Jacyk Distinguished Fellowships

Research Fellowships at HURI

The Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute (HURI) offers three types of visiting research fellowships for scholars with a PhD in the humanities or social sciences. Learn more about the differences:

• Mihaychuk Postdoctoral Fellowship
  Full-time, stipend of $54,000 plus benefits for nine months in residence
  Start date of September 1
  Junior or early-career scholars who received their PhD degree within the past 5 years
  1 awarded each year
• HURI Research Fellowship
  Full-time, stipend of $24,000 for four months in residence
  Start date of September 1 or February 1
  Open-rank, including junior, mid-career, and senior scholars, but must have a PhD before applying.
  4-6 awarded each year
• Jacyk Distinguished Fellowship
  Full-time, stipend of $35,000 for five months in residence
  Start date of September 1 or February 1
  Distinguished senior scholars only
  1 awarded each year  

In addition, the Virtual Ukraine Institute for Advanced Study (VUIAS) currently offers fellowships in Ukraine and abroad. Both types of fellowships are reserved for scholars who have Ukrainian citizenship. In cooperation with our colleagues at the Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin and other partner institutes, the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute is pleased to host one VUIAS Fellow at Harvard each year, funded jointly by HURI and VUIAS.

Please direct questions (via email) to Megan K. Duncan Smith, Programs Manager at HURI.

The application deadline for Academic Year 2026-2027 is 11:59 pm EST on January 15, 2026. Letters of Recommendation are due one week later.

Petro Jacyk Distinguished Fellowship in Ukrainian Studies

The Jacyk Distinguished Fellowship is awarded to senior scholars to support academic research that advances knowledge of Ukraine. Jacyk Distinguished Fellows are leaders in their fields. This fellowship is designed to bring distinguished scholars to Harvard University for one academic term (four or five months) of focused, independent research. Fellows enjoy access to Harvard's vast research resources and vibrant intellectual environment.

Benefits

• A total stipend of $35,000, paid biweekly for five months
• The fellowship supports full-time, independent research for five months – one academic term (fall or spring) – in residence at Harvard, beginning on either September 1 or February 1.
• Access to shared office space and the Pritsak Memorial Library at HURI.
• Full access to Harvard's vast libraries and archival materials, including electronic resources.
• Fellows will pursue their proposed independent research project within the vibrant intellectual environment at Harvard.
• International scholars are eligible for visa sponsorship by Harvard. 

Please note that HURI does not provide housing for visiting fellows during their residency term. Fellows are expected to secure housing in advance of their arrival and start date. 

Expectations 

• Participate actively in HURI’s events and intellectual community
• Pursue the proposed independent research full-time, without other work commitments, and make substantial progress
• Prepare and deliver a public lecture on their fellowship research at an event hosted by HURI
• Work on campus, in residence at Harvard, for the duration of the fellowship

Eligibility

• Research fellowships from the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute support significant, innovative, independent research that advances knowledge of Ukrainian history, culture, and society while in residence at Harvard University.
• This fellowship is awarded to senior scholars who have made significant contributions to advancing knowledge of Ukraine within their field. Successful applicants typically hold a post-doctoral degree (Doctor of Sciences, доктор наук, Habilitation) and/or are full professors with tenure at their home university.
• Applicants must hold a PhD degree or international equivalent (Candidate of Sciences, кандидат наук) in the humanities and social sciences.
• Scholars who have demonstrated a commitment to advancing knowledge of Ukraine through teaching, research, and publication are encouraged to apply.
• Citizens of all countries are welcome.
• Non-US applicants must be eligible to receive and maintain a J-1 visa to carry out research in residence at Harvard supported by a fellowship from HURI. More information can be found here. Please note the two-year national residency requirements, which may apply if you recently held a long-term J-1 visa (more than 6 months).

Application Instructions

• Applications for Academic Year 2026-2027 are due by 11:59 pm EST on January 15, 2026.
• Supporting letters of recommendation are due by January 22, 2026.
• Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.
• All application materials must be in English.
• Decisions will be announced in April. No fellowship award is final until approved by the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.
• Fellowship applications include the following supporting documents, all of which must be submitted within the online application on Harvard's Academic Positions platform.

Supporting Documents

Cover letter

No longer than two pages. The cover letter should explain your interest in this fellowship and residence at Harvard. It should include your academic biography and a short summary of your research plan during the fellowship term. 

Curriculum Vitae (CV)

Not longer than three pages. The CV must clearly indicate all academic degrees with the date received, degree-granting institution, and department/field/discipline, current employer(s) and position(s), any publications, if applicable.

Research Proposal

Detailed description of your proposed fellowship research, 3-5 pages, double-spaced. Include the title and abstract of your proposed research project, its significance within your field, and the intended outcome (develop your dissertation or manuscript into a book? Finalize an article?)
 

Because the Jacyk Distinguished Fellowship is intended for scholars whose body of work is well-known and widely respected, the application does not require a writing sample or letters of recommendation.