Deadline: October 1, 2020.

The Academy Scholars Program identifies and supports outstanding scholars at the start of their careers whose work combines disciplinary excellence in the social sciences or law with a command of the language and history or culture of countries or regions outside of the United States or Canada. Their scholarship may elucidate domestic, comparative, or transnational issues, past or present.

The Academy Scholars are a select community of individuals with resourcefulness, initiative, curiosity, and originality, whose work in cultures or regions outside of the US or Canada shows promise as a foundation for exceptional careers in major universities or international institutions.

ELIGIBILITY

1. The competition for these awards is open only to recent PhD (or comparable professional school degree) recipients and doctoral candidates in the social sciences or law.

2. Those still pursuing a PhD should have completed their routine training and be well along in the writing of their theses before applying to become Academy Scholars.

3. If you have completed a PhD program, the PhD completion date must be within three years of the October 1 application deadline.

4. For applicants applying for the October 1, 2020 deadline, you must have completed your PhD or equivalent after September 30, 2017.

BENEFITS

1. Each year, four to six Academy Scholars are named for two-year appointments.

2. Academy Scholars are expected to reside in the Cambridge/Boston area for the duration of their appointments unless traveling for pre-approved research purposes or unless Harvard University’s coronavirus pandemic response necessitates a switch to a virtual campus.

3. Postdoctoral Academy Scholars will receive an annual stipend of $70,000.

4. If selected before earning the PhD, the Scholars will receive an annual stipend of $31,000 until awarded the PhD. This stipend is supplemented by funding for conference and research travel, research assistants, and health insurance coverage. Some teaching is permitted but not required.

APPLICATION

The completed application will include:

1. Cover letter which succinctly states the applicant’s academic field, country or region of specialization, and proposed research topic
2. Curriculum vitae (CV) or resumé; including list of publications
3. Research proposal (2500 word maximum); including intellectual objectives and planned methodological and disciplinary work
4. A copy of your PhD program transcript
5. Three letters of recommendation (uploaded through the online application)

OFFICIAL LINK

https://academy.wcfia.harvard.edu/programs/academy_scholar