The Harvard Radcliffe Fellowship offers a unique opportunity for exceptional scholars, scientists, artists, and public intellectuals to step away from routine and immerse themselves in groundbreaking projects. Based at the Harvard Radcliffe Institute, fellows join a vibrant, interdisciplinary community that fosters creativity, challenges conventions, and promotes impactful work across various fields.
This fellowship supports engaged scholarship, encouraging innovative projects that address pressing social and policy issues, engage diverse audiences, and push disciplinary boundaries. Fellows gain access to Harvard’s vast resources, including libraries, archives, and opportunities to collaborate with undergraduate students through the Radcliffe Research Partnership Program. You can also check JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowships for Research in Japan
Who Can Apply?
The Radcliffe Fellowship is open to individuals and groups (up to two people) from diverse backgrounds, including:
- Disciplines: Humanities, social sciences, creative arts, science, engineering, and mathematics. Check the full list here
- Diversity: Applicants from varied career stages, ethnicities, countries, genders, sexual orientations, and ideological perspectives.
- Eligibility:
- Applicants must not be enrolled in a doctoral or master’s program at the time of application unless their dissertation is complete and degree is forthcoming.
- Applicants must demonstrate a strong body of independent work (published, exhibited, or performed).
- Specific requirements vary by discipline:
- Humanities/Social Sciences: Doctorate or terminal degree (e.g., PhD, MD, JD) received by December 2022, plus a monograph or two refereed journal articles.
- Science/Engineering/Mathematics: Doctorate by December 2022, with at least five refereed journal articles.
- Creative Arts: Discipline-specific achievements (e.g., films shown at festivals, curated exhibitions, published books, or recent performances). See detailed requirements below.
- International applicants are welcome, with Harvard typically sponsoring J-1 scholar visas.
- Independent scholars/artists unaffiliated with institutions are eligible.
- Former Radcliffe fellows (1999–present) are ineligible.
Interested in More Fellowships? Follow links below
Fellowship Benefits
- Duration: September 2026 – May 2027.
- Stipend: $78,000 plus $5,000 for project expenses.
- Additional Support: Relocation, housing, childcare funds, and healthcare support as needed. Fellows can hire Harvard undergraduates as Research Partners, with wages covered by Radcliffe.
- Resources: Office/studio space in Radcliffe Yard, full-time Harvard visiting fellow appointments, access to libraries, archives, and athletic facilities.
- Community: Fellows engage in regular work-in-progress presentations, group lunches, and social events, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration.
Check also: Wang Gungwu Visiting Fellows Programme 2026 in Singapore
Focus Areas
While proposals on any topic are welcome, Radcliffe encourages projects aligned with its multi-year focus areas:
- Academic Freedom and Connecting Across Difference: Addressing intellectual diversity, political polarization, peace/conflict, inequality, and free inquiry in higher education.
- Climate Change: Focusing on impact and equity.
- Federal Research Funding Cuts: Proposals in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics impacted by funding reductions.
- Women, Gender, and Society: Projects drawing on the Schlesinger Library’s collections.
Application Deadlines
- Humanities, Social Sciences, Creative Arts: September 11, 2025, 11:59 PM ET.
- Science, Engineering, Mathematics: September 30, 2025, 11:59 PM ET.
- Letters of recommendation are due by the respective deadlines.
Also check: DAAD PRIME Fellowship Programme 2025
How to Apply
Applications are submitted via the online portal. Required materials include:
- Application Form: Select your discipline (humanities, social sciences, creative arts, or science/engineering/mathematics).
- Curriculum Vitae: Up to six pages, highlighting significant achievements.
- Project Proposal: Up to 1,400 words, including a 150-word abstract. The proposal should:
- Summarize the project for a broad audience.
- Explain its significance, context, and contribution to the field.
- Outline theory, methodology, and relevant works.
- Use 12-point font, double-spaced, with 1-inch margins.
- Work Sample:
- Humanities/Social Sciences: Up to 40 pages of relevant writing (published or unpublished).
- Science/Engineering/Mathematics: Three published articles.
- Creative Arts: Varies by discipline (e.g., 10 poems, 12 images, 15 minutes of film/video, or one play).
- Three Letters of Recommendation: From individuals who can speak to your project’s merits, achievements, and collegiality. For lab-based scientists collaborating with Boston-based labs, one letter must be from the lab host.
- Optional Bibliography: 1–3 pages, showing familiarity with relevant literature.
- Additional Resources: Specify any software/hardware needs for your project.
Read: Georg Forster Research Fellowship 2026
Discipline-Specific Eligibility
- Film/Video: Significant body of work exhibited in festivals, galleries, or broadcast.
- Visual Arts: Five years as a professional artist, with curated group shows and two solo exhibitions.
- Fiction/Nonfiction: Published book, contract for a book, or three shorter published works.
- Poetry: 20 poems or a poetry book published in the last five years, with a manuscript in progress.
- Journalism: Five years of professional experience.
- Playwriting: Significant body of produced or optioned plays.
- Music Composition: Strong evidence of achievement, with recent performances (PhD/DMA desirable but not required).
Group Applications
- Groups of two can apply to work on a single project.
- Each member submits a separate application, selecting “Group” and listing both names.
- Submit identical project proposals noting collaboration details, individual CVs, and work samples.
- Letters of recommendation can come from different recommenders or a shared one familiar with the group’s project.
Check more: AHA Postdoctoral Fellowship 2026
Selection Process
- Evaluation: Applications are reviewed by field experts, then a multidisciplinary committee. Criteria include project quality, significance, and the applicant’s intellectual/creative capacity, with emphasis on diversity and collegiality.
- Notification: Results are emailed in March 2026.
- Reapplication: Unsuccessful applicants may reapply in future cycles.
