Deadline: April 15, 2020
Applications are open for the Harvard South Africa Fellowship Program 2020-2021. This program was established, and is still intended, for mid-career professionals educationally disadvantaged by past laws and resource allocations in South Africa.
President Derek Bok established the Harvard South Africa Fellowship Program (HSAFP) in 1979 to address the needs of South Africans who were denied access to advanced education by the apartheid system. The HSAFP was conceived largely to provide educational enrichment for men and women in mid-career, that is, individuals in various occupations who have shown considerable skill in their chosen fields and leadership and are expected to benefit from advanced training.
HSAFP seeks to expand its reach to institutions and organizations across South Africa in a continued effort to draw the broadest possible range of candidates for the program. In addition, the University – reflecting the current South African constitution – has expanded its applicant pool to extend to all South Africans, regardless of ethnicity or race.
Benefits
- The fellowship provides for payment of all tuition for the full period of enrollment at Harvard;
- The fellowship also funds round-trip airfare between the fellow’s home and Boston;
- A monthly stipend is provided to fellows, with the exception of those enrolled in the Executive Education Programs, to cover the cost of housing and other living expenses;
- The monthly stipend must also be used to pay other expenses such as medical and dental insurance, medicine, taxes, food, winter clothing, books and supplies.
Eligibility
- Fellows usually range in age from 30 to 45 years;
- Fellows must be South African citizens;
- Candidates who have just completed, or who have not yet completed, a first degree are not selected unless this degree has been pursued concurrently with, or subsequent to, experience in the workplace;
- Applicants should determine well in advance whether, if awarded a fellowship, they can be granted leave by their employers for Harvard’s academic year.
Application
The HSAFP application is hosted on CARAT (Centralized Application for Research and Travel) and search “HSAFP” for the application. Unless you are a Harvard affiliate, you must register for an XID before applying through CARAT. You will create an XID LogidID and password to use when accessing CARAT. If you are a Harvard student or alumnus, you can access CARAT with your HarvardKey user credentials. Please note that upload sizes on CARAT are limited to 2MB.
Complete the application on CARAT and upload the necessary documents through the “Uploads” tab:
- Transcripts: Submit transcripts from all post-secondary institutions you have attended. Transcripts must be submitted through the “Uploads” tab on CARAT. Transcripts must show the grades and course titles for all your post-secondary coursework. Copies of diplomas are NOT required.
- Letters of Recommendation: Two letters of recommendation must be submitted through the “References” tab on CARAT. Alternatively, recommenders can e-mail the letters directly to Rosaline Salifu, Program Manager.
- Writing Samples: An academic essay and a personal statement must be submitted through the “Uploads” tab on CARAT.
- Academic Essay: Briefly describe an important issue relevant to your field of interest and South Africa, where possible. Propose a theoretical framework or strategy to address this issue. Applicants seeking admission into the Special Student or Visiting Fellow GSAS Programs should use this academic essay to describe their research and attach a description of their relevant coursework. Minimum 500 words, Maximum 1000 words.
- Personal Statement: Tell the organizers something about yourself – in particular, why you wish to study at Harvard University and how doing so connects with what you have done in the past and what you plan to do in the future with your career in South Africa. Applicants seeking admission into the Special Student program should use this personal statement to explain how coursework and research opportunities at Harvard University will strengthen their doctoral work and teaching at their home institution. Minimum 250 words, Maximum 750 words.
- The Academic Essay and the Personal Statement should be typed in a standard font and font size (10 to 12 point). Essays should also be double-spaced.
- Include your full name on the top of each page and your signature at the end of the Academic Essay and the Personal Statement.
- Resume/CV: Submit a copy of your most recent resume/CV with your application through the “Uploads” tab on CARAT.
- Educations and Professional Experience Form: Education and Professional Experience FormComplete the (also available in CARAT instructions) with your post-secondary education history and professional experience including all necessary details. Upload the form through the “Uploads” tab on CARAT.
For more information, see FAQs or visit Harvard South Africa Fellowship.
