Can I apply if my research addresses more than one theme?

Yes. Applicants may address one or more fellowship themes if this is relevant. The application should explain the primary theme and any secondary themes. Proposals do not need to address all three themes.

Is play required as part of the research proposal?

No. Applicants may include play where it is relevant to their research question, but it is optional and not a condition of eligibility.

Can applicants from any country apply?

Yes, applicants from any country are welcome to apply, with the exception of countries subject to EU or US sanctions. If your country is not on either sanctions list, you are eligible to apply regardless of your location.

Do I need to be employed by a university or research institute?

Yes. Applicants must be employed at a university or research institute. Funds will be awarded to and administered by the fellow’s institution.

Can the fellow change institutions during the fellowship?

Yes, subject to approval and confirmation that the new institution can administer the award.

I am applying from a research institute rather than a university. What is considered a research institute?

A research institute is an organization with research as its primary purpose, and that is producing, advancing, or applying knowledge. An organization is not a research institute if research is secondary to another core mandate, or if that organization is a subset of a broader umbrella organization that does not have research as its primary purpose. It must be non-profit or a type of entity which (i) is prohibited from paying out dividends, or utilizing other methods of distributing profits or assets to owners, investors, and/or shareholders, etc; and (ii) is obligated pursuant to its governance documents (and in particular its articles of association) to reinvest all profits back into its mission, fostering sustainable solutions.

Can research teams apply?

No. The fellowship is awarded to an individual researcher who will be considered as a LEGO Foundation Fellow and who will be required to participate in fellowship activities.

Is there a time requirement for the Principal Investigator (PI) on the grant? i.e., does the PI need to request salary or report time spent for a minimum number of hours per month?

No, but please note that the PI will be considered a LEGO Foundation Fellow and will be required to participate in fellowship activities.

Is a budget a required component of the application?

Yes.

Can I use the LEGO Foundation Fellowship to extend funding for an existing project?

Yes.

Can I accept funding from other sources for the same project?

Yes.

Does the program offer support for visas or IRB clearances?

Visas costs for travel to fellowship annual meetings and IRB clearances can be included in the proposed budget. The LEGO Foundation will not be able to provide any logistical support for obtaining travel visas or IRB clearances.

Are career breaks considered as part of the ten-year post-PhD requirement? How will they be considered?

Applicants who received their PhD no earlier than January 1, 2016 are eligible. The program will also allow documented career interruptions, including parental leave, caregiving responsibilities, illness, displacement, and other circumstances affecting research productivity to alter this time window. Scholars who took sanctioned career breaks can add 6 months plus one day per break to the post-PhD timeline, as of December 31 of the year the PhD was obtained. (i.e., someone who completed their PhD in 2015 and took one sanctioned career break is eligible to apply. Someone who completed their PhD in 2014 and took two sanctioned career breaks is eligible to apply, and so on).

Can a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree or its equivalent (e.g., MBBS) be considered as an “equivalent research doctorate”?

Yes.

Will applicants receive feedback?

Due to the expected volume of applications, individual feedback may only be available to applicants who reach the final stage.

How do you define “neurodivergence” for the purposes of this fellowship?

Projects addressing the second research theme, inclusion and wellbeing of neurodivergent children, must address autism, ADHD, or both. Projects involving neurodivergence more broadly are allowed only if they also incorporate autism, ADHD, or both.

How do you define crisis and conflict settings?

Projects addressing the first research theme, the youngest children in crisis and conflict settings, must involve children who have been affected by humanitarian emergencies and who now live in acute, protracted, or recovery settings.

In acute settings, crises unfold rapidly and often overwhelm government structures, which may not be able to provide a sufficient response. Humanitarian actors must step in to provide assistance, typically through emergency systems. The safety and protection of children is often at significant risk due to active displacement, disrupted relationships, and unmet basic needs. Immediate lifesaving support—sometimes including basic items that enable children’s safety and development—is essential to ensure their ability to survive and begin to recover. (e.g., The LEGO Foundation’s acute humanitarian response work in Gaza and the West Bank)

In protracted settings, the crisis persists over time. While some systems and relationships may begin to stabilize, children often continue to face major mental health and psychosocial challenges. Basic needs may be partially met, but not consistently or equitably. Humanitarian funding tends to decline in these contexts, even as needs remain. Interventions must therefore be longer-term, bridging humanitarian and system-adjacent approaches, and designed with flexibility to adapt to shifting conditions. Support for children’s holistic wellbeing and safety remains central. (e.g., the LEGO Foundation’s mental health and wellbeing work with Syrian refugee children in Jordan).

In recovery settings, the environment may be more stable and some children may have greater access to services, but significant challenges remain. Mental health and wellbeing needs are often still unmet, and legal and protection concerns—especially around inclusion—persist. In these contexts, we prioritize working with government actors to support the integration of displaced children into national systems, so that all children, including those from host communities, can access safe and inclusive services in settings that remain fragile and prone to renewed crisis. Flexibility is essential in case conditions deteriorate again. (e.g., The LEGO Foundation’s teacher professional development work in refugee hosting counties in Kenya).