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How To Apply

Prospective applicants should review the important information below which details the Visiting Scholars Program expectations and privileges, the application process, and funding opportunities.

Scholars eligible to apply for the German Kennedy Memorial Fellowship or the Ramón Areces Fellowship must apply to the Center's Visiting Scholars Program and elect to be considered for one of these fellowships.

Program & Application Details

Applicants to the CES Visiting Scholars Program must:

  • Pursue an independent project on modern Europe in the social sciences, including anthropology, economics, history, political science, and related disciplines.
  • Hold a Ph.D. at the time of application. Applicants pursuing a degree program at the time of application will not be considered.
  • Commit to reside at CES no less than three uninterrupted months and no more than ten uninterrupted months during the same academic year. Participants in the program are expected to be in residence for the entire duration of the dates of their Harvard appointments, as well as their Harvard-sponsorship J-1 scholar visa for foreign nationals.
  • Begin their tenure on one of two program start dates: September 3, 2025 or January 28, 2026. Visiting Scholar appointments cannot go beyond June 30, 2026. Requests for tenure dates that deviate from this will be considered only in exceptional circumstances.
  • Secure funding from academic resources, including university salary and research grants.

Terms and Conditions:

  • Visiting Scholars must reside in the Cambridge area throughout their CES residency and have their primary office at CES. Scholars must be continuously present with limited to no absences. Please consult the FAS Academic Calendar for exact term dates, as well as the required CES tenure dates listed above.
  • Visiting Scholars are required to participate in the New Research on Europe Seminar (NROE). Attendance and active participation each week is mandatory.
  • While CES does not charge an application fee, all accepted Visiting Scholars will be assessed a $500 processing fee per semester. International scholars are responsible for paying J-1 visa fees.
  • Visiting Scholars are expected to purchase their own health insurance. For more information, consult the Harvard International Office.
  • Visiting Scholars are required to prioritize their CES research and be free of other academic commitments.
  • Scholars are expected to actively engage in CES academic activities, lectures, seminars, and workshops, and may be asked to provide input on Harvard graduate and undergraduate student thesis work.

The application cycle for the 2025-2026 academic year has now closed.

Albana Shehaj
Albana Shehaj

For questions about the program, please contact CES Program Manager Albana Shehaj.


Program Manager, Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies, Harvard University; Visiting Scholar 2019-2021, Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies, Harvard University
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