Harvard Radcliffe Fellowship 2027–2028 applications are currently open for the 2027–2028 Harvard Radcliffe Institute Fellowship Program at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States.
This opportunity is particularly valuable for established and emerging researchers, scientists, writers, journalists, public intellectuals and artists who need dedicated time, funding and access to Harvard resources to pursue an ambitious independent project.
Selected Harvard Radcliffe Fellows receive a $78,000 stipend, an additional $5,000 for project expenses, office or studio space at Harvard, access to university libraries and facilities, and potentially additional relocation, housing and childcare support.
Applications are open now, but there are two different deadlines depending on your discipline:
September 10, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time — humanities, social sciences, creative arts, nonfiction and journalism.
October 1, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time — science, engineering and mathematics.
What Is the Harvard Radcliffe Fellowship?
The Harvard Radcliffe Institute Fellowship gives selected professionals an academic year in which to concentrate deeply on an important project while participating in an interdisciplinary community at Harvard University.
The fellowship is designed for people whose work crosses fields and addresses meaningful intellectual, scientific, artistic, social or policy questions.
Harvard Radcliffe specifically welcomes proposals confronting pressing social, scientific and policy issues and projects intended to reach audiences beyond academia.
The Institute also encourages projects concerning women, gender and society, reflecting Radcliffe’s institutional history, although applicants are not required to work specifically on gender-related subjects.
That makes the fellowship especially relevant to women researchers, artists, writers and professionals whose work explores issues affecting communities, institutions and society.
However, this is not a women-only fellowship.
How Much Funding Is Available?
The financial package is substantial.
Each selected fellow receives a $78,000 stipend for the fellowship year, plus $5,000 to cover project expenses.
Depending on individual circumstances, fellows may also qualify for additional assistance covering relocation, housing and childcare. Healthcare support is available when needed.
Fellows also receive private office or studio space in Byerly Hall at Harvard Radcliffe Institute.
Their appointment gives them access to the Harvard Library system, university athletic facilities, professional-development activities and engagement opportunities throughout the fellowship year.
The residential fellowship runs from September 2027 through May 2028, and fellows must live in the Cambridge/Boston area so they can participate actively in the community.
Who Can Apply?
Harvard Radcliffe accepts candidates from several professional and academic areas, including:
- Humanities
- Social sciences
- Science
- Engineering
- Mathematics
- Journalism
- Nonfiction
- Fiction and poetry
- Visual arts
- Film and video
- Playwriting
- Music composition
The requirements vary considerably by discipline.
For example, humanities and social sciences applicants generally need an appropriate doctorate earned by the specified eligibility date and either a published monograph or at least two articles in refereed journals or edited collections.
Science, engineering and mathematics applicants must generally hold a relevant doctorate and have published at least five articles in refereed journals.
Journalism candidates need at least five years of professional journalism experience.
Visual artists normally need at least five years of professional work alongside evidence of exhibitions, while fiction and nonfiction candidates need an established publishing record. Poetry, playwriting, film and music candidates also have discipline-specific requirements.
Importantly, academics do not need to hold tenure.
Candidates across different career stages can apply, but people currently enrolled in degree programs are not eligible. Former Harvard Radcliffe Fellows from 1999 onward are also excluded.
What Does the Application Require?
Applicants need to submit a complete online application through Harvard Radcliffe’s official fellowship portal.
The main application materials include:
- Online application form
- Curriculum vitae
- 1,400-word project proposal
- Writing or work sample
- Contact information for three referees
- Three recommendation letters
Work-sample requirements depend on the applicant’s field.
Scientists, for instance, submit three published articles, whereas visual artists provide images and eligible video or film applicants can provide audiovisual work.
What Is Harvard Looking For?
Harvard Radcliffe evaluates applications through a two-stage review process.
First, experts evaluate applications within the candidate’s discipline. A multidisciplinary committee then reviews candidates to construct the fellowship cohort.
Selection focuses on the quality and significance of the proposed project as well as the candidate’s intellectual or creative ability, demonstrated achievement and potential.
Because the fellowship deliberately brings different disciplines together, applicants’ willingness to participate in interdisciplinary conversations also matters.
This means your proposal should do more than explain what you plan to produce.
It should make clear why the project matters, what question or problem it addresses, why you are positioned to undertake it and what could become possible if you have an uninterrupted fellowship year to pursue it.
Key Application Dates
- For humanities, social sciences, creative arts, nonfiction and journalism:
- Deadline: September 10, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. ET
- For science, engineering and mathematics:
- Deadline: October 1, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. ET
- All applicants are expected to receive their decisions by the end of March 2027.
Tips for a Strong Application
- Do not spend most of your project proposal repeating your CV.
- Instead, clearly explain the problem, question or creative challenge you intend to investigate.
- Show why the project is timely and why Harvard Radcliffe’s interdisciplinary environment would help advance it.
- Applicants should also approach their three referees early. Recommendation letters form part of the complete application and must meet the relevant deadline.
- Finally, check the requirements for your specific discipline rather than assuming that requirements are identical across fields.
How to Apply
Applications must be submitted through Harvard Radcliffe Institute’s official application system.
Official Harvard Radcliffe Fellowship Information
Official 2027–2022028 Application Portal
For accomplished women working in research, science, journalism, literature or the arts, this fellowship deserves serious consideration. It offers something many professionals struggle to secure: funding, institutional resources and dedicated time to concentrate on important work.
If you qualify, review your discipline’s requirements now, contact your referees and begin developing your proposal before the September or October deadline.
