Applications are now open for Structural Transformation of Agriculture and Rural Spaces (STARS) Fellowship 2026 Offered by Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, The STARS Fellowship Program was launched in 2016 as a continuation of the World Bank–led Agriculture in Africa: Telling Myths and Facts initiative. It emerged alongside the Structural Transformation of African Agriculture and Rural Spaces (STAARS) program with two core objectives: empowering early-career researchers from African institutions to lead research projects, and leveraging rich, publicly available datasets—such as the Living Standards Measurement Study–Integrated Surveys on Agriculture (LSMS-ISA)—to address critical, policy-relevant research questions.
Between 2020 and 2024, the programme expanded through a team-based track supported by the USAID Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Policy Research, Capacity and Influence, evolving into STAAARS+. This expansion broadened eligibility to include research teams from South and Southeast Asia, strengthening cross-regional collaboration and comparative research.
Today, the STARS program integrates and builds upon the successes of both STAARS and STAAARS+, offering comprehensive support to early-career researchers from low- and lower-middle-income countries worldwide. The fellowship focuses on advancing rigorous, data-driven, and policy-oriented research that informs agricultural and rural transformation agendas globally.
If you’re interested in this prestigious fellowship program, we encourage you to read the article carefully and follow the application guidelines closely. Make sure to review all eligibility criteria and submit your application within the specified timeline.
Last Date of Application: 16th January 2026
Fellowship Overview
(Applications are now open for Structural Transformation of Agriculture and Rural Spaces (STARS) Fellowship 2026 Offered by Cornell SC Johnson College of Business)
The STARS Fellowship Program pairs early-career researchers with faculty mentors to advance rigorous, policy-oriented research on the causal determinants of productivity and income growth, asset accumulation, rural employment and risk management in agriculture and rural spaces. The core objectives of the program include:
Build and reinforce an effective policy research culture among early-career researchers that can help build and sustain research capacity at their institutions beyond the STARS program.
Provide mentorship to early-career researchers by Cornell University and other affiliated institution faculty and researchers.
Conduct professional development activities to supplement the research process, including trainings, seminars, and feedback sessions.
Create an active network of equipped, policy-engaged, collaborative researchers, connected to leading global authorities in the development research space.
Heighten the exposure and rigorous analysis of high-quality, publicly available data, such as LSMS-ISA data and other micro-level panel data sets.
STARS Research Themes
(Applications are now open for Structural Transformation of Agriculture and Rural Spaces (STARS) Fellowship 2026 Offered by Cornell SC Johnson College of Business)
STARS research broadly encompasses topics relating to the structural transformation of agriculture and rural economies in low and lower-middle income countries. More specifically, topics include:
- Dynamics of agricultural inputs use, technological change, and productivity growth.
- Rural factor (e.g. credit, labor, land) and product market performance.
- Agri-food systems and value chains.
- Food security, nutrition, health, and education linkages.
- Poverty dynamics, risk management, and resilience against shocks.
- Sustainable natural resources management.
Eligibility Criteria
Early career researchers, either Ph.D. students in their final year prior to degree completion or those who completed their Ph.D. no earlier than 2020.
Familiarity with and demonstrated access to data sets in your research proposal. STARS does not provide funding for new data collection.
Strong working knowledge of appropriate software, typically Stata and/or R, and an interest in quantitative analysis of high-quality data sets. Knowledge of Stata and/or R will be assessed at the finalist stage.
Priority given to:
- Researchers who have earned at least one degree from an institution in a low- or lower-middle income country[1][2]
- Researchers planning to work professionally in low- and lower-middle income countries in the future
- Proposals relating to one or more of the research themes indicated above
- Qualified female researchers
How to apply?
The STARS program, in collaboration with the Center for Global Development (CGD), is accepting applications now through January 16 for our 2026 Fellowship!
The deadline to submit a research proposal is January 16, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST. Applicants should submit their completed proposals via the STARS online application. Accepted applicants will be notified by early April 2026 and are expected to begin remote collaboration with their mentor and be prepared to join launch activities immediately upon acceptance.
Learn more about the Fellowship Program
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