FAQ

Is the program open to non-US citizens?

Yes, we have had many Fellows in the past from other countries and will work with our International Office to support visa applications.

I have multiple Master’s degrees, am I eligible to apply?

No, this is a post-doctoral fellowship for recent recipients of a PhD.

Do I need to have my doctoral diploma at the start of the fellowship?

You do not need to have officially graduated, but you will need a letter from your graduate school or department chair certifying that you have completed all requirements for the doctoral degree.

When will I hear about a decision on my application?

We plan to notify applicants of our decision by late January 2026.

Is there flexibility on start date?

Fellows can start as early as July 1st. Our goal is to have the new cohort in Cambridge by the beginning of September. In rare cases, we have allowed new Fellows to postpone their start dates for a month or two beyond that.

Can you help me find a faculty host?

We cannot make host recommendations for fellowship applicants. You can find a list of our affiliated faculty here. Faculty hosts must be tenure-track professors at Harvard.

I cannot get a commitment from a faculty host. Can I still apply?

Your application will not be reviewed without a faculty host letter. Obtaining that commitment can be a significant challenge since our faculty get many requests from applicants.

Can I have more than one host?

It is not common to have co-hosts, but if you can get commitments from both, and it makes sense for your proposal, it is allowed.

Does my faculty host need to be a faculty associate of the Center or the Salata Institute?

No. 

Will my application be reviewed with more or less than three letters of recommendation?

Yes.

Is there a particular format/spacing/font size required for the five-page proposal?

No, we give applicants flexibility to describe their research plans. We only ask that the document is easy for the review committee to read.