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Apply Now: Harvard Radcliffe Institute Fellowship Program

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Entries open for the Martin Ennals Award 2025

Deadline: 01-Oct-2026

The Harvard Radcliffe Institute Fellowship Program offers scientists, scholars, writers, journalists, public intellectuals, and artists the opportunity to pursue ambitious projects for a full academic year at Harvard University. Selected fellows receive a stipend of USD 78,000, project support, and access to Harvard’s interdisciplinary academic resources while working on research, writing, creative, scientific, or public-facing projects.

Fellowship Overview

The Harvard Radcliffe Institute Fellowship Program provides a full academic year of support for individuals pursuing ambitious and original projects.

The fellowship is open to applicants from a wide range of fields, including the humanities, social sciences, creative arts, nonfiction, journalism, science, engineering, and mathematics.

Fellows join a vibrant interdisciplinary community and gain access to the intellectual and institutional resources of Harvard University.

Fellowship Purpose

The purpose of the fellowship is to give accomplished individuals time, space, resources, and interdisciplinary engagement to advance major projects.

The program supports scholars, scientists, writers, artists, journalists, and public intellectuals whose work can contribute to knowledge, culture, public debate, scientific inquiry, creative practice, and social understanding.

Funding and Support

Selected fellows receive a stipend of USD 78,000 for the fellowship year.

Fellows also receive additional project support and access to Harvard University resources.

Key support includes:

Key Focus Areas

The fellowship welcomes projects across many disciplines but gives particular encouragement to specific themes and areas.

Key focus areas include:

2024–2029 Focus Area

The Harvard Radcliffe Institute encourages projects related to its 2024–2029 focus area: academic freedom and connecting across difference.

This focus area supports work that explores how people, institutions, and societies engage with disagreement, inquiry, pluralism, intellectual diversity, and public debate.

Relevant project themes may include:

Who Is Eligible?

The fellowship is open to accomplished applicants from many fields.

Eligible applicants may include:

Applicants must meet the specific eligibility requirements for their discipline or professional field.

Who Is Not Eligible?

Some applicants are not eligible for the fellowship.

Ineligible applicants include:

Eligibility for Humanities and Social Sciences

Applicants in the humanities and social sciences must have received a doctorate or equivalent terminal degree in the area of the proposed project by December 2023.

They must also have published either:

These requirements show that applicants have an established record of scholarly achievement.

Eligibility for Science, Engineering, and Mathematics

Applicants in science, engineering, and mathematics must have received a doctorate in the area of the proposed project by December 2023.

They must also have published at least five articles in refereed journals.

Most fellows selected in science, engineering, and mathematics have published substantially more than the minimum requirement.

Eligibility for Journalism

Journalism applicants must have at least five years of professional journalism experience.

Applicants should demonstrate a strong record of reporting, writing, investigation, public communication, or media work relevant to the proposed fellowship project.

Eligibility for Nonfiction Writers

Nonfiction applicants must show a strong record of published work.

Eligible nonfiction applicants must have:

Eligibility for Creative Arts Applicants

Creative arts applicants must meet discipline-specific requirements.

Creative fields may include:

Applicants should demonstrate professional achievement, a strong body of work, and a clear project suitable for development during the fellowship year.

Film and Video Eligibility

Film and video applicants should demonstrate a significant body of independent work.

This work should have been:

Applicants should show that their creative practice is established and that the proposed project can benefit from the fellowship year.

Visual Arts Eligibility

Visual arts applicants must have at least five years of professional artistic practice.

They must also have:

These requirements help demonstrate a sustained and recognized artistic practice.

Fiction Eligibility

Fiction applicants must show a strong record of literary work.

Eligible fiction applicants must have:

Poetry Eligibility

Poetry applicants must have published at least 20 poems or a book of poetry within the last five years.

They must also be actively completing a manuscript.

Playwriting Eligibility

Playwriting applicants should demonstrate a substantial body of independent work.

This usually includes produced or optioned plays.

Applicants should show evidence of professional recognition and a clear creative project for the fellowship year.

Music Composition Eligibility

Music composition applicants should show strong evidence of professional achievement and recent performances.

A PhD or DMA is desirable but not required.

Applicants should demonstrate an active creative practice and a project that can be advanced through the fellowship.

Application Deadlines

The application deadline depends on the applicant’s field.

Deadlines include:

Applicants should submit before the correct deadline for their field.

Why This Fellowship Matters

The Harvard Radcliffe Institute Fellowship Program matters because it gives accomplished thinkers and creators dedicated time to pursue work that may be difficult to complete within ordinary academic, professional, or creative schedules.

The fellowship supports deep inquiry, bold ideas, artistic experimentation, public scholarship, and interdisciplinary exchange.

By bringing together people from different disciplines, the program encourages new perspectives, intellectual risk-taking, and transformative approaches to major questions in science, society, culture, and public life.

How the Fellowship Works

The fellowship supports selected individuals for a full academic year.

The process includes:

  1. Applicants identify an ambitious project suitable for a year of focused work.
  2. Applicants confirm eligibility based on their field or discipline.
  3. Applicants prepare and submit their application by the relevant deadline.
  4. Applications are reviewed based on project quality, applicant achievement, originality, feasibility, and fit with the fellowship environment.
  5. Selected fellows receive a USD 78,000 stipend and project support.
  6. Fellows spend the academic year advancing their research, writing, creative, scientific, journalistic, or public intellectual work.
  7. Fellows engage with an interdisciplinary community and Harvard University resources.

