A fellowship at Radcliffe is an opportunity to step away from usual routines and dive deeply into a project. With access to Harvard’s unparalleled resources, Radcliffe fellows develop new tools and methods, challenge artistic and scholarly conventions, and illuminate our past and our present.
Our online application for the 2025–2026 fellowship year is now available.
The deadline for applications in humanities, social sciences, and creative arts is September 12, 2024.
The deadline for applications in science, engineering, and mathematics is October 3, 2024.
Throughout the year, fellows convene regularly to share their work in progress. Coming from diverse disciplines and perspectives, they challenge each other’s ideas and support each other’s ambitions. Many say that it is the best year of their professional lives.
Watch previous public fellows’ presentation series.
The Radcliffe Fellowship Program awards 50 fellowships each academic year. Applicants may apply as individuals or in a group of two people working on the same project. We seek diversity along many dimensions, including discipline, career stage, race and ethnicity, country of origin, gender and sexual orientation, and ideological perspective. Although our fellows come from many different backgrounds, they are united by their demonstrated excellence, collegiality, and creativity.
We welcome applications from a wide range of fields and perspectives. Our fellowship program’s strength is its diver
Length of Fellowship and Funding
- How long is the fellowship?
The fellowship runs from September 2025–May 2026. - What stipend will I receive if selected as a Harvard Radcliffe Fellow?
Fellows receive a stipend of $78,000 plus an additional $5,000 to cover project expenses. Please note that if you are a US citizen or permanent resident coming from a home institution based in the US, you can opt to have your stipend paid through your home institution or to you directly. - Is there additional funding available?
Harvard Radcliffe Fellows may also be eligible to receive relocation, housing, and childcare funds to aid them in making a smooth transition to Radcliffe. Healthcare support is made available as needed. If fellows would like to hire Harvard undergraduate students as Research Partners, we will cover their hourly wages.
Although amounts have not been set for fellows in the 2025-2026 class, information on current benefits is available here.
Program Details
- How does the Harvard Radcliffe Fellowship Program differ from other fellowship programs?
Harvard Radcliffe Fellows benefit from a uniquely interdisciplinary and creative community that each year spans the sciences, arts, humanities, and professions. This diversity of approaches and expertise sets our program apart from other fellowship opportunities. With access to Harvard’s unparalleled resources, Harvard Radcliffe Fellows can dive deeply into their projects while engaging with scholars, writers, and practitioners with whom they might not otherwise connect. Along with their cohort, Radcliffe Fellows join an exceptional network of alumni, making an impact in their professional fields and in the larger world. - What does Radcliffe provide to fellows?
In addition to the stipend, project expense allowance, and additional funds to aid in relocation mentioned above, fellows receive office or studio space in Byerly Hall—in Radcliffe Yard—and full-time Harvard appointments as visiting fellows, granting them access to Harvard University’s libraries, housing, and athletic facilities. If fellows would like to hire Harvard undergraduate students as Research Partners, we will cover their hourly wages. During the fellowship program, fellows are also offered several professional development opportunities. - Are any additional benefits available to my spouse/partner and children who will relocate with me?
We do our best to support your relocation and make the year a special one for all family members accompanying you to the Cambridge area. Many of our talks are open to spouses/partners, and there are social gatherings throughout the year to which your families will be invited.
Here are some additional benefits your family may take advantage of during your fellowship year:
-Spouses or qualified domestic partners of current Harvard University ID card holders may apply for borrowing privileges at Widener Library. More information is available here.
-Family members of scholars may sit in on regular lecture courses in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) and some of the other graduate schools at the faculty member’s discretion.
-Radcliffe Fellows are eligible to purchase a family membership, which covers spouses/partners and any dependent children under 26, to use Harvard’s gyms and athletic facilities.
-Information about childcare at Harvard University can be found here. Please note: The Fellowship Program provides funds to help eligible fellows cover the costs of dependent childcare.
FAQs
- What are typical activities during the fellowship year?
Fellows present their work-in-progress throughout the fellowship year, either in the form of a private talk for their cohort or a public lecture. Group lunches occur two days per week, and fellows are invited to attend events happening across the Institute throughout the year. - I have prior obligations that require travel during my fellowship year. Is this a problem?
While the primary purpose of a Harvard Radcliffe Fellowship is to give fellows time and space to pursue their own work, they are expected to engage actively with their colleagues in their cohort and to participate fully as members of the Harvard Radcliffe community. As a result, we ask fellows to limit their travel to scheduled breaks during the year (five weeks in winter and one week in March). Permission from the Executive Director is required if a fellow will be away for more than two weeks during the term. Only if all fellows are fully present in all aspects of the Institute’s life can we build the truly generative and interdisciplinary community that is the hallmark of Radcliffe
What if my question is not listed here?
If you cannot find an answer to your question, please reference our eligibility guidelines for more detailed information. For any other questions, please be in touch with the Applications Office at HarvardRadcliffeFellowship@radcliffe.harvard.edu. We will do our best to help you.
Interested? Apply Here