Funding for Independent Summer Fellowships

Eligibility Requirements:

These fellowships are open to all Harvard College undergraduates. Students graduating in May 2026 are eligible to apply. 

If you are currently on leave but plan to re-enroll in Fall 2026, you may participate in our programming. If you plan to apply, reach out to your Resident Dean as soon as possible to request to be approved to return from leave. You must be approved to return from leave by the Ad Board before accepting our offer to participate. 

Organization Directory: 

For help identifying potential organizations to work with, please refer to the Pathways to Funding & Organization Directory. This directory provides a comprehensive list of resources for your public service journey, including over 500 potential host organizations for summer internships and search engines for nonprofit positions. 

Application Process: 

Interested students should apply via the CPSES Independent Project Funding Common Application in CARAT. (Opens 2/16/26 at 12 noon.) Applications are due Sunday, March 29, 2026 by 11:59pm ET. 

To apply, applicants must submit:

1. A 1-page resume noting your relevant skills, previous employment, extracurricular activities, and volunteer experiences*
2. A 750-word statement that describes the opportunity you are pursuing and explains how it will benefit the community. Your statement should include the following:
   1. Organizational Overview: Introduce the organization or office you intend to work with, including its mission
   2. Role and Responsibilities: Describe your specific role, anticipated responsibilities, and expected deliverables
   3. Impact and Community: Describe the public service you would provide in this role, the social problem(s) you would work to address, and/or the community or population you would serve
   4. Interest and Qualifications: Explain your interest in this opportunity and how your academic, extracurricular, personal, or professional experiences have prepared you to serve in this role
   5. Learning Goals: Share what you hope to gain or learn from the experience and how it aligns with your broader academic, professional, or personal aspirations
3. A copy of your unofficial student record (found at my.harvard.edu)

4. A letter of sponsorship from the organization you will be working with. We highly recommend that the letter be written by your supervisor on official letterhead. The letter must clearly include the following details:

   1. Name and contact information of your direct supervisor
   2. A brief description of the project/internship role and its anticipated outcomes
   3. Confirmation of your project dates and time commitment (number of weeks and estimated hours per week)

   Priority will be given to applications with confirmed positions. However, if your internship or project is not yet confirmed at the time of application, you may still apply! In this case, please upload a description of your current status in the process (e.g., you’ve applied, interviewed, or are awaiting confirmation). Funding may be awarded contingent upon providing a letter of sponsorship. 

5. As part of your application, you will be asked whether you are receiving funding from the host organization or another source for this internship or project, or whether you are applying for additional funding elsewhere. If so, you must specify the amount and status of that award. CPSES awards can be offered to supplement other awards, up to a maximum of $6,000 (or $7,000 for those receiving financial aid).
6. OPTIONAL -  Students who receive financial aid may submit a 250-word statement describing their need for additional funding for living expenses during their summer public service internship. This is an opportunity to explain, in general terms, any extenuating circumstances that create financial need beyond the base stipend, such as support for housing, food, transportation, etc. The maximum award is $7,000, including any funding received from other sources.

*For help writing a resume or personal statement, check out these resources from the Mignone Center for Career Success (MCS). 

Key Dates and Timeline:

Summer Funding Decision Timeline

New for the Summer 2026 application process, the Center for Public Service and Engaged Scholarship, in collaboration with the Summer Funding Office and summer funding sources across the College, is implementing a coordinated decision timeline for summer funding opportunities. By aligning our review and notification processes, we aim to notify as many candidates as possible about offers at the same time, helping students make informed choices about summer opportunities.

How the Process Works:

• First-choice candidates from this application round will receive offers and have until Monday, April 20th to decide which to accept.
• Candidates who have not received an offer by the end of April are considered alternate candidates and will be placed on a waitlist. If a first-round offer is declined, a candidate on the waitlist will be notified and have two days to accept or decline the offer. This process continues until the funding offer is accepted.
• Once the funding has all been awarded, the remaining candidates will be notified as soon as possible.
  • Note: Due to the high volume of applications and communication during this process, we are unable to provide real-time updates to individual applicants. However, we will do our best to inform all applicants as quickly as possible. 

Binding Acceptance:

By accepting an offer, students are expected to make a binding commitment to that role. Withdrawing after accepting an offer has negative consequences for the program and the other applicants. As a result, any candidate who withdraws after acceptance will become ineligible for future funding from our office.

Additionally, the names of candidates who accept offers in each round of summer funding will be shared with the Summer Funding Office. These students will not be eligible to apply for funding in subsequent rounds, in accordance with the Harvard Summer Funding Policy, explained below. 

Harvard Summer Funding Policy:

Harvard College prioritizes the wide distribution of Summer funding to ensure that as many undergraduate students as possible can have a meaningful summer experience. For funded Summer 2026 experiences, students may only apply Harvard University funding to one Summer experience. If you are receiving any other sources of Harvard summer funding, you must report this to our office immediately to remain in compliance with Harvard's Summer Funding Policy. 

Q. How does the “common application” process work?

A: CPSES uses a common application in CARAT for several independent funding programs (Priscilla Chan, Harvard Clubs, Stad, Canadian Nonprofit). With a single submission of the common application, you will automatically be considered for all funding opportunities for which you are eligible. Be sure to carefully check all relevant funding boxes in your application to maximize your consideration and ensure you don’t inadvertently exclude yourself from programs you qualify for.

Q: What kinds of opportunities are eligible?

A: We support unpaid or low-paid independent public service internships or projects with nonprofit organizations, government agencies, educational institutions, or other public interest sectors. The format for these experiences can be virtual, in-person, or hybrid. If you’re unsure whether your particular opportunity qualifies, please contact us at pathways@fas.harvard.edu confirm.

Q: If I meet all eligibility criteria, am I guaranteed funding?

A: No, meeting the eligibility requirements makes you eligible to apply, but funding is competitive and limited. Even well-qualified applicants may not receive an award due to budget constraints, applicant volume, and the relative strength of other proposals.

Q: Do you accept late applications?

A: No, applications must be submitted by the published deadline for independent funding on CARAT. Late submissions are generally not accepted and may only be considered under extraordinary, documented circumstances at the discretion of the selection committee.

Q: Can I propose an experience that lasts fewer than 10 weeks?

A: The standard expectation is a 10 week full-time (30–40 hours/week, minimum ~300 hours) experience to align with our summer program expectations and the CPSES learning series. However, in rare or compelling cases, shorter projects may be considered on a case‑by‑case basis and funding would be adjusted accordingly. Please reach out to discuss your situation.

Q: Can I change the dates of my summer opportunity after applying?

A: Date changes may be permitted under certain circumstances but must be approved in advance. Your summer internship schedule should not be more than one week off from our program dates, which are June 1 through August 7. If you expect to alter your start or end dates, please notify us as soon as possible, and we will evaluate whether the revised timeline still meets program requirements. 

Q: I’m considering two different opportunities. