Harvard Divinity School

Unpaid Term Research Appointments and Affiliations at Harvard Divinity School

The Office of Academic Administration administers unpaid appointments (of postdoctoral fellows and visiting scholars) in cooperation with the associate dean for faculty and academic affairs, the Dean, and members of the Harvard Divinity School (HDS) faculty. Please note that the Center for the Study of World Religions and the Women's Studies in Religion Program also offer the possibility of affiliation with HDS. (Visit their websites for descriptions of their programs and for information on their application and eligibility requirements.)

An unpaid term appointment at HDS, either as a visiting scholar or as a postdoctoral fellow, requires an academic doctorate. The prospect of achieving the degree, even in the near future, does not count as fulfillment of this requirement. Those applying for a postdoctoral fellowship must submit a transcript that clearly indicates that the doctoral degree will have been received by the start of the appointment.

Postdoctoral Fellows | Visiting Scholars | Application and Selection Procedures

Postdoctoral Fellows (Unpaid)

Junior scholars who have received their doctoral degrees within the past five years may apply to be a postdoctoral fellow. The focus of the proposed research project needs to be aligned in some way with research conducted by one or more members of the HDS faculty. The deadline for applications is January 31 of each year for appointments commencing the following academic year. Candidates will be informed in early March whether they have been accepted as postdoctoral fellows at HDS for one or both terms of the next academic year. All one-term appointments run from August 1 to December 31 or from January 1 to May 31, and full-academic-year appointments from August 1 to May 31. 

An application must contain the following: 

1. Current curriculum vitae;
2. Description of proposed research project (including a timetable);
3. Two letters of recommendation from members of the applicant's doctoral committee;
4. Doctoral studies transcript showing the completion date of the doctorate (if this is not available at the time of application, it must be submitted before the start date of the appointment, or the appointment will be revoked); and
5. A signed statement or email message from a permanent member of the HDS faculty indicating his or her willingness to supervise the applicant's project while he or she is at HDS.

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please also note that no HDS funding is available for a postdoctoral appointment. This is an unpaid appointment. No assistance is available for housing, insurance, moving expenses, visa fees, research funding, office space, etc.

An appointment as a postdoctoral fellow entitles the fellow to a Harvard University ID card (which allows access to the Harvard University Libraries) and an HDS email account for the duration of the appointment. Postdoctoral fellows are cordially invited to attend all HDS community and public events. However, HDS is unable to offer courtesy library cards, or appointments, for any additional members of a fellow's family.

HDS receives a large number of requests each year and is only able to accommodate a small number of postdoctoral appointments. Therefore, an extension of the term of the appointment is generally not possible, unless it is with the explicit permission of the associate dean for faculty and academic affairs, and is supported by a permanent HDS faculty member.

Visiting Scholars (Unpaid)

The visiting scholar title and appointment is reserved for senior scholars (more than five years beyond the doctoral degree) who currently hold full-time academic appointments at other universities or institutions of higher learning. All one-term appointments run from August 1 to December 31 or from January 1 to May 31, and all full-year appointments from August 1 to May 31 of any given academic year. Only in unusual circumstances can a visiting scholar's appointment be extended beyond the 10 months of an academic year; any appointment longer than 12 months will also need to be reviewed by a faculty committee and will require the permission of the Dean and the associate dean for faculty and academic affairs. 

The deadline for visiting scholar applications is January 31 of each year for appointments commencing the following academic year. Scholars will be informed in early March about their acceptance and will receive an appointment letter. 

An application must contain the following:

1. Current curriculum vitae;
2. Description of research project; and
3. A signed statement or email message from a permanent member of the HDS faculty indicating his or her willingness to serve as a host while the candidate is at HDS. 

Please also note that a visiting scholar appointment does not carry any financial support. This is an unpaid appointment. No assistance is available for housing, insurance, moving expenses, visa fees, research funding, office space, copying, clerical support, etc.

The appointment entitles the visiting scholar to a Harvard University ID card (which allows access to the Harvard University Libraries) and an HDS email account for the duration of the appointment. Visiting scholars are cordially invited to attend all HDS community and public events. However, HDS is unable to offer courtesy library cards, or appointments, for any additional members of a scholar's family.

Application and Selection Procedures

Please submit completed applications by January 31 to:

Karin Grundler-Whitacre 
Assistant Dean for Academic Administration 
Harvard Divinity School
45 Francis Avenue, Andover 205
Cambridge, MA 02138

The Faculty Council will convene in February of each year to decide on the available positions for both postdoctoral fellows and visiting scholars in the next academic year. 

Any HDS faculty who receive inquiries from colleagues about the possibility of spending a sabbatical or research leave at HDS should refer those colleagues to Karin Grundler-Whitacre, who will follow up with them and answer any procedural questions about applying for an appointment at HDS.