Ernest May Fellowship in History and Policy 2027-2028 (stipend available)

Deadline: December 1, 2026

Applications for the Ernest May Fellowship in History and Policy 2027-2028 are now open. The Ernest May Fellowships honor Ernest May, Charles Warren Professor of American History, a member of the Belfer Center’s board of directors, and a faculty affiliate of the Center’s International Security Program, who passed away in June 2009.

The Ernest May Fellows are housed within the Applied History Project and the International Security Program. Fellows will have access to most Harvard University libraries and facilities. Fredrik Logevall, Laurence D. Belfer Professor of International Affairs, and Rana Mitter, S.T. Lee Professor of U.S.-Asia Relations, serve as the points of contact and mentors for the fellows.

Stipend

The fellowships include annual stipends of either $65,000 USD (for postdoctoral or advanced research fellows) or $55,000 USD (for predoctoral fellows). Postdoctoral fellows who have received their Ph.D. within the past five years are benefits-eligible; predoctoral fellows and postdoctoral fellows who received their Ph.D. more than five years ago will receive full or partial reimbursement for health insurance premiums.

Eligibility

Preference will be given to History Ph.D. students or postdoctoral researchers, but scholars in other fields whose research projects have a strong historical focus will receive consideration.

Application

Application materials include

CV/ Resume

Unofficial transcript (predoctoral fellow applicants only)

Research statement (3–5 pages)

Writing sample (less than 50 pages)

Should be one published or unpublished piece written by the applicant (co-authored pieces not accepted) in English that will demonstrate his/her English-language writing ability

Can be a journal article, book chapter, dissertation chapter, white paper, etc. you have produced in your field

Contact information for 3 recommenders submitting letters on your behalf.

Click here to apply

For more information, visit Ernest May Fellowship in History and Policy.

Research statement (3–5 pages) Writing sample (less than 50 pages)

Preference will be given to History Ph.D. students or postdoctoral researchers, but scholars in other fields whose research projects have a strong historical focus will receive consideration.

Application

Application materials include

CV/ Resume

Unofficial transcript (predoctoral fellow applicants only)

Research statement (3–5 pages)

Writing sample (less than 50 pages)

Should be one published or unpublished piece written by the applicant (co-authored pieces not accepted) in English that will demonstrate his/her English-language writing ability Can be a journal article, book chapter, dissertation chapter, white paper, etc. you have produced in your field Contact information for 3 recommenders submitting letters on your behalf.

Click here to apply

For more information, visit Ernest May Fellowship in History and Policy.

Application materials include

CV/ Resume

Unofficial transcript (predoctoral fellow applicants only)

Research statement (3–5 pages)

Writing sample (less than 50 pages)

Should be one published or unpublished piece written by the applicant (co-authored pieces not accepted) in English that will demonstrate his/her English-language writing ability Can be a journal article, book chapter, dissertation chapter, white paper, etc. you have produced in your field Contact information for 3 recommenders submitting letters on your behalf.

Click here to apply

For more information, visit Ernest May Fellowship in History and Policy.