Syed Babar Ali Fellowship on Pakistan
The Syed Babar Ali Fellowship is a Cambridge-based Fellowship where the selected fellow will join the Mittal Institute community on Harvard’s campus for the duration of the Spring Academic Semester. The selected Syed Babar Ali Fellow will be expected to be in residence for the Spring Semester for Academic Year 2027-2028 (see Harvard’s Academic Calendar for more details).
While working directly with their selected Faculty Mentor on their personal research project (proposed in their application), Syed Babar Ali Fellows will fully engage with the intellectual life at the Mittal Institute and Harvard. At the end of their residency the Babar Ali Fellow will present their work in a Mittal Institute seminar moderated by their faculty mentor. Apart from their own research, fellows will participate in grant and fellowship review, mentor graduate students and help collaborate on other events and projects at the institute. The fellow may be invited to teach a Harvard class during the course of their appointment.
Fellowship Details
Scholars are expected to be in residence for the full academic semester of this fellowship. For Spring 2028, appointment dates will run from January 20, 2028 to May 20, 2028. The selected fellow will be guaranteed a desk space for this term.
The gross stipend for the Syed Babar Ali Fellowship is $22,667, prorated to the duration of your Fellowship. The stipend will be paid to you on a biweekly basis, meaning every two weeks. For foreign citizens, Harvard may be required to take taxes out of the payment upfront. Please contact the Harvard International Payee Tax Compliance Office with any questions.
Round-trip economy travel expenses and visa fees from South Asia to Boston will also be reimbursed (for participants residing in South Asia only). All reimbursements and stipends are limited to the dates of the appointment.
The Mittal Institute nor Harvard University does not sponsor, provide, nor procure housing for fellows during their residency. Fellows are expected to have at least temporary housing by the start date of their fellowship and arrival in Cambridge. More information and resources on housing in the Cambridge area can be found on the FAS Office of Postdoctoral Affairs: https://postdoc.fas.harvard.edu/housing.
Eligibility
Scholars must hold a PhD in order to be eligible.
Deadlines
The application window for the Academic Year 2027/28 Fellowship is now open and will close on Tuesday, December 8. Letters of recommendation are due Tuesday, December 8.
Decisions will be made typically within 2 – 3 months of the application deadline.
How to Apply
All application materials should be uploaded and submitted via an online application form called ARIeS. To start, please create an account on the ARIeS site.
Once your account is active, you will be able to create and submit an application through ARIeS. The application portal can be found here.
All applicants will need to submit the following through ARIeS:
- A five-page, double-spaced research plan
- An updated and current curriculum vitae, which lists your academic degrees (including disciplines and the dates the degrees were received), your publications and research presentations, and any previous grants and/or fellowships.
- A writing sample that is no more than ten pages, double-spaced.
- A scan of your PhD Diploma (we do not require proof of prior degrees nor transcripts).
- Two letters of recommendation uploaded directly to ARIeS. NOTE: Recommenders will NOT be able to submit their letters until you have completed your application. If need be, letters can emailed directly to htaylor@fas.harvard.edu, with “Mittal Institute Fellowship Recommendation” and the applicant’s name in the subject line. They can be addressed to ‘Members of the Selection Committee.’
All materials must be received by the application deadline in order to be considered. If you have questions, please reach out to our program coordinator rather than to Harvard faculty.
Contact:
Hannah Taylor
Scholar Engagement and Administrative Coordinator