How to Apply

Applicants should prepare a strong application that clearly explains the project, its significance, and why the Harvard Radcliffe Institute is the right setting for the work.

Application Preparation Steps

  1. Confirm field eligibility
    Applicants should first identify the correct category for their work, such as humanities, social sciences, science, engineering, mathematics, journalism, nonfiction, or creative arts.
  2. Check degree or professional requirements
    Applicants should confirm that they meet the required degree, publication, exhibition, performance, or professional experience criteria.
  3. Develop a clear project proposal
    The proposal should explain the project’s main question, purpose, method, originality, and expected outcome.
  4. Connect the project to fellowship priorities
    Applicants may strengthen their proposal by showing relevance to women, gender, society, the Schlesinger Library collections, academic freedom, connecting across difference, or other encouraged themes.
  5. Show why the project matters
    The application should explain the project’s contribution to knowledge, culture, public understanding, science, art, journalism, or society.
  6. Demonstrate readiness
    Applicants should show that they have the record, experience, and project maturity needed to use the fellowship year productively.
  7. Explain the value of Harvard resources
    Applicants should describe how Harvard’s libraries, collections, intellectual community, or interdisciplinary environment will support the project.
  8. Prepare supporting materials
    Applicants should include the required publications, writing samples, creative work samples, or professional evidence according to their field.
  9. Submit by the correct deadline
    Applicants should submit by September 10, 2026, for humanities, social sciences, creative arts, nonfiction, and journalism, or by October 1, 2026, for science, engineering, and mathematics.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Applicants should avoid submitting proposals that are unclear, underdeveloped, or not aligned with eligibility requirements.

Common mistakes include:

Tips for a Strong Application

A strong application should be ambitious, focused, original, and feasible within one academic year.

Applicants should:

Key Terms Explained

Harvard Radcliffe Institute Fellowship Program

The Harvard Radcliffe Institute Fellowship Program is an academic-year fellowship that supports scholars, scientists, artists, writers, journalists, and public intellectuals working on ambitious projects at Harvard University.

Interdisciplinary Setting

An interdisciplinary setting brings together people from different fields to exchange ideas, challenge assumptions, and develop new perspectives.

Schlesinger Library

The Schlesinger Library is a Harvard library with major collections related to women, gender, history, society, and social movements.

Academic Freedom

Academic freedom refers to the ability of scholars, researchers, educators, and students to pursue inquiry, debate, teaching, and research without improper restriction.

Connecting Across Difference

Connecting across difference refers to building dialogue, understanding, and collaboration among people with different identities, viewpoints, disciplines, beliefs, or experiences.

Terminal Degree

A terminal degree is the highest degree typically awarded in a field, such as a PhD, MFA, or equivalent professional qualification.

Refereed Journal

A refereed journal is an academic publication in which articles are reviewed by experts before publication.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Harvard Radcliffe Institute Fellowship Program?

The Harvard Radcliffe Institute Fellowship Program is a full academic-year fellowship for scientists, scholars, writers, journalists, artists, public intellectuals, and other accomplished professionals pursuing ambitious projects.

How much funding do selected fellows receive?

Selected fellows receive a stipend of USD 78,000 for the fellowship year, along with additional project support and access to Harvard University resources.

Who can apply?

Applicants from the humanities, social sciences, creative arts, nonfiction, journalism, science, engineering, and mathematics may apply if they meet the field-specific eligibility requirements.

Are postdoctoral researchers eligible?

The program is not intended for postdoctoral researchers.

Can current students apply?

No. Individuals currently enrolled in a degree program are not eligible.

Can former Harvard Radcliffe Fellows apply?

Former Harvard Radcliffe Fellows from 1999 onward are not eligible to apply.

What themes are encouraged?

The program encourages projects focused on women, gender, and society; the Schlesinger Library collections; academic freedom; connecting across difference; intellectual virtues; free inquiry; diversity of thought; political polarization; peace and conflict; inequality; religious pluralism; and higher education policy.

What is the deadline for humanities, social sciences, creative arts, nonfiction, and journalism?

The deadline is September 10, 2026, at 5:00 PM ET.

What is the deadline for science, engineering, and mathematics?

The deadline is October 1, 2026, at 5:00 PM ET.

What are the science, engineering, and mathematics requirements?

Applicants must have received a doctorate in the proposed project area by December 2023 and must have published at least five articles in refereed journals.

What are the humanities and social sciences requirements?

Applicants must have received a doctorate or equivalent terminal degree in the proposed project area by December 2023 and must have published a monograph or at least two articles in refereed journals or edited collections.

Conclusion

The Harvard Radcliffe Institute Fellowship Program offers a major opportunity for accomplished scholars, scientists, artists, writers, journalists, and public intellectuals to pursue ambitious work in a highly interdisciplinary Harvard setting. With a USD 78,000 stipend, project support, and access to Harvard University resources, the fellowship enables selected applicants to advance transformative projects that contribute to knowledge, creativity, public dialogue, and society.

For more information, visit Harvard Radcliffe Institute.

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