The Harvard Academy for International and Area Studies—Academy Scholars Program Grant

The Harvard Academy for International and Area Studies—Academy Scholars Program Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard University
Amount: Up to US $80,000
Last Updated: August 20, 2025

Summary

The Harvard Academy for International and Area Studies—Academy Scholars Program is designed for recent PhD recipients and advanced doctoral candidates in the social sciences. This prestigious program provides a two-year in-residence postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University, offering financial and research support. Scholars engage in interdisciplinary research, mentorship, and collaborative activities to enhance their academic careers while contributing insights on global issues through a comparative lens.

Overview

The Harvard Academy for International and Area Studies—Academy Scholars Program 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 in order 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.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. These awards are open to recipients of PhD or comparable doctoral degrees (within two years of the August 1, 2026, 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, 2026, for an August 1, 2026, start date.

Ineligibility

Individuals who hold or have completed another Harvard postdoctoral fellowship are not eligible to apply.