, PhD and early career programme)
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Detail
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Information
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Organiser
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IOC Olympic Studies Centre, Lausanne
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Type
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Research grant (humanities and social sciences)
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Funding
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Funding of up to USD 6,000 may be awarded, with the final amount determined by the Selection Committee.
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Language
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English or French
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Deadline
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Tuesday 22 September 2026
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Archive access
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Research visits to Lausanne for selected applicants who request them
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Eligibility
The rules state that eligibility criteria are strictly applied. There are two applicant categories.
PhD students must:
- Applicants must be enrolled in a PhD programme related to the humanities and/or social sciences.
- Include Olympism, the Olympic Movement, or the Olympic Games as at least one of the main areas of study.
- stay enrolled from submission to the final report
- show that the project contributes to their doctoral thesis
Early career academics must:
- Applicants must be academic staff or postdoctoral researchers who earned a doctorate, or the equivalent highest qualification in their field, in 2024 or later.
- Applicants must have a university position that remains active throughout the grant period.
The programme takes a humanities and social sciences view. Purely scientific approaches, such as biomechanics, sit outside that remit.
Studies Centre Grant for PhD Students
Yes, a PhD candidate or doctoral researcher can apply. Enrolment status matters, because you must stay enrolled for the whole grant. Your topic needs an Olympic focus, and the project must feed your thesis.
The official wording covers students enrolled in a PhD programme. A postgraduate student on a master’s programme is not named as eligible. Some master’s graduates may qualify as early career academics, but only if they hold a university appointment and finished their highest degree in or after 2024.
What Research Does Support?
The OSC supports scholarly research on the Movement, its history and ideals, athletes, and the impact of the Olympic Games on society and culture.
These are illustrative examples of study topics, not guaranteed funding priorities:
- Olympic history, heritage, culture, and education
- Olympic legacy and Olympic host cities
- Olympic governance, Olympic policy, and Olympic diplomacy
- National Committees and International Federations
- Sports governance, sociology, economics, law, ethics, and management, when tied to the Olympic Movement
Compare your idea with the current rules before you invest time.
Application Requirements
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Item
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Status
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Notes
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Official application form
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Required
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Available on the OSC page
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Recommendation letter
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Required
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Signed, from your supervisor (PhD) or mentor (early career)
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Ethics approval certificate
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Required in some cases
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Human subjects, fieldwork, or institutional rules
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English or French
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Required
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Applies to the whole application
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Proof of enrolment or appointment; AI-tool disclosure
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Check the rules
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Confirm in the current rules
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Clear research question, literature review, methodology
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Recommended preparation
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General academic practice, not an official checklist
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How to Apply
Step 1: Confirm Your Eligibility
Review the official rules and eligibility requirements to make sure you qualify. Grant matching services can help compare your organization’s profile and research focus with relevant funding opportunities and identify programs that align with your eligibility and goals.
Step 2: Choose a Focused Research Topic
Select a specific research topic with a clear connection to the movement and ensure it aligns with the grant’s research priorities.
Step 3: Review the Application Requirements
Read the official rules and application form carefully to understand the required information, supporting documents, and submission requirements.
Step 4: Draft Your Research Proposal
Prepare a clear research proposal that explains your topic, research objectives, methodology, and expected contribution to studies. Grant community support can provide feedback and practical insights to help refine your research proposal and improve the clarity of your objectives and methodology.
Step 5: Request a Recommendation Letter
Contact your supervisor or academic mentor early to request the required recommendation letter and allow enough time for it to be prepared.
Step 6: Gather Supporting Documents
Collect all required supporting materials, including ethics approval or related documentation if your research requires it. Grant resource guidance can help clarify documentation requirements and organize the supporting materials needed for a complete application.
Step 7: Submit Your Complete Application
Review the full application for accuracy and completeness, then submit it through the official application process before the stated deadline.
Step 8: Monitor Your Application Status
Watch for communications from the official sources regarding eligibility confirmation, application updates, and award notifications.
How to Write a Proposal
This is general academic guidance. No technique guarantees funding.
- Topic: Keep it narrow. "Legacy planning in one host city" works better than "the Olympics."
- Question: Ask one clear, answerable question.
- Objectives: Set two or three objectives that answer the question.
- Literature review: Show you know the existing research literature and where the gap is.
- Methodology: Match methods to the question. Qualitative, quantitative, comparative, interdisciplinary, or archival research can all work, but use only what fits.
