There are three types of applicants: 1. Faculty from other universities who may wish to spend sabbatical leave at the Weatherhead Center pursuing research; 2. postdoctoral researchers who have received their PhDs within 3 years of enrolling in the program (recent postdocs accepted into the program may be asked to submit proof that degree has been awarded); and 3. Practitioners with a strong scholarly bent who wish to spend a year conducting research. Faculty and postdocs are required to have a PhD. Practitioners do not need a PhD to be eligible.

Scholars must be in residence for a minimum of 4 months; moreover, these 4 months should be primarily in the fall and spring terms. We do not recommend that scholars spend most of their time in residence during the summer months, as many faculty are away from campus then.

All participants must be in residence while Harvard classes are in session. For [full] academic year participants, this means being present for the Fall Term from late August (for orientation) through early December, and for the Spring Term from late January through early May. Participants are required to be in residence for a minimum of 4 months.

Please submit all documents in PDF format. Please be sure to tell your recommenders to submit their letters in PDF format, as well.

The deadline to apply for the following academic year is November 1. For example, if you are applying for the 2019 – 2020 academic year, the online deadline is November 1, 2018. If one of your documents is not uploaded properly or if one of your recommenders is late, please contact Kathleen Molony (kmolony@wcfia.harvard.edu) as soon as possible. Read more about What if I miss a deadline?

The Weatherhead Scholars Program is open to visiting faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and experienced practitioners who plan to conduct research in the social sciences. Faculty and postdoctoral researchers must possess a PhD. Postdoctoral researchers should have received their degree within the preceding three years (and by the start of the academic year for which they are applying). Although a PhD is not a requirement for a practitioner, the applicant should demonstrate a strong interest in conducting academic research.

All applicants should submit the following documents: cover letter; curriculum vitae (five pages maximum); description of research project (three pages or less); two letters of recommendation. Applicants should submit all materials through the online application portal. Applicants will be notified of the selection committee's decision in mid-December.