CES Visiting Scholars will be able to:
- Expand their research progress and goals by accessing Harvard University’s resources, including the university library.
- Receive a Harvard University research appointment and have a Harvard email account and ID card granting full access to Harvard’s facilities.
- Present research in the weekly New Research on Europe Seminar and receive feedback on work-in-progress from colleagues.
- Participate in CES programmatic activities, including seminars, conferences, and student engagements. View the CES Events Calendar.
- Have a desk in a shared office space at CES in Adolphus Busch Hall.
- Receive IT support from CES Technical Support Staff and have wireless and ethernet internet access. Please note that computers are not provided in offices and Visiting Scholars are encouraged to bring a laptop.
- Audit courses on campus with the permission of the instructor. For the list of course offerings, please visit the Harvard Course Catalog Directory.
Applicants to the CES Visiting Scholars Program must:
- Pursue an independent project on modern Europe in social sciences, including history.
- Possess a Ph.D. at the time of application. Please note that applications from students in a degree program at the time of application submission will not be considered.
- Commit to be in residence at CES for a minimum of three months. Two out of the three months need to be when classes are in session. Classes are not in session December through January and May through August.
- Be able to secure their own funding from sabbatical salary, external grants, or personal funds. A minimum of $3,000 per month is required for scholars without dependents (J-1 scholar visa regulations).
- Applicants outside of academia who are well established in their profession with a minimum of seven years professional experience, such as journalists, may also apply. Inquiries should be directed to Albana Shehaj, CES Program Manager.
Terms and Conditions:
- Visiting Scholars are expected to reside in the Boston area and to have their primary office at CES so that they can participate fully in the life of the community. They must remain in residence locally for a minimum of three months to hold an appointment and should not be absent for more than one week at a time during the academic terms. Two out of the three months need to be when classes are in session. Classes are not in session December through January and May through August. Please view the FAS Academic Calendar for exact term dates.
- Visiting Scholars are required to participate in the weekly New Research on Europe Seminar, which takes place weekly during the academic term. This seminar is open to the public and is an opportunity to present work in progress and obtain feedback from colleagues at the Center and the University at large.
- While CES does not charge an application fee, all accepted Visiting Scholars will be assessed a $500 processing fee per semester, or per four-month period, if dates of residence are outside of normal term times, with a maximum of $1,000 per academic year. In addition, international visitors who apply for J-1 visas are also responsible for paying all associated visa fees.
- Visiting Scholars are responsible for purchasing their own health insurance by reviewing the information of the Harvard International Office.
- Visiting Scholars are expected to be free of their regular commitments so they may devote themselves full-time to the work outlined in their research proposal.
- While there are no teaching requirements for this program, visitors are expected to make themselves available to consult with Harvard graduate and undergraduate students who are writing their theses.
- CES expects visitors to contribute more generally to the intellectual life at the Center, such as attending lectures, study groups and seminars.
CES offers very limited funding for Visiting Scholars. CES funding is limited to the John F. Kennedy Memorial Fellowship, the German Kennedy Memorial Fellowship, and the Rámon Areces Fellowship. Approximately 90 percent of our Visiting Scholars are self-funded from sources such as sabbatical salary, grants from their home governments, or other private organizations.
CES hosts a small number of scholars from specific countries or institutions who receive support from CES or partner organizations, including Sciences Po and the Berlin Social Science Center (WZB). These fellowships are administered by our partner organizations with their own deadlines, and applicants must receive final approval by the CES Steering Committee in order to be invited into the Visiting Scholars Program. Candidates applying for these fellowships may also apply directly to the CES Visiting Scholars Program as a non-stipendiary candidate, including:
The John F. Kennedy Memorial Fellowship (for German Citizens)
Administered by the DAAD, this 10-month fellowship is restricted to German scholars with a preference for those who will return to Germany following the fellowship. For more information, please see John F. Kennedy Memorial Fellowship.
The German Kennedy Memorial Fellowship (for EU Citizens)
Administered by CES, this 10-month fellowship is restricted to citizens of EU countries (other than Germany). For more information, please see German Kennedy Memorial Fellowship.
The Ramón Areces Fellowship
Administered by CES, this 10-month fellowship is restricted to citizens of Spain. For more information, please see Ramón Areces Fellowship.
The Sciences Po Fellowship
Administered by the Centre des Amériques de Sciences Po, this fellowship is restricted to faculty and researchers employed at Sciences Po.
Below are some additional recommendations for potential funding sources that are not affiliated with CES, from which past Visiting Scholars have benefited.
Please review the application deadlines. The required materials for complete applications are listed below:
- Cover letter including requested dates of residence and estimated funding sources. Note: university appointments range from a minimum of three months to a maximum of ten months. Appointments will not begin before September 1, of the upcoming academic year.
- Current curriculum vitae, not to exceed five pages, with only the most important publications and achievements highlighted.
- Title and a three-page description of research or project to be carried out at CES.
- 150-word abstract of the research project.
- In the case of non-native English speakers: TOEFL scores or a brief, signed letter from the applicant attesting to fluency in spoken and written English.
- Two letters of recommendation are also required. Please be prepared to ask two referees to submit reference letters on your behalf via the online application portal. Note: applicants for the German Kennedy Memorial Fellowship (for EU Citizens) and Ramón Areces Fellowship must submit three letters of recommendation.
All correspondence should be written in English and addressed to Albana Shehaj, CES Program Manager.
Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted.
Each application is reviewed by the CES Steering Committee, and applicants are notified of the results of the selection process by the early spring of each year.
Acceptance as a Visiting Scholar is not final until approved by the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and the Governing Boards of Harvard University.
