Psychometric Research Fellowship

Harold Gulliksen Psychometric Research Fellowship

About ETS:
ETS is a global education and talent solutions organization enabling lifelong learners worldwide to be future-ready. For more than 75 years, we've been advancing the science of measurement to build benchmarks for fair and valid skill assessment across cultures and borders. Our worldwide impact extends through our renowned assessments including TOEFL®, TOEIC®, GRE® and Praxis® tests, serving millions of learners in more than 200 countries and territories. Through strategic acquisitions, we've expanded our global capabilities: PSI strengthens our workforce assessment solutions, while Edusoft, Kira Talent, Pipplet, Vericant, and Wheebox enhance our educational technology and assessment platforms across critical markets worldwide.

Through ETS Research Institute and ETS Solutions, we're partnering with educational institutions, governments, and organizations globally to promote skill proficiency, empower upward mobility, and unlock opportunities for everyone, everywhere. With offices and partners across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Americas, we deliver nearly 50 million tests annually. Join us in our journey of measuring progress to power human progress worldwide.

The Harold Gulliksen Psychometric Research fellowship provides funding for promising graduate students in psychometrics or a related field who are conducting innovative, applied research. If you’re selected, you’ll carry out your proposed dissertation research under the mentorship of your academic advisor and in consultation with their ETS mentors over the course of the funding.

Fellowship details and dates

You’ll begin your fellowship by working on your research as part of the, where you’ll be provided with guidance from ETS’s leading researchers. During the subsequent academic year, you’ll study at your university and carry out research under the supervision of an academic mentor and in consultation with your ETS mentor.

The goal of this program is to increase the number of well-trained scientists in educational assessment, psychometrics and statistics.

Deadlines and selection dates

March 15, 2026: deadline for receipt of preliminary application materials

April 15, 2026: you’ll be notified of preliminary application decision

April 30, 2026: deadline for receipt of final application materials

May 15, 2026: you’ll be notified if you are an award recipient

Duration: Fellowship is for 1 year.

Award Value

Your university will receive the following:

$25,000 to pay you a stipend for your fellowship

$8,000 to defray your tuition, fees and work-study program commitments

A small grant to facilitate work on your research project

You will also receive $10,000 for your participation in the summer internship program.

Selection is based on:

Strength of academic credentials — You must demonstrate superior academic ability and achievement, as well as exceptional promise in the field of educational assessment, psychometrics, or statistics.

Suitability and the technical strength of the proposed research project — The project must relate to research currently underway at ETS. The preferred arrangement is that your proposed project is your doctoral thesis and you’re not receiving alternative funding for this work. Non-dissertation projects may be considered provided that you’re doing significant independent work.

Submit the following application materials

• Current curriculum vitae
• A letter of interest describing the research that would be undertaken during the award year and how the research fits with ETS research efforts
• Statement describing any additional financial assistance, such as an assistantship or grant commitment, that you would have during the fellowship period
• Nomination letter (either as an email or as an email with a PDF attachment) from an academic advisor in support of your interest in the fellowship award

Please use the Miscellaneous Documents section to upload all of your additional documentation. 

If your preliminary application is approved, you will also need to submit:

• Detailed project description (approximately 15 double-spaced pages) of the research you’ll carry out at the host university, including the purpose, goals and methods of the research
• Graduate academic transcripts (unofficial copies are acceptable)
• Evidence of scholarship (presentations, manuscripts, etc.)

Eligibility requirements

You must participate in the Ida Lawerance Summer Internship Program. This participation can be in 2026 or 2027.

At the time of application, you must be enrolled in a doctoral program, have completed all the coursework toward the doctorate, and be at the dissertation stage of your program. ETS will give priority to dissertation topics in the areas of psychometrics, statistics, educational measurement, or quantitative methods.

If you’re receiving any additional financial assistance, such as an assistantship or grant commitment, during the fellowship period, you’ll need to provide a description of this assistance.

ETS is mission driven and action oriented

• We are passionate about hiring innovative thinkers who believe in the promise of education and lifelong learning.
• We are energized by cultivating growth, innovation, and continuous transformation for the next generation of rising professionals as leaders. In support of this ETS offers multiple Business Resource Groups (BRG) for you to learn and advance your career growth!
• As a not-for-profit organization we will encourage you to lean in to your passion for volunteering. At ETS you may qualify for up to an additional 8 hours of PTO for volunteer work on causes that are important to you!
• The base salary range advertised represents the low and high end of the anticipated salary range for this position. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate's geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. The base pay is only one aspect of the Total Rewards Package that will be offered to the successful candidate.

ETS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by law. We believe in creating a work environment where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity.