The Harvard Radcliffe Institute Fellowship 2027–2028

The Harvard Radcliffe Institute Fellowship Program offers scientists, writers, scholars, public intellectuals, and artists a rare chance to pursue ambitious projects for a full academic year in a vibrant interdisciplinary setting amid the resources of Harvard University. Radcliffe fellows are individuals at varying stages of their careers who come to the Institution from across the United States and around the world, representing a broad range of academic, professional, and artistic fields. Fellows work on an individual project—a book, film, or framework, to name a few—while mining and deepening the knowledge, ingenuity, and talent of the Harvard University community. Past fellows include Jill Lepore, Samantha Power, Zadie Smith, Elizabeth Warren, and the Nobel laureate Michael Kremer.

The Institute welcomes applications proposing innovative work that confronts pressing social, scientific, and policy issues and seeks to engage audiences beyond academia. Reflecting Radcliffe’s unique history and institutional legacy, they welcome—but do not limit eligibility to—proposals that focus on women, gender, and society or draw on the Schlesinger Library’s rich collections.

The application for 2027–2028 fellowship program is now available. Please visit the application portal to access the application.

Requirements

Eligibility

The Radcliffe Institute accepts applications in a wide array of disciplines across the humanities, social sciences, and creative arts and applicants must meet discipline-specific eligibility criteria. This fellowship program is not intended to serve as a postdoctoral fellowship, and those currently enrolled in a degree program are ineligible to apply. They accept applications from individuals across career stages and do not require academics to have tenure to apply. Former Harvard Radcliffe fellows (1999–present) are ineligible.

Application Materials

The fellowship application consists of an application form, curriculum vitae, 1,400-word project proposal (with bibliography when appropriate), a writing or work sample, and the contact information of three references who will be prompted over email to upload letters of recommendation in support of your application. All materials must be submitted via the online application portal.

Application Instructions

The deadline for applications in the humanities, social sciences, creative arts, and nonfiction and journalism is September 10, 2026, at 5pm ET.
The deadline for applications in science, engineering, and mathematics is October 1, 2026, at 5pm ET.