Categories
The Davis Center offers three programs that allow external scholars to spend time on Harvard’s campus conducting research and writing.
- Visiting Scholars: applicants must be tenured or tenure-track faculty with a current appointment at a university or research institute. This position requires a Ph.D. at the time of the application.
- Fellows: applicants must be professionals with specialized and extensive knowledge of the region or exceptional Ph.D. candidates in the final stages of their candidacy. This position is not appropriate for individuals who have completed their Ph.D. or who are in the early stages of their Ph.D..
- Postdoctoral Fellows: Scholars must use external funds to support their post-doctoral opportunity at the Davis Center. Outside funding must meet the appropriate NIH step for their experience level. Personal funds cannot be used, in full or in part, to meet this requirement. Interested applicants must have completed their Ph.D. (or equivalent) between September 2021 and September 2026. Separately, the Davis Center offers two fully-funded postdoctoral fellowships annually – one in history and one in Slavic languages and literatures. Interested applicants must have completed their Ph.D. (or equivalent) between September 2021 and September 2026.
Benefits
- Full access and borrowing privileges to Harvard's library facilities, including electronic resources;
- Special invitations to visitors-only events and other closed event opportunities;
- The opportunity to audit Harvard courses;
- Auditing is at the discretion of the course instructor
- The opportunity to present research in the New Research Workshop and receive feedback from colleagues and faculty on works-in-progress;
- The opportunity to participate in Davis Center programming including seminars, conferences, and other academic activities;
- International scholars are provided visa support from the Harvard International Office;
- In some cases, scholars may receive shared office space at the Davis Center.
Eligibility
- Research proposals must focus on topics related to Russia and/or Eurasia;
- The Davis Center defines "Eurasia" as consisting of the following regions: the Baltics, Eastern Europe, Southeastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia
- Applicants must be able to commit to a fellowship of no less than three months and no more than twelve months. Fellowships correspond with Harvard’s academic calendar, either for the fall semester (September 1-December 31), spring semester (January 1-May 31), or for one full year (September 1 - August 31). Fellowships for less than three months will not be considered.
- All positions are unpaid and are ineligible for Harvard employee benefits. Applicants are required to secure external funding and health insurance independently. Only scholars who have confirmed funding will be considered.
- Citizens of all countries are eligible to apply
Expectations
Members of the Davis Center’s Visiting Scholars Program must:
- Participate in the New Research Workshop. Attendance and active participation each week is mandatory;
- Prioritize their Davis Center research and be free of other academic commitments;
- Actively engage in Davis Center academic activities, lectures, seminars, and workshops;
- Be on campus for the entire duration of the dates of their Harvard appointments, as well as their Harvard-sponsored J-1 scholar visa for foreign nationals.
Visiting Scholars may also be asked to:
- Provide input on Harvard graduate and undergraduate student thesis work;
- Write a report at the end of their fellowship summarizing their activities.
Application Process and Requirements
Applications for AY 2026-2027 will open in mid-to-late November 2025. Please check back later for the application link.
The Visiting Scholars Program Application requires the following documentation:
- Research plan: a short summary of your research plan at Harvard, no longer than 200 words.
- CV: an updated CV, no longer than 3 pages.
- Cover letter: an explanation of your academic work and interest in the program, no longer than 2 pages. Please clearly indicate your intended fellowship dates.
- Statement of research: a description of the project you propose to conduct while at Harvard, no longer than 5 pages. Your proposal must be clearly defined and should address how the proposed project connects to and benefits from Harvard's unique resources (including libraries, departments, faculty, ongoing projects, special initiatives, etc.).
- Letters of recommendation: 2-3 letters of recommendation in English. Your recommenders should be able to speak to your education and career trajectory, your proposed project, and the benefits you would derive from this opportunity.
Current Visitors
Learn more about the current academic year's cohort of visiting scholars, fellows, and postdocs.
