James C. Gaither Junior Fellows at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Endorsement Application Deadline: Tuesday, November 17, 2026 at 12:00 PM ET (NOON)
Each year, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace offers 14 graduating seniors and recent graduates the opportunity to spend 10–12 months working as research assistants to senior scholars in Washington, DC. Fellows are selected for specific research programs, where they bring their own academic expertise, research skills, language abilities, and regional knowledge to the work of leading policy experts.
Junior Fellows conduct research for books, co-author journal articles and policy papers, contribute to congressional testimony, participate in meetings with high-level officials, and organize briefings for scholars, journalists, and government officials. You don’t need to be an international relations expert to apply: Carnegie’s work draws on expertise in economics, technology, security, politics, regional and language studies, climate, and other fields.
Please reference the Carnegie Endowment's most recent bulletin for the most specific information regarding this application cycle. This will be released in early October.
Harvard University nomination is required.
Applicants must:
- Be a graduating Harvard College senior or have graduated from Harvard College during the previous academic year.
- Not have begun graduate study. Students who have completed a joint bachelor’s/master’s degree may still be eligible.
- Be eligible to work in the United States for the full fellowship period. U.S. citizenship is not required.
- Meet any additional qualifications for their selected Carnegie research program. Depending on the assignment, these may include particular academic preparation, research or technical skills, language proficiency, or regional expertise.
- Review and abide by URAF’s Principles and Policies for Applicants.
Students with Advanced Standing or an off-cycle graduation date should contact URAF before applying to confirm their eligibility.
- $47,000 salary
- Full benefits
Harvard may nominate up to two candidates for the James C. Gaither Carnegie Endowment Junior Fellows program. Applications are reviewed by a Harvard selection committee, which considers:
- The strength and clarity of the applicant’s research and writing.
- The applicant’s academic preparation, skills, and experience relevant to their selected Carnegie research program.
- The quality of the applicant’s personal statement and writing sample.
- The strength of the applicant’s letters of recommendation.
- The applicant’s potential to contribute effectively as a research assistant to Carnegie scholars.
Selected nominees are forwarded to the Carnegie Endowment for consideration in its national competition. Carnegie determines finalists, conducts interviews, and makes all final fellowship selections.
Harvard College students should apply via the link below using HarvardKey; eligible alumni should "Create a New Account" to apply.
If nominated by Harvard, the materials you submit will become part of your application to the Carnegie Endowment. Submit polished, final versions of all materials and follow the specifications below carefully.
Start date: Gaither Junior Fellowships begin on September 1. Applicants must be available to begin work on that date.
Formatting and File Preparation
Unless otherwise noted:
- Use 12-point font, 1-inch margins, and standard 8.5 × 11-inch pages.
- Submit all documents as PDFs.
- Include your full name and document title at the top of each written application document.
- Include page numbers on multi-page documents.
- Name files using the format LastName_FirstName_DocumentType.pdf (for example,
Smith_Jane_PersonalStatement.pdf).
These formatting and file-naming requirements do not apply to transcripts or letters of recommendation.
Prepare and submit the following materials for the nomination deadline:
- Personal statement (maximum 2 pages, double-spaced): Discuss why you are applying for this position, what you hope to learn from it, how your experience and working style would serve you well as a research assistant, and why you have chosen the Carnegie program to which you are applying. URAF will share a list of the programs seeking assistance here when the new application cycle is opened.
- Writing sample explanation (maximum ½ page, double-spaced): Briefly explain why you chose the writing sample you are submitting. The explanation does not count toward the 3–5 page writing sample limit.
- Writing sample (3–5 pages, double-spaced): Submit a complete piece or an excerpt from a longer work. The sample may be on any topic, but Carnegie recommends choosing work that demonstrates your analytical style and/or subject-matter expertise and is relevant to your selected program in either subject matter or style of analysis. Include appropriate in-text citations, whether footnotes, endnotes, or parenthetical citations. A works cited page is not required.
- Two letters of recommendation: Choose recommenders who can speak directly to your ability to write and support research projects. Recommendations are especially useful when they address your analytical and writing skills, self-discipline and maturity, and, where relevant, subject-matter expertise.
- Resume/CV (preferably 1–2 pages): Highlight your research and writing experience. The general double-spacing requirement does not apply to the resume/CV.
- Undergraduate transcript: An unofficial transcript is preferred. If you transferred to Harvard, also include a transcript from your previous institution unless that coursework is reflected on your Harvard transcript.