The Berkman Klein Center Fellowship at Harvard University is now open for applications for the 2026 and 2026–2027 cohorts. This is a rare global opportunity for scholars, technologists, policymakers, and practitioners interested in digital society, AI governance, internet law, and related fields to join a world-class community and pursue independent interdisciplinary research.
What is the BKC Fellowship
Founded in 1996, the Berkman Klein Center has built a reputation as a global hub for research at the intersection of technology, society, law, and policy. Its Fellowship Program invites individuals from a wide range of backgrounds — academia, civil society, technology, law, policy — to contribute to timely research and projects that address the challenges raised by the digital transformation of societies.
Unlike traditional fellowships strictly tied to academic credentials, BKC values diverse experiences and a demonstrated commitment to public-interest technology, encouraging both scholarly and practical contributions.
Fellowship Periods & Structure
Applicants can choose between two possible appointment periods:
- January–August 2026 (up to eight months)
- Academic Year 2026–2027 (from September 2026 to August 2027)
While residency in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is strongly encouraged (working from BKC offices at Harvard Law School), non-resident fellowships may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Research Priorities & What They Are Looking For
For this call, BKC emphasizes projects that align with its interdisciplinary AI and digital-society agenda. Key priority areas include:
- Agentic AI — studying governance challenges posed by autonomous AI agents operating across economic, social, and political domains.
- Language Model Interpretability — work focusing on transparency, explainability, or policy frameworks for large language models (LLMs).
- Benchmarking Beyond Intelligence — redefining AI performance metrics beyond traditional “intelligence,” e.g., agency, awareness, metacognition.
- AI and the Human Experience — exploring how AI affects human cognition, creativity, dignity, and societal relationships.
- Bridging the AI Triad — fostering dialogue between accelerationists, safety advocates, and skeptics to inform balanced AI development and governance.
BKC values interdisciplinary proposals; they especially welcome candidates who can bridge technical and non-technical domains and communicate across different audiences.
Benefits & What Fellows Receive
Selected fellows — especially those without other funding — may receive a stipend of up to USD 75,000 per year (≈ USD 6,250/month) when fully funded by BKC.
Fellows get access to:
- Shared office space at BKC (on the Harvard Law School campus)
- Harvard’s extensive libraries, research facilities, and broad academic network
- Opportunities to audit courses across Harvard (subject to permission) and to engage with other centers, student groups, and initiatives within Harvard.
Fellows are expected to actively engage with the BKC community: attend workshops, collaborate with peers, possibly produce open-source tools, research papers, policy briefs, or public-facing outputs.
Who Should Apply
The fellowship invites:
- Academics — full-time faculty (assistant, associate, or full professors) or equivalent roles globally.
- Post-docs / Early-career researchers who have recently completed a PhD or equivalent terminal degree.
- Practitioners / Professionals — individuals from civil society, industry, government, law, journalism, or technology who want to contribute to public-interest research and discourse around digital society and AI.
Especially encouraged are interdisciplinary candidates combining technical and non-technical perspectives — e.g., technologists with social/policy interest, or legal experts with an AI focus.
How to Apply — Key Steps & Deadline
To apply for the 2026 and 2026-2027 fellowship at BKC, submit the following via the official application portal before Friday, December 5, 2025 (11:59 p.m. ET).
Required materials:
- Curriculum Vitae (CV);
- Cover Letter (1–2 pages) — explain motivation, background, and how you fit with BKC’s mission and priorities;
- Project Proposal (2–3 pages) — describing the research plan, objectives, methods, relevance, and alignment to BKC’s research priorities;
- Work Samples (1–3), merged into a single PDF (max. 5 MB, each file) — these should demonstrate prior work or capability relating to the proposed project;
- Contact information for two professional references (for possible letter requests or reference checks).
Applicants should indicate the desired appointment period (Jan–Aug 2026 or 2026–2027), and whether they’re requesting a BKC stipend or have external funding.
Why This Fellowship Matters — Relevance for Students, Researchers & Practitioners
As AI, internet governance, digital rights, and tech policy become increasingly central globally, the Berkman Klein Center Fellowship represents a major opportunity for anyone who wants to influence, shape, and study these transformations. For students, early-career researchers, or practitioners from countries outside the U.S. (including regions like Eastern Europe or Central Asia), this fellowship offers access to Harvard-level resources, a global network, and a platform to launch influential research or tech-policy careers.
Given its interdisciplinary and inclusive nature, BKC encourages voices from diverse backgrounds — making this a potentially transformative step for those who combine expertise in law, sociology, computer science, journalism, or civic activism.
Find more articles on fellowship opportunities in the Fellowships section of Informarius.com
