Dissertation Completion Fellowships

Eligible Harvard Ph.D. students in the humanities or social sciences can compete for full-year fellowships to finish their doctoral dissertation with a theme pertaining to Russia, Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, or Central Asia.

Memorial Hall viewed from above
Jenna Lang/Harvard University

If you are a Harvard Ph.D. student entering the final year of writing your dissertation, you can apply for a full-year fellowship to complete the dissertation. The fellowship provides a living stipend and covers the Harvard facilities fee and individual health insurance.

Office space and access to computer facilities at the Davis Center can be provided.

Applicants are judged by their overall merit, the importance of the dissertation topic, clarity of the proposal, and the potential for scholarly contribution.

Eligibility

You must meet these requirements to be eligible: 

  • Be a Harvard doctoral candidate in the humanities or social sciences who, in consultation with your faculty advisor/s, anticipates completion of the dissertation by May 15, 2026.
  • Have a dissertation theme pertaining to Russia, Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, or Central Asia.
  • Meet all the GSAS eligibility requirements to pursue a Dissertation Completion Fellowship. 

Terms & Conditions

All terms and conditions designated by GSAS for Dissertation Completion Fellowships apply. 

Please also note the following: 

  • Recipients may not accept other fellowships for the award year. However, the Davis Center will consider requests to accept a partial award in conjunction with this fellowship.
  • No teaching is permitted during the award year (this includes tutorials).
  • While we encourage recipients to be in residence at the Davis Center, this is not a requirement. 

Application

Applications for the 2025-2026 academic year are due by Friday, February 7, 2025 at 11:59pm. Please apply using the FAS Common Application for Research and Travel (CARAT).

Directions

  • On CARAT, search for "Davis Center for Russian Studies Dissertation Completion Fellowship" and select it as the funding source.
  • Be sure to upload into the application all required documents, including:
    • Dissertation abstract (one-page double-spaced) along with a Table of Contents indicating progress status for each chapter or article.
    • Two faculty confirmation forms noting receipt of two dissertation chapter drafts or the equivalent. One form is to be completed by the principal dissertation advisor and the second by an additional advisor. Note that this form replaces the formerly required letters of recommendation. 
      • Student applicants must also sign both forms and upload them into CARAT. 
    • Your current resume (two pages max).
    • Have questions about the application? Contact Kate Flaherty, Research Programs Coordinator.