The Fairbank Center is currently accepting applications to this program for 2026-27. Applicants must be nominated by a Harvard faculty member willing to provide a letter of recommendation.
The Center’s Nonresident Associates in Research Program is designed for China studies scholars based in the New England area who travel to Cambridge to engage with Center affiliates and events. The academic expertise of Nonresident Associates in Research covers a wide range of fields, including anthropology, religion, political science, economics, history, and literature. Together with the Center’s Visiting Scholars and Postdoctoral Fellows, the Associates in Research create a lively community for interdisciplinary exchange.
The Fairbank Center provides no funding or office space for Nonresident Associates in Research. The affiliation does enable physical library access to Harvard Library collections through the issuance of a special borrower card (this card does not grant access to Harvard’s digital collections except when accessed through a Harvard Library computer).
Please note that the Nonresident Associate in Research affiliation does not constitute a formal academic appointment at Harvard University.
There is a program fee for participation in the Nonresident Associates in Research program. A Fairbank Center faculty committee determines acceptance and renewal to the program.
How to Apply
Applications will be reviewed once a year for affiliation during the following academic year. The application requires a research proposal, CV, and two letters of recommendation, including one letter from a Harvard faculty member.
The application deadline is April 30, 2026 for affiliation during 2026-27.
Download the application form here.
Current Associates in Research will receive information about the affiliation renewal process for the following academic year.
New and renewing Associates in Research will be asked to sign the Fairbank Center Nonresident Associate in Research Participation Agreement.
Please contact us at fairbankcenter@fas.harvard.edu if you have any questions about the application or the Nonresident Associates in Research program.