Kuwait Program Research Fellowship 2027-2028 at HKS Belfer Center ($65,000 stipend)

Deadline: December 1, 2026

Applications are open for the Kuwait Program Research Fellowship 2027-2028 . The Kuwait Program Research Fellowship is designed for junior and mid-career policy-oriented scholars and faculty from Kuwait whose proposed research is both policy-relevant and aimed at appearing in peer-reviewed, internationally-ranked, Open Access journals.

They are particularly interested in proposals that focus on the following priority policy areas as they relate to the State of Kuwait and the Gulf region: health, education, energy, environment, water and food security, and digital transformation and artificial intelligence.

Stipend

The Middle East Initiative offers ten-month stipends of $65,000 to postdoctoral fellows (those who have received their doctoral degrees less than five years prior to the appointment start date) and $75,000 to fellows who received their doctoral degrees more than five years prior to their fellowship start date. Fellows who have not received a doctoral degree within five years of beginning their fellowship will not be eligible for Harvard University health benefits. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply for other sources of funding. All applicants should clearly indicate on their application form whether they are seeking full or partial funding and indicate other potential funding sources. Non-stipendiary appointments are also offered, but the application process remains the same.

Eligibility

The Kuwait Program Research Fellowship is designed to attract the most promising junior and mid-career policy-oriented scholars and faculty from Kuwait.

Applicants must either be from Kuwait, currently residing and working in Kuwait, or formally affiliated with a Kuwait-based academic or research institution.

They are particularly interested in emerging scholars and social scientists whose proposed research is both policy-relevant and aimed at appearing in peer-reviewed, internationally-ranked, Open Access journals. Priority will be given to applicants whose research proposals center one or more of the following priority policy areas as they relate to the State of Kuwait and the Gulf region:

Health

Education

Energy

Environment

Water and Food Security

Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence

Application

All applicants must submit the following materials:

CV/ Resume: This should include all degrees earned (with dates), as well as expected dates of completion for any degrees currently in progress.

Research proposal (3-5 pages): Describe the project you intend to pursue when in residence at the Harvard Kennedy School. Your proposal should:

Identify the key questions, challenges, or gaps—whether in the academic literature, policy debates, or practical implementation—that your project aims to address, respond to, or build upon.

Include a timeline outlining the stages you anticipate for completing and publishing the proposed research.

Indicate 2-3 Harvard faculty members with whom you would like to collaborate, if selected, and explain how their work is relevant to your research.

Specify whether you are seeking full or partial funding and list any other potential funding sources you are pursuing or may pursue.

If unable to commit to the 2026-2027 academic year, indicate which academic years you would be available based your home institution’s sabbatical policies.

Unofficial transcript (for applicants who have not earned a PhD)

Contact information for 3 recommenders: Note that you are responsible for ensuring that your recommenders submit their recommendations on time. MEI ordinarily will not contact delinquent recommenders.

Writing sample (fewer than 50 pages; English language only):

Must include an abstract of 300 words or less

Will preferably be single-authored

Can be either published or unpublished

Must be composed without the use of generative AI.

Examples include: policy brief, journal article, book chapter, dissertation chapter, or white paper you have produced in your field

Click here to apply

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For more information, visit Kuwait Program Research Fellowship .