About this opportunity
Opportunity Overview
The Harvard Radcliffe Institute Fellowship 2027 is an unparalleled opportunity for exceptional scholars, scientists, artists, and public intellectuals to spend nine months at Harvard University, fully focused on their research, writing, or artistic project. This fully funded fellowship supports 50 fellows each year, offering a unique chance to engage with an interdisciplinary community, share ideas, and build lasting connections. With a stipend of $78,000, an additional allowance of $78,000, and $5,000 for project expenses, relocation assistance, housing allowance, childcare funding, and health insurance support, this fellowship provides a rare gift of time and space to step away from daily routines and dive deeply into a project that matters. As a fellow at the Radcliffe Institute, you will have access to Harvard's libraries and archives, research support through funded undergraduate research partners, and a private office or studio space at Harvard's Byerly Hall. This fellowship is open to applicants from all nationalities, and the deadline for humanities, social sciences, and creative arts is September 11, 2026, while for science, engineering, and mathematics, it is September 30, 2026. Whether you are a historian, climate scientist, documentary artist, or AI researcher, this fellowship offers a chance to join a diverse community of fellows and contribute to meaningful work.
Benefits & Financial Aid
- Stipend: $78,000
- Additional Allowance: $78,000
- Project Expenses: $5,000
- Relocation Assistance: Provided
- Housing Allowance: Provided
- Childcare Funding: Provided
- Health Insurance Support: Provided
- Private Office or Studio Space: Guaranteed
- Harvard Library Access: Guaranteed
Eligibility Criteria
- General Requirements:
- No citizenship restrictions
- Cannot be a former Harvard Radcliffe fellow (from 1999-present)
- Cannot be a current student in a doctoral or master's program at the time of application (unless the dissertation has been accepted and the degree is forthcoming, and field-specific eligibility requirements have been met)
- Must have a strong body of independent work that has been published, exhibited, or performed
- Must demonstrate an extraordinary level of accomplishment
- Field-Specific Requirements:
- Humanities and Social Sciences:
- Have received your doctorate (or appropriate terminal degree) in the area of your proposed project at least four years prior to your appointment as a fellow
- Have published a monograph or at least two articles in refereed journals or edited collections
- Science, Engineering, and Mathematics:
- Have received your doctorate in the area of your proposed project at least four years prior to your appointment as a fellow
- Have published at least five articles in refereed journals
- Creative Arts:
- Film and Video: Must have a body of independent work of significant achievement
- Visual Arts: Must show strong evidence of achievement, with a record of at least five years of work as a professional artist
- Fiction and Nonfiction: Must have one of the following: one or more published books, a contract for the publication of a book-length manuscript, or at least three shorter works (longer than newspaper articles) published
- Poetry: Must have had at least 20 poems or a book of poetry published in the last five years, and must be in the process of completing a manuscript
- Journalism: Must have worked professionally as a journalist for at least five years
- Playwriting: Must have a significant body of independent work in the form of plays produced or under option
- Music Composition: Must show strong evidence of achievement as a professional artist, with a record of recent performances
- Humanities and Social Sciences:
Required Documents
- Completed Online Application Form: Available on the Radcliffe application portal
- Curriculum Vitae (CV): Detailed record of your education, work, publications, exhibitions, performances, etc.
- Project Proposal: A clear, compelling description of the work you plan to accomplish during the fellowship
- Work Sample: Depending on your field, you may need to submit writing samples, portfolios, recordings, or other evidence of your creative or scholarly work
- Letters of Recommendation: Three letters from individuals who can speak to your achievements and potential
- Statement of how you would contribute to the interdisciplinary community: Explain how your work might connect with the work of other fellows
How to Apply
- Check Your Eligibility: Review the field-specific requirements above carefully and ensure you meet the degree, publication, and experience criteria for your discipline.
- Prepare Your Project Proposal: Clearly state what you plan to accomplish during the nine months and explain why this project matters, both to your field and to broader society.
- Gather Your Documents: Update your CV to highlight your strongest achievements, prepare your work sample, and identify three recommenders who can write strong, specific letters.
- Check the Deadline: Humanities, Social Sciences, Creative Arts: September 11, 2026, 11:59 PM ET; Science, Engineering, Mathematics: September 30, 2026, 11:59 PM ET.
- Complete the Online Application: Go to the Radcliffe application portal, register as a new user, fill out the application form completely, and upload your CV, project proposal, work sample, and other required materials.
- Review and Submit: Double-check that all sections are complete, ensure you have selected the correct deadline for your field, and submit your application before the deadline.
- Wait for Notification: Radcliffe will review applications and notify all applicants of final decisions.
Ready to apply?