Henry Russell Shaw Summer Fellowship
Application Deadline: March 19, 2026
Henry Russell Shaw Summer Fellowships support graduating Harvard College seniors to pursue purposeful travel in Europe. The Shaw Summer Fellowships are supported by the same endowment and serve the same general purpose as the full-year Henry Russell Shaw Traveling Fellowships: "To enable one or more graduates of Harvard College … to pass a few months in European travel. The purpose of this gift is to make it possible for young men [and women] of promise to supplement their formal education by broadening and cultivating influence which comes from acquaintance with other countries."
Shaw Summer Fellowships support some individual fancy or passion while living in Europe for 10-12 consecutive weeks. Applicants must define an activity or set of activities that enable them to pursue a intellectual interest, passion, or hobby. The award is not intended to support experiences that seem focused on establishing or enhancing pre-professional credentials. Applicants are encouraged to read reports from previous fellows to get an idea of what “purposeful travel” and “personal or intellectual project work or activities” looks like. Be sure to also heavily research the logistics of your proposed activities in the country. Do not propose language study as a main activity, as this is often a less convincing proposal since your cultural immersion will require language learning regardless.
Applications for travel less than 10 weeks or over 12 weeks will not be considered. Students who have not yet had any significant travel experience outside the US (and, for students from other countries, their home country) are prioritized to receive these awards.
Applicants must be Harvard College graduating seniors (off-cycle seniors may also apply) of any nationality/citizenship. Applicants must be able to commit 10-12 consecutive weeks following commencement to living in Europe, and have had no substantial time (e.g. 2+ consecutive months) spent outside the U.S. (except international students in their home country).
The Henry Russell Shaw Summer Fellowship provides 3 months of self/intellectual exploration with deep cultural immersion and up to a $10,000 stipend.
Applications for this opportunity are assessed on the following metrics:
- Travel logistics: Feasibility and match of time, place, activity
- Proposed project: Meaningful, and impactful experience; potential benefits to applicant; well-defined and logical
- Cultural exploration: Ethical and competent cultural exploration evidenced in proposed activities, proposed activities in line with geographic and geopolitical area, cultural exploration is appropriate and feasible for candidate’s background
- Background and preparation: Requisite skills for success in country and with proposed activities
Prepare in advance the following materials:
- 1-page resume: Indicate significant activities, achievements, and experiences in college that demonstrate values and interests related to your proposal. Include your extracurricular interests and hobbies.
- Unofficial transcript: Download your unofficial transcript from my.harvard.edu, it should include your fall course grades and spring course registration.
- Proposal: Explain how you intend to spend your time during the travel fellowship and how your proposed experiences will impact your personal growth. Include a description of how you will commit to and benefit from a cultural immersion experience. (Max 750 words.)
- Optional affiliation letter: If your plan involves reliance on an established group/organization, include a letter of invitation, sponsorship, or confirmation of your organizational affiliation. This letter should provide basic information about the organization as well as what you'll be doing as an affiliate and the resources the organization will provide to you.
- Budget: Categorize and calculate expenses you might incur while carrying out your proposed project. This could include, but is not limited to, the following: travel, accommodations, food, visas, health insurance, supplies.
Information Session
March 2, 2026, 12:00 - 1:00 PM | via Zoom
URAF staff are available for drop-in advising and for one-on-one appointments after students have watched the information session and joined us for one drop-in session.