HARVARD RADCLIFFE FELLOWSHIP 2026: 2026–2027 FELLOWS AND FULL FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITY

The Harvard Radcliffe Fellowship 2026 is one of Harvard University’s flagship opportunities for accomplished scholars, scientists, writers, artists and public intellectuals to pursue ambitious independent projects in an interdisciplinary environment. The Harvard Radcliffe Institute announced its 2026–2027 fellows on May 14, 2026, bringing together researchers and creators working across the humanities, sciences, social sciences and creative arts.

The yearlong fellowship gives selected fellows an opportunity to focus on significant projects while engaging with the wider intellectual community at Harvard University. The 2026–2027 cohort includes projects exploring artificial intelligence and human cognition, medical diagnosis, climate justice, music and migration, surgical robotics, literature, history and other areas at the frontiers of knowledge.

For prospective applicants, it is important to note that the 2026–2027 cohort has already been announced. The current application cycle is for the 2027–2028 Radcliffe Fellowship, with applications now available through the official Harvard Radcliffe Institute application portal.

Background & Fellowship Description

The Harvard Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study is an interdisciplinary center at Harvard University that brings together scholars, scientists, artists and practitioners to pursue research and creative projects that can expand human understanding.

The Radcliffe Fellowship supports approximately 50 scholars, artists and public intellectuals whose records demonstrate achievement in their respective fields and potential for future contributions. Fellows come from across the United States and around the world and work on individual projects such as books, films, research projects and other creative or intellectual frameworks.

The fellowship is particularly suited to ambitious projects that benefit from sustained time, interdisciplinary exchange and engagement with audiences beyond traditional academic settings.

The Institute welcomes proposals addressing pressing social, scientific and policy issues. Its current multiyear focus area, covering 2024–2029, includes academic freedom and connecting across difference, while the Institute also welcomes relevant projects in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

2026–2027 Harvard Radcliffe Fellows

The 2026–2027 cohort represents a wide range of academic and creative disciplines.

Among the fellows announced by Harvard Radcliffe Institute are Elizabeth S. Anker, who will examine the rise of the “theory era”; historical musicologist Brigid Cohen, who will work on a scholarly monograph on Yoko Ono and a broader history of music, philosophy and politics; and neuroscientist and biomedical engineer Arij Daou, whose project examines neural foundations connected to learned sequences, speech and memory.

Other projects include surgical roboticist Loris Fichera’s work on tentacle-like surgical robots using mechanical metamaterials and research scientist Nataliya Kosmyna’s investigation into brain-computer interfaces and the ways technologies such as smartphones and generative AI can influence cognition and human agency.

Physician and literary scholar Lakshmi Krishnan will explore the relationship between detective fiction and the development of modern medical diagnosis, while poet and essayist Ocean Vuong will work on a book-length project addressing themes including grief, masculinity, memory and Asian American photography. Historian and author Ilyon Woo will also pursue a new book project.

The cohort also includes fellows working on climate-related projects. Environmental planner and public health practitioner Marccus D. Hendricks will examine Baltimore’s historic sewer infrastructure and its relationship to inequity, while legal scholar Jessica A. Shoemaker will investigate property rules, rural landscapes, farmland and Indigenous land claims.

Who Can Apply?

The Radcliffe Fellowship is intended for accomplished individuals across a broad range of disciplines and career stages.

Applicants are assessed according to discipline-specific eligibility requirements. The fellowship is not intended as a postdoctoral fellowship, and individuals currently enrolled in a degree programme are generally ineligible to apply. Applicants do not have to hold tenure.

For the humanities and social sciences, applicants must have received their doctorate or equivalent at least four years before the fellowship appointment date and must have published a monograph or at least two articles in refereed journals or edited collections.

Applicants in science, engineering and mathematics must also have received their doctorate at least four years before appointment and generally must have published at least five refereed journal articles.

Because eligibility varies by programme area, prospective applicants should review the requirements for their specific discipline before preparing an application.

Fellowship Benefits

The Radcliffe Fellowship provides substantial financial and professional support.

For the 2026–2027 academic year, fellows receive a $78,000 stipend plus an additional $5,000 for project expenses. Fellows may also be eligible for relocation, housing, childcare and healthcare-related support depending on their circumstances.

Fellows receive office or studio space in Byerly Hall in Radcliffe Yard and full-time Harvard appointments as visiting fellows. These appointments provide access to Harvard’s library system and university athletic facilities, together with professional development and engagement opportunities throughout the fellowship year.

Fellows are required to reside in the Cambridge/Boston area during the fellowship period from September through May. This residency requirement allows fellows to participate actively in weekly talks, professional development workshops and community activities.

Application Requirements

The Radcliffe Fellowship application requires several major components.

Applicants must submit:

An online application form;
A curriculum vitae;
A 1,400-word project proposal, including a bibliography where appropriate;
A writing or work sample; and
Contact information for three references.

References are contacted through the online system and asked to submit letters of recommendation. All application materials must be submitted through the official online fellowship application portal.

The project proposal is particularly important because the fellowship is designed around ambitious individual projects. Applicants should clearly explain the significance of their proposed work and demonstrate their intellectual or creative capacity to undertake it.

2027–2028 Application Deadlines

Although the 2026–2027 fellows have already been announced, prospective applicants can now apply for the 2027–2028 Harvard Radcliffe Fellowship.

The current official deadlines are:

Humanities, Social Sciences, Creative Arts, Nonfiction and Journalism: September 10, 2026, at 5:00 PM ET.
Science, Engineering and Mathematics: October 1, 2026, at 5:00 PM ET.

Applicants should select the programme area that best matches their proposed project, educational background and professional or artistic experience.

Interdisciplinary projects are welcome. Radcliffe advises applicants with interdisciplinary work to select the area that best fits their project and background while identifying an additional disciplinary area where appropriate.

Selection Process

Radcliffe uses a two-stage review process.

Applications are first reviewed by experts in the relevant field. They then move to a multidisciplinary committee responsible for selecting a diverse cohort of fellows demonstrating high achievement and potential.

Applications are evaluated based on the quality and significance of the proposed project and the applicant’s intellectual or creative capacity, as demonstrated by their record of achievement or extraordinary promise.

The Institute also values collegiality and openness to interdisciplinary conversation because fellows become part of a diverse intellectual community.

Final Thoughts

The Harvard Radcliffe Fellowship provides an opportunity for established scholars, scientists, writers, artists and public intellectuals to dedicate a full academic year to ambitious projects within Harvard’s interdisciplinary environment.

The recently announced 2026–2027 cohort demonstrates the breadth of work supported by the programme, spanning neuroscience, artificial intelligence, climate justice, literature, medicine, history, music, engineering and the creative arts.

For people considering applying, the relevant opportunity now is the 2027–2028 fellowship cycle. Applicants should carefully review the discipline-specific eligibility requirements, prepare a strong project proposal and submit all required materials before the appropriate deadline.

Important: The 2026–2027 fellows have already been selected and announced. The deadlines above apply to the 2027–2028 Harvard Radcliffe Fellowship application cycle, not the already-announced 2026–2027 cohort. Applicants should verify eligibility, application requirements and deadlines directly with Harvard Radcliffe Institute before submitting an application.

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