Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society (BKC) Fellowship 2026 at Harvard University
- Omran Aburayya
- Nov 1
- 4 min read
Updated: Nov 2
If you are a researcher or practitioner eager to explore the intersections of technology, society and the public interest, the call for applications to the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society (BKC) Fellowship at Harvard University for the 2026 period is now open. This fellowship offers a unique opportunity to step into an intellectually rich environment in Cambridge, MA, working with world‑class scholars and building real‑world impact through your research. Here's everything you need to know.
📚 Fellowship Summary
Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA (BKC, Harvard Law School campus)
Host Institution: Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society, Harvard University
Programme Level: Fellowship for early career through established scholars and practitioners—not a degree programme but a research/impact‑oriented appointment
Target Group:
Academic Fellows: Full‑time faculty (assistant, associate, full professors) from any discipline engaging with digital/social/AI research.
Post‑Doctoral Fellows: Scholars recently awarded a PhD (or equivalent) with relevant research experience.
Non‑Academic Fellows: Experienced practitioners from industry, policy, civil society, who bring technical or non‑technical expertise in technology & society.
Fields of Research: The 2025‑26 (and presumably 2026) cycle emphasises interdisciplinary research on:
Agentic AI: multi‑agent systems, emergent behaviour, accountability of AI agents.
Language Model Interpretability: probing internals of language models, socio‑technical oversight.
Benchmarking AI Systems Beyond Measures of Intelligence: exploring literatures around agency, identity, metacognition, social cognition in computational systems.
AI & the Human Experience: how AI impacts human relationships, cognition, creativity, dignity, community.
Bridging the AI Triad: bringing together accelerationists, safety‑oriented researchers, and skeptics around AI governance.
Coverage: Up to US $75,000 annual stipend for fellows without external funding.
Duration: Typically 12 months (full academic year) from about September 1 to August 31. There may also be shorter six‑ to eight‑month residential appointments.
Application Deadline: For the 2025‑26 call it was April 30, 2025 at 11:59 pm ET – the 2026 call may follow similar timelines.
🎓 Programme Overview
The BKC Fellowship is aimed at supporting independent research initiatives that align with the Center’s interdisciplinary agenda around the internet, society and governance. The programme emphasises:
Interdisciplinary & inter‑sectoral research: It encourages fellows to translate their work across technical and non‑technical stakeholders.
Public‑interest mission: Projects are expected to engage with open‑source, accessible research, and contribute to public knowledge, policy or tools.
Community engagement: Fellows participate in the BKC community—collaborating with faculty, students, other fellows; they contribute to workshops, events, etc.
Residency & resources: Fellows are typically required to live in the Cambridge area for most of the appointment, use BKC offices at Harvard Law School, and will have access to Harvard’s libraries and research infrastructure.
💲 Programme Benefits
Generous financial support (up to US $75 000) for fellows without external funding.
Full immersion in a world‑class research community at Harvard University; access to physical workspace, library and campus resources.
Opportunity to produce significant public outputs: research papers, open‑source tools, policy briefs, workshops or public writing.
Inter‑disciplinary exposure: connect technical research (if applicable) with societal, policy and design dimensions.
Prestige and networking: Joining a fellowship recognized globally for its impact in technology & society.
Potential to shape discourse and practice in the rapidly evolving fields of AI governance, digital media, internet policy.
✅ Eligibility Criteria
Eligible applicants must demonstrate:
Strong record of research or practice in technology, policy, society, or related fields.
Clear project proposal aligned with one of the Center’s workstreams (see above) and commitment to public‑interest outcomes.
For Academic fellows: Full‑time faculty status. For Post‑doc: recently completed doctorate. For non‑academic: demonstrable expertise in a relevant professional domain.
Willingness and ability to be based in Cambridge (for most of the term) and participate fully in the fellowship community.
If applying for a stipend: must not hold conflicting employment that prevents full engagement; must meet visa/immigration requirements if international.
Students enrolled in degree programmes are typically not eligible for this Fellowship track.
📝 Application Procedure
Apply online via the BKC fellowship application portal.
Choose your track (Academic / Post‑doc / Non‑Academic). Indicate which workstream your project falls under.
🗂️ Required documents and checklist:
Curriculum Vitae (CV) in PDF format.
1‑2 page Cover Letter: Outline your background, motivations, alignment with BKC, and how you will contribute.
2‑3 page Project Proposal: Clear description of the problem, methodology, audiences, and alignment with one of the research priorities.
Work Samples (1‑3 pieces) in a single PDF (max file size around 5MB each) demonstrating your prior relevant work.
Name and contact information of two professional references (and possibly letters if later requested).
Tips & reminders:
Emphasise both technical expertise (if applicable) and translational impact (policy, design, social dimensions) since BKC blends technical & non‑technical domains.
Ensure your proposed project aligns clearly with a named workstream (e.g., Agentic AI, Benchmarking AI Systems, etc.).
Demonstrate ability to work in interdisciplinary, diverse teams and willingness to engage fully in the Harvard/BKC community.
If you seek the stipend, highlight how you will commit full‑time and are eligible for immigration/visa processes (if applicable).
Prepare early: Among competitive fellowship programmes, presentation, clarity of project and demonstrated impact matter.
ℹ️ Additional Useful Information & Insider Tips
Highlight your international experience or the ability to engage across cultural environments—BKC favors candidates who can communicate between technical and non‑technical stakeholders, and bring diverse perspectives.
The residency requirement means you may need to plan relocation to Cambridge, MA (for most of the appointment). If that is challenging, you could explore whether non‑residential arrangement is accepted—but these are considered on a case‑by‑case basis.
The deadline for 2026 call may follow the pattern of the 2025‑26 call (i.e., around April 2025 for start in September) so keep an eye on the official BKC website for the 2026‑2027 call. Early preparation gives you advantage.
