The Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies at Harvard University is pleased to announce the 2025-2026 competition for the Hou Family Fellowships in Taiwan Studies.
The Hou Family Fellowships in Taiwan Studies sponsors one postdoctoral fellow and one pre-doctoral fellow to join the Fairbank Center to pursue Taiwan-focused research for six to twelve months. Affiliation for the full academic year is encouraged. Fellows are expected to reside in the Greater Boston area for the duration of the fellowship.
Hou Family Fellows will have the opportunity to engage with the Fairbank Center’s interdisciplinary community of scholars and will have access to Harvard’s world-class libraries and other resources.
In addition to maintaining their own research agenda, the Hou Family Fellows will contribute to the Fairbank Center community in ways that could include the following:
- Presenting research to the Center’s Taiwan Studies Workshop series, or to other Center events and audiences,
- Participating in academic seminars, professional development workshops, and community events and activities.
Applications are invited from junior scholars in the humanities or social sciences whose research focuses on Taiwan.
We are now accepting applications for the 2025-26 Hou Family Fellowships. The deadline to apply is February 20, 2025.
Please note: There is a specific online application for each position (Postdoctoral Fellowship or Pre-doctoral Fellowship). See below for the details and application link for each position.
Fellowship Details and Eligibility Requirements
- Hou Family Postdoctoral Fellowship:
- The Hou Family Postdoctoral Fellow is expected to be in residence full-time at the Fairbank Center for six months to twelve months.
- A strong working knowledge of English and Chinese or Taiwanese is required.
- A PhD degree in a relevant field of humanities or social sciences is required. Candidates must provide confirmation of successful completion of their terminal doctoral degree, in the form of a diploma, certificate of completion from the degree-granting institution or letter from the institution’s Registrar by one month prior to the start of the fellowship, at the latest.
- Applicants may not be more than five years beyond the receipt of their PhD degree at the start of the fellowship. Priority will be given to applicants with no previous postdoctoral fellowships.
- Harvard University doctoral degree recipients are not eligible for this fellowship.
- Hou Family Pre-doctoral Fellowship:
- The Hou Family Pre-doctoral Fellow is expected to be in residence full-time at the Fairbank Center for six months to twelve months.
- Applications are invited from advanced PhD candidates in relevant discipline of the humanities or social sciences whose research focuses on Taiwan. Applicants should be enrolled in a PhD program at another institution.
- Harvard University doctoral degree candidates are not eligible for this fellowship.
- A strong working knowledge of English and Chinese or Taiwanese is required.
- A bachelor’s degree is required; a relevant master’s degree is beneficial.
The fellowships will be subject to all rules and regulations of Harvard University.
Harvard is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, age, protected veteran status, disability, genetic information, military service, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or other protected status.
How to Apply
Application deadline: February 20, 2025
Please submit the following materials, written in English:
- Online application for the specific Hou Family Fellowship position you are applying for (find links below).
- Cover Letter
- Curriculum Vitae
- A five-page, double-spaced research proposal and plan
- A writing sample
- Transcript (if applying for the Pre-doctoral Fellowship)
In addition, two to three letters of recommendation must be submitted directly by your academic references.
Provide the name and email of each reference in the application form. When you submit your application, your references will each receive an email inviting them to upload their letter directly to the application portal. An application is considered complete when two recommendation letters have been received; a third letter is optional.
All application materials must be in English and submitted via the online application portal https://academicpositions.harvard.edu/
Direct links to the online applications specific to each position:
| Apply for Postdoctoral Fellowship: | https://academicpositions.harvard.edu/postings/14483 |
|---|---|
| Apply for Pre-doctoral Fellowship: | https://academicpositions.harvard.edu/postings/14484 |
Please contact Harriet Wong, Program Coordinator, at harrietwong@fas.harvard.edu if you have any questions.