Prospective Applicants

Ayşe Kadıoğlu, CES Visiting Scholar 2017-2018

Each year, CES welcomes Visiting Scholars from the United States, Europe, and other parts of the globe. They are chosen from a pool of applications from post-doctoral social scientists and historians who are working on modern Europe. They continue their research on the Harvard campus while engaging with CES faculty, graduate and undergraduate students and participating in study groups, seminars, and conferences.

CES Visiting Scholars gain access to the university's extensive library resources, participate in CES programmatic activities, and engage with members of the greater Harvard community. Applicants range from postdoctoral fellows to senior level scholars.

Applicants interested in the CES Visiting Scholars Program, the John F. Kennedy Memorial Fellowship (for German Citizens) and the German Kennedy Memorial Fellowship (for EU Citizens) should review the details and deadlines below.

Please contact CES Program Coordinator for additional information.

Application Deadlines

Waltraud Schelkle, CES Visiting Scholar 2015-2016

Visiting Scholars Program Deadline

Thank you for your interest in applying to the CES Visiting Scholars Program. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s impacts, CES will not be soliciting visiting scholar applications for research stays in the 2021-2022 academic year. The Center endeavors to resume the visiting scholars application process (materials submitted via a portal) during summer 2021 for the 2022-2023 academic year. All updates to the program will be shared on this page.
Visiting Scholars Off-Cycle Applicants

CES considers applications prior to the regular deadline 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 deadline. Eligible candidates may submit an off-cycle application by emailing all required documents to CES Program Coordinator. Complete applications must be received at least 30 days prior to the fellowship or grant deadline.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s impacts, CES will not be accepting off-cycle visiting scholar applications for research stays in the 2021-2022 academic year. The Center endeavors to resume the visiting scholars application process (materials submitted via a portal) during summer 2021 for the 2022-2023 academic year. All updates to the program will be shared on this page.
John F. Kennedy Memorial Fellowship (for German Citizens)

This fellowship is administered by the DAAD, is available only to German scholars, and application materials must be submitted directly to the DAAD. For more information, view John F. Kennedy Memorial Fellowship (for German Citizens).
German Kennedy Memorial Fellowship (for EU Citizens)

One fellowship per year gifted by the German government is available to scholars from EU countries. For more information, view German Kennedy Memorial Fellowship (for EU Citizens).
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s impacts, CES will not be soliciting German Kennedy Memorial Fellowship applications for research stays in the 2021-2022 academic year. The Center endeavors to resume the application process (materials submitted via a portal) during summer 2021 for the 2022-2023 academic year. All updates to the program will be shared on this page.
Sciences Po-Harvard CES Faculty Exchange Program

The program offers postdoctoral social scientists at Sciences Po the opportunity to spend up to one year at Harvard University for independent research on Europe or transatlantic relations. For more information, you may contact Centre des Amériques.

Application Details

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 in their field.
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. Office space at CES is of high demand. 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. Inquiries should be directed to CES Executive Director Elaine Papoulias.

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 New Research on Europe Seminar, which takes place every Friday during the academic term and is followed by the CES Friday Lunch. 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 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 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, see John F. Kennedy Memorial Fellowship.

German Kennedy Memorial Fellowship (for EU Citizens)

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.