Prospective Applicants

Alexander Görlach, CES Visiting Scholar (2016-2017)

The CES Visiting Scholars Program offers post-doctoral social scientists the opportunity to spend anywhere from three months to one year at Harvard for independent research on Europe or transatlantic relations.

Successful candidates will benefit from the Center’s vast programs and Harvard’s intellectually stimulating environment. Additionally, they gain access to the university's extensive library resources and other beneficial privileges.

Applicants range from postdoctoral fellows to senior level scholars.

Applicants interested in the CES Visiting Scholars Program for the 2019-2020 academic year should carefully review the necessary information below for additional important deadlines and details related to the program.

Please consult our website for more details about the CES Visiting Scholars Program and if you are interested in applying for the 2020-2021 academic year, please feel free to contact Laura Falloon for more information.

Application Deadlines

Waltraud Schelkle, CES Visiting Scholar (2015-2016)

Visiting Scholars Program Deadline: November 1, 2018 (11:59 PM EST)

The deadline for applications for the 2019-2020 academic year has passed. Thank you for your interest in the program.
Visiting Scholars Off-Cycle Deadline: 30 days prior to the fellowship deadline

The deadline for applications for the 2019-2020 academic year has passed. Thank you for your interest in the program.
The Center considers applications prior to the November deadline for the 2019-2020 academic year only for candidates applying for specific fellowships or grants that require a statement of affiliation with an American institution (for example Fulbright grants) and whose deadline is prior to the Center’s November 2018 deadline. Eligible candidates may submit an off-cycle application by emailing all required documents to Laura Falloon.
Complete applications must be received at least 30 days prior to the fellowship or grant deadline.
John F. Kennedy Memorial Fellowship (for German Citizens) Deadline: October 3, 2018 (11:59 PM EST)

The deadline for applications for the 2019-2020 academic year has passed. Thank you for your interest in the fellowship.

This fellowship is administered by the DAAD and is available only to German scholars. Application materials must be submitted directly to the DAAD. For more information, view John F. Kennedy Memorial Fellowship.
German Kennedy Memorial Fellowship (for EU Citizens) Deadline: October 15, 2018 (11:59 PM EST)

The deadline for applications for the 2019-2020 academic year has passed. Thank you for your interest in the fellowship.

One fellowship per year gifted by the German government is available to scholars from EU countries. Application materials for the 2019-2020 academic year must be submitted to CES via the online application portal. For more information, view German Kennedy Memorial Fellowship.

Application Details

CES Visiting Scholars will be able to:

Expand their research by accessing Harvard University’s resources including the world's largest university library and private online library system.
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 a weekly Visiting Scholars Seminar and receive feedback on work-in-progress from colleagues in their field.
Participate in the Center’s robust program of talks, study group sessions and conferences. View the CES Events Calendar.
Have a desk in a shared office space at CES. Most of our visitors are placed in a two-person office. Office space for visitors is determined by semester needs and is not guaranteed, though we make every effort to provide office space for all visitors.
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. They should contact Elaine Papoulias for further information.

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 term dates.
Visiting Scholars are required to participate in the weekly Visiting Scholars Lunch Seminar, which takes place every Wednesday 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. We recommend reviewing the Harvard International Office’s pages on health insurance.
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 that visitors will contribute more generally to the intellectual life at the Center, such as attending lectures, study groups and seminars, and Friday Lunches.

CES possesses very limited funding for Visiting Scholars. 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. With the exception of the German Kennedy Memorial Fellowship, which is available to EU scholars, 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. These include:

The John F. Kennedy Memorial Fellowship (for German scholars)
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, see John F. Kennedy Memorial Fellowship.

German Kennedy Memorial Fellowship (for EU scholars)

Administered by CES, this 10-month fellowship is restricted to citizens of EU countries (other than Germany). Five fellowships will be given within a 10-year time frame. For more information, see German Kennedy Memorial 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. Please contact Caroline Guény Mentré for further information.

Below are some additional recommendations for potential funding sources that are not affiliated with CES, from which past Visiting Scholars have benefited.