If your academic work sits at the intersection of Islamic law, legal history, and comparative legal studies, this is a call worth stopping for. Applications are now open for the 2026–2027 PIL Research Fellowship, a prestigious opportunity hosted at Harvard Law School. Designed for promising early-career scholars, this new PIL 2026 fellowship offers a full academic year to pursue independent research while being fully embedded in one of the world’s most influential legal research environments.
What the Harvard PIL Fellowship Supports?
This PIL fellowship is structured to allow scholars to focus entirely on research and intellectual growth.
- A full-time, nine-month residential fellowship during the academic year
- A stipend for the full duration of the fellowship
- Extensive access to Harvard’s library system and specialized Islamic law collections
- Participation in the academic life of Harvard, including workshops, talks, and scholarly exchange
The fellowship provides both time and space to develop research with real depth and originality.
Who Is an Ideal Candidate?
This PIL fellowship at Harvard is intended for scholars ready to make a meaningful contribution to Islamic legal studies.
- Applicants must have completed an advanced degree (JD, PhD, or SJD) before the fellowship begins
- A clearly articulated research agenda in Islamic law is required
- Research should engage legal history, law and society, or comparative law approaches
- Proposed projects must be feasible within the fellowship term and benefit directly from Harvard’s research resources
- Strong alignment between the applicant’s academic background and the proposed project is expected
Projects that demonstrate originality and clear scholarly impact are especially encouraged.
How to Apply?
Applications for PIL fellowship at Harvard must be submitted through the online research fellowship application system by the stated deadline. Required materials include:
- A curriculum vitae
- A research proposal, consisting of a short abstract, a research statement (up to 1,500 words), and a bibliography
- A brief explanation of why Harvard is the necessary venue for the proposed research
- One writing sample (maximum 25 pages, in English)
- Three confidential letters of reference, submitted directly by referees
All applications are reviewed by a scholarly committee, which evaluates proposals on academic quality, feasibility, and contribution to the field.
The last date to apply for the 2026–2027 PIL Research Fellowship is February 13, 2026. Following committee review, applicants will be notified of the outcome by March 1, 2026.