FAQs

We offer a variety of different fellowship programs; please review the program descriptions carefully to find the fellowship(s) best suited to your research proposal.

If you have more questions, please contact the fellowship's program coordinator listed on the fellowship program's webpage.

Yes, applicants are expected to have relevant academic or professional experience in their fellowship's research area. Please only apply for fellowships that are aligned with your area of research.

No. We are unable to review any additional documents beyond the listed required materials.

The strongest recommendations come from individuals who can speak to your scholarly qualifications.

When you submit your application, you will be required to provide contact information for three recommenders. Your recommenders will immediately receive automated emailed instructions on how to upload recommendation letters to our application database. Please ask your recommenders ahead of your application's submission to minimize last-minute surprises.

Recommendation letters are due by December 15. Please submit your application promptly to give your recommenders sufficient time to upload their letters. After submitting your application, follow up with your recommenders to ensure that they have received the submission instructions and understand the deadline.

You and your recommender will receive an email confirmation from belfer_fellowships@hks.harvard.edu once each recommender submits a document. Within the application portal, the status for a recommendation letter will be "approved," if the letter has been received.

First, instruct your recommender to check their spam filter for an email sent from belfer_fellowships@hks.harvard.edu at the time you submitted your application. Additionally, please make sure that belfer_fellowships@hks.harvard.edu is added to the recommender's approved senders list or request that the relevant IT department add it.

If your recommender still cannot find the email, e-mail belfer_fellowships@hks.harvard.edu with the name and email address of the recommender who needs the instructions resent.

Yes. Individuals submitting recommendations on behalf of applicants will receive email instructions to submit their recommendations online. The Belfer Center will not share the contents of any recommendation letters received through this call for applications. 

In extenuating circumstances, please email belfer_fellowships@hks.harvard.edu to change the contact information with your recommender. In your email, please specify your full name used on the application and the program(s) you applied to.

Applications cannot be edited after submission. Only submit full and final applications.

All applicants will receive notice about the results of their application by mid-February.

No, candidates are not allowed to defer fellowship offers. Fellowship offers are only extended for the academic year to which candidates initially apply.

Please first confirm the email address is accurate, and ask your recommender to check the junk mailbox, and then add belfer_fellowships@hks.harvard.edu to the email approved list to receive future emails.

Please ensure the format of the files you are uploading is in PDF form. 

Please reach out to belfer_fellowships@hks.harvard.edu to update your personal contact details.

Please log out your account, clear the browser cache and try again.  

Your username should be your email address. 

First, please check your junk mailbox, and then add belfer_fellowships@hks.harvard.edu to your email approved list to receive future emails. 

Please ensure the new password contains at least 8 characters, 1 letter and 1 number without any special character.  

The system will send an email to your recommender with a link to upload the recommendation. The recommender will receive an email confirmation after submitting the recommendation. In addition, the recommender will receive two system reminders.

Login onto the applicant portal and open the submitted application, and navigate to the progress checklist to the recommender section, and you will see the status of each recommendation.  

For any other technical issues, please contact us at belfer_fellowships@hks.harvard.edu with the following items being indicated: 

• Brief description of the issue
• A screenshot of the issue

Yes. 

No, predoctoral fellows must have passed general examinations and have made significant progress on their dissertation.

Yes. However, please note that fellows will be paid at the listed predoctoral rate and will not be eligible to receive benefits through their appointment until the program/ project receives confirmation of Ph.D. completion.

Yes. 

No. Prospective applicants wishing to pursue doctoral or master's degrees at the Harvard Kennedy School should consult HKS Admissions.

No. Fellowship offers are for fellowship applicants only.

Fellowships are typically ten-month appointments from September through June, and, in certain circumstances, may be renewable.

Stipends and benefits vary between program's. Please review the program's fellowship page for further information. Housing is not included in Center fellowships.

Fellows are expected to be in residence for the duration of the fellowship and should spend no less than 4/5 of their time on their Center-related research and writing projects.

If a fellow is teaching (or serving as a teaching fellow for) one course per term, you should not, in most cases, plan to commit to additional remunerative activities. Any such activities should be discussed in advance with your Fellowship Program Director.

Outside obligations such as a concurrent fellowship appointment that interfere with the performance of your Belfer Center responsibilities are not acceptable.

Fellows are at the heart of the Belfer Center community.

We encourage our Fellows to take an active role within and outside the Harvard Kennedy School's academic community, including through presenting research, collaboration with faculty and other projects, and participating in Belfer seminars, conferences, and beyond. 

Read more about the Fellowship Experience.