Deadline: April 15, 2025

The Harvard South Africa Fellowship Program (HSAFP) was established in 1979 by Harvard President Derek Bok to address the needs of South Africans denied access to advanced education under Apartheid. Fellowships are up to one year of study at select Harvard schools, including Harvard Law School, Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and Harvard Business School executive education programs (i) Program for Leadership Development (PLD), ii) General Management Program (GMP), iii) Advanced Management Program (AMP)).  The recruitment and selection process for the HSAFP take place annually, with interviews facilitated by the Africa Office in Johannesburg.

Fellowships have been awarded to individuals with careers spanning education, law, public health, the arts and humanities, business and the private sector, and a host of other professions and disciplines. Through their presence in Harvard’s classrooms, seminars, research initiatives, and conferences, HSAFP fellows have introduced knowledge and perspectives to the Harvard campus, the significance of which goes well beyond numbers and publications. Upon their return to South Africa, many of the HSAFP fellows have gone on to play prominent roles in their nation and local communities while remaining engaged with the Harvard community in Cambridge, Africa, and beyond.

Fellows are selected because they have shown exceptional skill in their chosen fields and are expected to have transformative impact after benefiting from advanced training. Since the Harvard South Africa Fellowship Program was established over 40 years ago, more than 220 Fellows are counted among the alumni of the program, representing leadership positions in all aspects of South African society, including leaders in the public sector and private sector, academia, civil society, a host of international organizations, cultural and health institutions, and beyond.

Benefits

• The fellowship provides for payment of all tuition for the full period of enrollment at Harvard.
• The fellowship also funds round-trip airfare between the fellow’s city of residence and Boston.
• A monthly stipend is provided to fellows, except for those enrolled in the Executive Education Programs, to cover the cost of housing and other living expenses. Housing is usually in university graduate dormitories. Please note that housing costs in the Boston/Cambridge area are extremely high, and the stipend only covers bare necessities. The monthly stipend must also be used to pay other expenses such as medical and dental insurance, medicine, taxes, food, winter clothing, books, and supplies. Fellows are held personally responsible for the payment of all bills other than tuition fees and airfare. Fellows should also be aware that their stipends will have a significant amount of taxes taken out before they receive the funds.

Eligibility

• Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree or four-year equivalent.
• Applicants must be able to conduct spoken and written academic work of the highest standard in Harvard’s language of instruction (English).
• Applicants must be South African citizens (or legal permanent residents of South Africa), priority will be given to those currently working in Africa.
• Applicants must have at least five years of postgraduate work experience, priority will be given to those with a demonstrated commitment to the public good.

Consideration and Expectation

• Ideal candidates are those who seek to model ethical leadership, knowledge sharing, and serve as a resource to improve and transform their communities and South Africa.
• Priority will be extended to mid-career applicants who have been educationally disadvantaged by past laws and resource allocations in South Africa, or whose families were harmed by discriminatory laws and exclusionary policies under apartheid.
• Applicants whose interest in the program is only in seeking an advanced degree or professional certification to advance their career interests are not ideal candidates.
• Alumni of the program are expected to remain involved after the completion of their fellowship and serve as ambassadors for the fellowship and resources to one another

Application

The application includes the following categories:

• General Information
• Contact Details
• Education
• Employment History
• Upload of files: CV, transcripts, personal statement, and academic essay
• Recommendation Letters
• Consent & Electronic Signature

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