The Weatherhead Scholars Program

The Weatherhead Scholars Program accepts approximately twenty-five affiliates annually through a competitive selection process. Affiliates may be visiting faculty members from other institutions, postdoctoral fellows who have earned their PhD within three years of applying, or practitioner fellows (mid-career or senior diplomats and other professionals). Please note that the application process and period for submitting applications varies by category.

Practitioner Fellows

Mid-career or senior diplomats, journalists, civil servants, businesspeople, and other professionals may apply as individuals or be nominated by their sponsoring institution. Interested individuals are welcome to contact the director of the Weatherhead Scholars Program to discuss candidacy and application process. The application for individual practitioner fellows for 2025–2026 is available via Harvard's ARIeS online system. Rolling deadline for 2025-26 until February 14, 2025. 

Visiting Scholars

The Weatherhead Center for International Affairs accepts six to ten visiting faculty members each academic year through the Weatherhead Scholars Program. Visiting faculty must hold tenured or tenure-track positions at another institution, from which they will be on leave during the time that they are at Harvard.

The application for visiting scholars for 2025–2026 is available via Harvard's ARIeS online system; deadline is November 1, 2024. Required materials include: cover letter; resume or CV; three-page research statement; two letters of recommendation.

Postdoctoral Fellows

The Weatherhead Center for International Affairs accepts six to ten postdoctoral fellows each academic year through the Weatherhead Scholars Program. There is funding available for some but not all of the candidates. Candidates must have received their PhD within three years of acceptance to the Weatherhead Scholars Program. The application for postdoctoral fellows for 2025–2026 is available via Harvard's ARIeS online system; deadline is November 1, 2024. Required materials include: cover letter; resume or CV; three-page research statement; two letters of recommendation.

For 2024–2025, we are pleased to announce the following one-year postdoctoral fellowship opportunities: 

1. The Raphael Morrison Dorman Fellowship supports up to four postdoctoral fellows annually (stipend plus health insurance). 
2. The Hicham Alaoui Postdoctoral Fellowship to support research on the Middle East/North Africa region and/or environmental issues and climate change. One academic-year fellowships will be awarded in 2023–2024, 2024–2025, and 2025–2026 (stipend plus health insurance). 
3. Occasionally additional fellowship funding is available from the Weatherhead Center, which will be rolled into the normal selection process when applicable.

All WSP postdoctoral applications will be considered for funding unless the applicant indicates that they will obtain their own funding. It is not necessary to submit a separate funding application. The WSP postdoctoral stipend for 2025–2026 will be USD $70,000, payable over twelve months. The WSP postdoctoral fellowships are very competitive; in a typical year, about 7% of applicants are selected.

Postdoctoral fellows who receive funding from a source outside of Harvard must meet the NIH minimum base salary requirement for postdocs at their experience level on the NIH scale. Personal funds may not be used (in full or in part) to meet this requirement.