Humanities Fellowships at Dumbarton Oaks

Seniors, want to graduate already knowing what you’re doing next year? Recent grads, are you curious about a career in museums? The Dumbarton Oaks Humanities Fellowships are a special opportunity for graduating Harvard students and recent alumni to gain professional skills and kickstart a career in the humanities. Spend an academic year in Washington, DC working both at a major Harvard research institute and at a preeminent cultural institution.

The Dumbarton Oaks Humanities Fellowships offer nine months of professional development at outstanding cultural institutions of Washington, DC, to graduating seniors and recent graduates of Harvard College. Recipients of these fellowships may reside at Dumbarton Oaks and split their time between the research institute and a collaborating institution.

Fellows are eligible for accommodations on campus, weekday lunch when at Dumbarton Oaks, and access to the library and garden. They will receive a stipend and will be eligible for medical insurance through the Dumbarton Oaks fellows’ plan.

Partnering institutions have included the Folger Shakespeare Library, the George Washington University Museum and the Textile Museum, the National Gallery of Art, the National Museum of Natural History, and Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.

The deadline to apply is approaching quickly — now is the time to submit your application!

To be considered for the fellowship, applicants should submit the following by February 1, 2023, via Embark:

• Résumé
• Transcript (an unofficial transcript from Registrar’s Office is acceptable)
• An example of the applicant’s work (a written paper, article, portfolio, or project)
• A statement of purpose that:
  • describes the applicant’s background and interests and explains how a fellowship in the humanities will further their intellectual and professional goals
  • outlines what skills the applicant hopes to acquire over the course of the fellowship
• Two letters of recommendation