The Academy Scholars Program at the Harvard Academy for International and Area Studies identifies and supports outstanding scholars early in their academic careers whose work combines excellence in a social science discipline with language proficiency and knowledge of or experience of countries or regions outside the United States or Canada. Their academic background should span traditional disciplinary divisions and elucidate comparative, transnational, or domestic issues, past or present.

Academy scholars are nominated for a two-year resident postdoctoral fellowship at the Harvard Academy for International and Area Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA. They receive substantial financial and research support, enabling them to undertake solid research projects and develop expertise in their chosen fields and areas. They meet at dinners, seminars, and informal gatherings to explore innovative interdisciplinary approaches to their work. They are mentored by 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 Academy scholars as they work toward their potential.

VALUE

• Each year, five or six Academy members are nominated for two-year residency appointments with an annual stipend of US$$ 75,000, with the two years to be completed within a three-year window.
• Year 1 of the fellowship must be resumed no later than the autumn immediately following the postdoctoral fellowship offer. No delays or postponements are permitted in the start of Year 1.
• Between years 1 and 2, Academy Fellows may request a one-time leave of absence (up to 12 months), either to accept or continue with a tenure-track teaching appointment, but for no other reason. Academy Fellows may not accept other sources of funding, awards, or obligations during their appointment.

ELIGIBILITY

• These awards are open to recipients of a doctoral degree or equivalent doctoral degree (within two years of the commencement date of August 1, 2024) and advanced doctoral candidates in social sciences.
• Scholarship recipients nearing the completion of their dissertation must be able to submit the degree conferral documentation issued by their university's registrar by June 30, 2024, for a commencement date of August 1, 2024.
• Individuals who hold or have completed another postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard are not eligible to apply.

DEADLINE: September 22, 2023

To sign up and find out more, sign up here.