Harvard Law School Rappaport Fellowship 2026-28 in USA (Fully Funded)

The Rappaport Fellowship at Harvard Law School is a prestigious two-year, full-time post-graduate academic fellowship designed for early-career legal scholars who intend to pursue careers in legal academia. It provides a rare opportunity to develop original scholarship, engage with prominent legal minds, and organize public programming—all while being embedded within the intellectual life of Harvard Law School. Rappaport Fellows benefit from both hands-on experience in academic leadership and structured mentorship, preparing them to secure tenure-track teaching positions at top law schools.

Eligibility

• International applicants with equivalent degrees are welcome to apply.
• J.D. (Juris Doctor), LL.M (Master of Laws) or SJD degree (Doctor of Juridical Science), and superior academic record are required
• Demonstrate a strong interest in legal academia, including a plan to go on the academic teaching market during or after the fellowship.
• Have excellent academic credentials, legal research potential, and a commitment to public or intellectual engagement.
• Must submit a detailed 4-page research proposal for publication
• Preference given to candidates with prior legal or academic experience

Program Date/Location

• Start Date: July 1, 2026
• End Date: June 30, 2028
• Duration: 2 years, full-time
• Location: On-site at Harvard Law School, Cambridge, Massachusetts

Program Benefits

• Annual Stipend: $60,000 per year/for living expenses
• Health and employment benefits through Harvard University
• Access to faculty mentorship and academic workshops
• Accommodation: stay at Harvard Law School housing
• Dedicated office space at the law school
• Opportunities to organize and lead the Rappaport Forum, a major public event series that explores current legal and political debate
• Publishing support and guidance toward preparing for the academic job market

Required Documents

Applicants must submit:

1. Curriculum Vitae (CV)
   • Include education, academic honors, publications, teaching experience (if any), and research interests.
2. Cover Letter
   • Explain your interest in the fellowship, academic career goals, and relevant experience.
3. Research Agenda or Statement
   • Outline your proposed scholarly work, including topics and questions you plan to pursue.
4. Writing Sample
   • Preferably a legal academic paper or substantial piece of legal scholarship (e.g., a law review article or thesis).
5. Three Letters of Recommendation
   • At least two should be from academic sources familiar with your legal scholarship and potential as a legal academic.

Application Process

• Before you apply, create a Harvard key through HarvardKey.
• After you create your HarvardKey, an email will be sent to you with instructions on how to activate your new account. Once you HarvardKey is active you can start your application process.
• Once You Are Logged Into The Application fill out all required fields.
• Request Recommendations (via “Recommendations” tab): Once you have provided name (Last, First) and contact information for your recommenders, YOU MUST CLICK “Send recommendation request” under each recommender’s entry in order for CARAT to send the notification to your recommender’s email. “Save and Next” will NOT submit your recommendation requests. Please also be sure to let your recommenders know they will receive an email from: carat.app@fas.harvard.edu with the subject heading of: CARAT application recommendation request for “YOUR NAME”
• Uploading Your Documents: All documents must be submitted in PDF format.
  No supplementary materials will be accepted.
• Submitting Your Application (via “Submission” tab): For Harvard applicants, enter your HUID and click “Submit”. For non-Harvard applicants, enter your new ID string and click “Submit”. (This can be found immediately above the entry field where it reads “Enter this ID (xxxxxxxx) in the signature field below.”) The date and time of your submission will be noted, and late applications will not be accepted.

For more Details: https://hls.harvard.edu/academics/fellowships-and-prizes/fellowships/rappaport-fellowship/?