- Methodology: Match methods to the question. Qualitative, quantitative, comparative, interdisciplinary, or archival research can all work, but use only what fits.
If you plan a Lausanne visit, explain how the OSC collections will strengthen your research.
Deadline
For the 2027 edition, the application deadline is Tuesday 22 September 2026. It changes with each edition. The time zone is not confirmed here, so check the rules.
The 2027 timeline also points to award notifications at the end of December 2026 and study visits between February and December 2027. Confirm both dates in the rules.
Always verify the latest deadline on the official website before submitting your application.
The Advanced Olympic Research Grant Programme
This separate programme is for university professors, lecturers, and study fellows with a doctorate and an academic or study appointment. It targets priority study areas the IOC sets. The call for the 2027–2029 edition is due in October 2026. Do not merge its rules with the PhD programme.
Olympic Archives, Collections, and Scholarly Resources
The OSC offers scholarly resources for academic research:
- The Olympic World Library, with over 42,000 official and academic publications
- The IOC Historical Archives
- The Olympic Charter and other Olympic documents on the IOC site
- A list of study projects awarded since 1999
Use them to build your literature review and find primary sources and secondary sources. Access to specific restricted materials is not guaranteed, so check each collection’s terms.
Tips and Common Mistakes
Tips
- Read the current rules first.
- Connect your objectives to your methodology.
- Explain why the project matters.
- Ask your referee early, and proofread everything.
Mistakes to avoid
- Using an outdated deadline or old rules
- Confusing a grant with a scholarship
- Choosing a topic that is too broad or lacks an Olympic focus
- Submitting a weak methodology or thin literature review
- Missing documents, especially the recommendation letter
- Waiting until the last day
How American Grant Association Can Help
American Grant Association can provide practical grant support for researchers and organisations looking beyond a single funding opportunity. The role is to help applicants understand funding requirements, identify relevant opportunities, and prepare stronger, more organised applications while leaving funding decisions entirely to the awarding organisation.
Support may include:
- Grant Research Services: Researching relevant grants and funding opportunities based on your research area, organisation type, location, eligibility, and funding needs.
- Grant Matching Services: Comparing your project or organisation with available funding opportunities to identify programmes whose eligibility requirements, priorities, and funding scope are reasonably aligned with your goals.
- Grant Resource Guidance Services: Helping you navigate grant guidelines, application requirements, supporting documents, deadlines, and other information needed to assess an opportunity before applying.
- Grant Community Support Services: Providing practical guidance, feedback, and resources throughout the grant-development process, including proposal preparation, documentation, and application planning.
- Complete Grant Support: Coordinating multiple stages of the grant process, from opportunity research and eligibility review through proposal development, supporting documentation, submission preparation, and post-award reporting.
- Long-Term Grant Strategy: Helping researchers and organisations develop a sustainable funding approach by identifying potential funding sources, planning application cycles, maintaining grant-readiness, and building a pipeline of relevant opportunities.
For programmes such as the Olympic Studies Centre Grant, applicants should always use the official programme rules as the final authority on eligibility, requirements, deadlines, and submission procedures. Grant support services can help with preparation and research, but they cannot guarantee an award or influence the selection process.
Conclusion
The OSC’s annual programme offers up to USD 6,000 to eligible PhD students and early career academics researching the Olympic Movement. Applicants need a focused proposal, a recommendation letter, and any required ethics approval. Deadlines change each edition, so verify them on the official site.
Use OSC resources to strengthen your work, and explore other funding as well. For broader research funding support, explore American Grant Association’s resources and grant-writing services.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Olympic Studies Centre Grant?
It is a study grant from the IOC Olympic Research Institute for humanities and social sciences study on the Olympic Movement. The OSC runs two programmes: one annual, one every two years.
Who is eligible?
PhD students in human or social sciences with an Olympic study focus, and early career academics who finished their doctorate in or after 2024 and hold a university appointment.
Can PhD students apply?
Yes. They must stay enrolled throughout the grant, and the project must contribute to their thesis.
What topics are eligible?
Studies on Olympism, the Olympic Movement, the Olympic Games, athletes, and their social and cultural impact, from a humanities or social sciences perspective.
What is the deadline?
For the 2027 edition, Tuesday 22 September 2026. Verify the time zone and future dates on the official site.
How do I apply?
Complete the official application form, add the required supporting documents, and submit before the deadline in English or French.
Note: This guide is for informational purposes only. Grant details, eligibility requirements, deadlines, and funding availability may change at any time. Always verify the most current program information through official sources before making any business or funding decisions.
