Application Deadline: September 10, 2020 (Arts & Humanities) / October 1, 2020 (STEM)
Radcliffe fellows are exceptional scientists, writers, scholars, public intellectuals, practitioners, and artists whose work is making a difference in their professional fields and in the larger world.
Based in Radcliffe Yard—a sanctuary in the heart of Harvard University—fellows join a uniquely interdisciplinary and creative community. 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.
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.
Program Details
- Radcliffe Institute fellows are in residence for a period of nine months from September 1, 2021 through May 31, 2022 and receive a stipend of $78,000 plus an additional $5,000 to cover project expenses. Fellows are expected to be free of their regular commitments so that they may fully devote themselves to the work outlined in their proposal.
- As this is a residential fellowship, fellows are expected to reside in the Greater Boston area for the duration of their fellowship. Fellows may be eligible to receive additional funds for moving expenses, childcare, and housing to aid them in making a smooth transition. Healthcare options are made available as needed.
- Radcliffe Fellows receive office or studio space in Byerly Hall and full-time Harvard appointments as visiting fellows, granting them access to Harvard University’s various resources, including libraries, housing, and athletic facilities. If fellows would like to hire Harvard undergraduate students as Research Partners, Radcliffe Institute will cover their hourly wages.
- Fellows are expected to engage actively with the colleagues in their cohort and to participate fully as a member of the Radcliffe community. To this end, all fellows present their work-in-progress, either in the form of a private talk for their cohort or a public lecture, in addition to attending the presentations of all other fellows during that academic year (up to two talks per week). Radcliffe Institute offers group lunches and other opportunities to connect with members of your cohort, but attendance at these is optional.
Eligibility
- Open to scientists, writers, scholars, public intellectuals, and artists whose work is making a difference in their professional fields and in the larger world;
- Applicants may apply as individuals or in a group of two to three people working on the same project;
- They seek diversity along many dimensions, including discipline, career stage, race and ethnicity, country of origin, gender and sexual orientation, and ideological perspective. Although fellows come from many different backgrounds, they are united by their demonstrated excellence, collegiality, and creativity.
Evaluation criteria
Each application is reviewed in a two-tiered process–first by experts in the relevant field, then by a multidisciplinary committee charged with selecting a diverse class of fellows of the highest achievement and potential.
Applications are evaluated on the quality and significance of the proposed project and the applicant’s intellectual and creative capacity, as evidenced by a strong record of achievement or extraordinary promise. They seek diversity along every dimension, including geography, ethnicity and race, stage in career, and ideological perspective. Project proposals should be original, well-conceived, imaginative, and feasible.
Application
Read eligibility guidelines and application materials before you begin your application.
An application consists of:
- Application form
- Curriculum vitae
- Project proposal, with bibliography when appropriate
- Writing or work sample
- Three letters of recommendation
The deadline for applications in humanities, social sciences, and creative arts is September 10, 2020.
The deadline for applications in science, engineering, and mathematics is October 1, 2020
For more information, visit Radcliffe Fellowship.
