The Weatherhead Scholars Program annually selects around 25 affiliates through a competitive process. Affiliates may include visiting faculty from other institutions, postdoctoral fellows (within three years of their PhD completion), or practitioner fellows (mid-career or senior professionals such as diplomats and experts).

For the 2025–2026 academic year, we particularly encourage applications from individuals focused on climate change and environmental issues in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), with dedicated funding available for this specialization. The application timeline and requirements vary by category.

Practitioner Fellows

Eligible mid-career or senior professionals—such as diplomats, journalists, civil servants, or business leaders—may apply individually or be nominated by their institutions. Interested applicants can contact the program director for guidance. Applications for 2025–2026 can be submitted through Harvard’s ARIeS system on a rolling basis until February 14, 2025.

Visiting Scholars

Each year, the Weatherhead Center accepts six to ten visiting faculty members with tenure or tenure-track positions at other institutions. Visiting scholars will be on leave from their home institutions while at Harvard. Applications for the 2025–2026 academic year are due by November 1, 2024, via the ARIeS system, and must include a cover letter, CV, three-page research statement, and two recommendation letters.

Postdoctoral Fellows

The Center also selects six to ten postdoctoral fellows each year. Applicants must have completed their PhD within three years before joining. Some funding is available for these fellowships. For the 2025–2026 academic year, applications are due by November 1, 2024, and must include a cover letter, CV, three-page research statement, and two letters of recommendation.

For 2024–2025, the following one-year fellowships are available:
- Raphael Morrison Dorman Fellowship: Up to four postdoctoral fellowships for social sciences (includes stipend and health insurance).
- Hicham Alaoui Postdoctoral Fellowship: For research related to the MENA region, environmental studies, and climate change (one fellowship for 2025–2026 with stipend and health insurance).

Scroll down for more details and click on the official link attached to apply now.