Harvard University Academy Scholars Program| Application...

The Academy Scholars Program of The Harvard Academy for International and Area Studies identifies and supports outstanding scholars at the start of their academic careers whose work combines excellence in a social science discipline with a command of the language and knowledge or expertise of countries or regions outside of the United States or Canada. Their scholarship should span traditional disciplinary divisions and elucidate comparative, transnational, or domestic issues, past or present.

The Harvard University Academy Scholars program is open to recent PhD recipients and doctoral candidates in the social sciences. The Academy Scholars are a select community of individuals possessed of resourcefulness, initiative, and originality whose work shows promise as a foundation for careers in research universities or international institutions.

Harvard University Academy Scholars Program| Applications are now open for the 2025/26

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Academy Scholars are appointed for a two-year in-residence postdoctoral fellowship at The Harvard Academy for International and Area Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA. They receive substantial financial and research assistance which permits them to undertake robust research projects and skills development in their chosen fields and areas.

They meet at dinners, seminars, and informal get-togethers in order to pursue innovative interdisciplinary approaches to their work. They are mentored by the Harvard Academy Senior Scholars, a cohort of faculty members who act as a selection committee, participate in Harvard Academy events, and are committed to supporting the Academy Scholars as they work to achieve their potential.

Harvard University Academy Scholars Program Eligibility

The Harvard University Academy Scholars Program awards are open to recipients of PhD or comparable doctoral degrees (within two years of the August 1, 2025, start date) and advanced doctoral candidates in the social sciences. Scholars nearing dissertation completion must be able to submit degree conferral documentation issued by their university registrar’s office by June 30, 2025, for an August 1, 2025, start date. Individuals who hold or have completed another Harvard postdoctoral fellowship are not eligible to apply.

Harvard University Academy Scholars Program Terms

Each year, five or six Academy Scholars are named for two-year in-residence appointments with an annual stipend of $80,000, with the two years to be completed within a three-year window. Year 1 of the fellowship must be taken up no later than the fall immediately following the postdoctoral fellowship offer. Delays or deferrals in the start of Year 1 are not permitted.

Between Years 1 and 2, Academy Scholars may apply for a one-time leave (up to 12 months), either to accept or to continue with a tenure-track teaching appointment but for no other reason. Academy Scholars may not accept other sources of funding, awards, or obligations during their appointment.

How to Apply For The Harvard University Academy Scholars Program

The completed application will include:

Curriculum vitae (CV); including list of publications
Research proposal (2000 words maximum); including intellectual objectives and planned methodological and disciplinary work

One scholarly writing sample (e.g., PhD dissertation chapter or single-authored peer-reviewed academic journal article; fifty pages maximum; in English)
A copy of your PhD program transcript
Three letters of recommendation (uploaded to the online application directly and confidentially by the recommender by September 20, 2024)

All parts of the application, including the three letters of recommendation, are submitted online as pdf documents. Applicants whose materials are incomplete are at a disadvantage when considered by the Selection Committee. Announcement of the awards will be made in December 2024.