Harvard University PIL Research Fellowship, If your research combines Islamic law, legal history, and comparative legal studies, you should listen to this talk. The prestigious PIL Research Fellowship for 2026–2027 is now accepting applications. This chance is held at Harvard Law School. This new PIL 2026 fellowship is for talented early-career scholars who want to do independent research while being fully immersed in one of the most important legal research settings in the world for a full academic year.
What the Harvard PIL Fellowship Supports?
The way this PIL fellowship is set up lets scholars focus only on study and intellectual growth.
- During the school year, a full-time, nine-month living fellowship
- money every month for the whole group
- A lot of library resources at Harvard, including files on Islamic law
- Being a part of Harvard’s intellectual life, such as workshops, talks, and scholarly exchange
The fellowship gives you the time and space to do study that is both deep and unique.
Who is eligible to apply for this fellowship?
To be considered, applicants must have a graduate degree like a JD, PhD, or SJD and show that they have a good research plan in Islamic law, legal history, or comparative legal studies that fits well with Harvard’s resources and academic environment.
Benefits of Harvard University PIL Research Fellowship:
- Full-Time Nine-Month Residential Fellowship: This fellowship gives scholars nine months during the academic year to focus on study without having to teach or do other work. This way, they can work on their projects without any interruptions.
- Generous Financial Support: Fellows receive a stipend that covers the entire fellowship time. This ensures that they have enough money to live on and lets them focus on their research without having to worry about finding work.
- Full Access to Harvard’s Research Resources: Fellows have full access to Harvard Law School’s vast library system, which includes collections on Islamic law and other related legal topics. This lets them do thorough reviews of the literature and in-depth research in archives.
- Joining Harvard’s Academic Community: The fellowship gives you the chance to take part in scholarly meetings, seminars, workshops, and conferences, where you can work with top academics in legal studies and related fields, get feedback, and make connections.
- Intellectual Freedom and Project Autonomy: Fellows are free to choose, plan, and carry out their own research projects. This encourages originality, creativity, and the creation of work that has a big effect on academia.
- Professional Growth and Scholarly Visibility: By working at a well-known institution around the world, fellows raise their academic profile, get advice from famous scholars, and set themselves up for future job opportunities in legal study and academia.
Who Is an Ideal Candidate?
Harvard’s PIL fellowship is for students who are ready to make a real difference in the field of Islamic law studies.
- People who want to apply must have a JD, PhD, or SJD before the internship starts.
- There needs to be a clear study agenda in Islamic law.
- Legal history, law and culture, or comparative law should be used in research.
- The projects that are proposed must be able to be done during the fellowship time and directly use Harvard’s research resources.
- It is assumed that the applicant’s academic background and the proposed project will fit together very well.
We especially want projects that are unique and have a clear scholarly effect.
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What does the fellowship provide to selected scholars?
The fellowship provides a full-time residential program for nine months with a stipend of $70,000, access to Harvard’s library system, which includes collections on Islamic law, and chances to take part in workshops, seminars, and academic exchanges to move forward with original research projects.
Application Process For Harvard University PIL Research Fellowship
- Prepare your Curriculum Vitae (CV), highlighting academic achievements. https://pil.law.harvard.edu/2026-2027-pil-research-fellowship/
- Write a research proposal with an abstract, a 1,500-word statement, and a bibliography.
- Include a statement of purpose explaining why Harvard is essential.
- Submit a writing sample (maximum 25 pages, in English).
- Request three confidential reference letters from your referees.
- Apply online via the Harvard Research Fellowship Application System by February 13, 2026.
- Notification of results will be sent by March 1, 2026.
