The Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies (Harvard Pop Center) is recruiting the 2027–2029 cohort of Harvard David E. Bell Postdoctoral Fellows. It is a two-year, residential research and leadership fellowship in population sciences that pays a salary of US$75,000 a year plus subsidised health insurance, relocation money and an $11,000 research fund. The programme is open to both US and international scholars, and since 1990 it has funded more than 80 international professionals in population and development.
Deadline: Tuesday, 8 December 2026 at 12:00 noon US Eastern Time (6:00 pm WAT, 7:00 pm CAT/SAST, 8:00 pm EAT). All three recommendation letters are due by the same deadline.
Key Details
- Host: Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies (HCPDS), Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Type: two-year, full-time, on-site postdoctoral fellowship (non-degree)
- Cohort: 2027–2029
- Field: population sciences, from a social science perspective
- Salary: US$75,000 a year plus fringe benefits
- Deadline: 8 December 2026, noon ET
Benefits
- Salary of US$75,000 for each of the two years, with Harvard employee benefits including subsidised health insurance
- Up to US$4,000 in relocation funds for your flight to Harvard and shipping personal items
- A Research/Travel/Computer fund of US$11,000 for the two years, usable for research assistants, datasets, software, publication fees, memberships and conference travel
- A Harvard faculty mentor and protected research time
- Seminars, working groups and a network of population and development researchers
Eligibility
- Open to US and international scholars
- Your doctorate must be completed between 13 August 2024 and 13 August 2027, with proof (diploma or registrar’s letter) sent to HCPDS by 13 August 2027
- You must come from a social science field such as behavioural and social sciences, health professions, sociology or demography, public policy, public health, health communications or urban planning
- You must commit to the full two years in residence; part-time or one-year fellowships are not possible
- Paid appointments elsewhere must be paused (unpaid sabbatical) or ended, and teaching or consulting needs prior approval
- International fellows need a US visa; Harvard typically supports J-1 research scholar, F-1 OPT or TN visas (not H-1B)
How to Apply
- Read all the programme pages, including the FAQs and terms, on the official Harvard Bell Fellowship page and the how to apply page.
- Prepare your CV and a research proposal of no more than 2,000 words covering your current research, the questions you will pursue as a fellow, your methods and the training you want, and the HCPDS or Harvard faculty you would like to work with.
- Choose a writing sample (published article or draft) of up to 20 pages that shows your analysis and original ideas.
- Ask three recommenders to submit letters through the HCPDS letter of recommendation portal; tell them exactly how your name will appear on your application.
- Complete the eligibility questionnaire and upload your documents on the Harvard Bell Postdoctoral Fellowship application form before noon ET on 8 December 2026.
After the deadline, applications are screened by Center leadership, a faculty committee and potential mentors. Finalists are interviewed over Zoom. Questions go to [email protected].
Tips for African Researchers
- You do not need to contact a mentor before applying; simply name the faculty you would like to work with in your proposal.
- Ground your proposal in population questions that matter for Africa, such as fertility, migration, ageing, child health or urbanisation, and show the data you will use (for example DHS or census data).
- Recommendation letters are weighed heavily. Give your referees the HCPDS letter guide and ask them to include a ranking (for example “top 10%”).
- If you are finishing your PhD in 2027, make sure your university can issue a registrar’s letter by 13 August 2027.
- Check current US visa rules for your nationality on the Harvard International Office website before you apply.
