Harvard Academy Scholars Program 2025/2026

This program is open to recent PhD recipients and doctoral candidates in the social sciences.

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 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.

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 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.

The Harvard Academy is dedicated to building an inclusive community of scholars with an array of experiences, perspectives, and methods and welcomes a diverse pool of applicants.

Eligibility

These 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.

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.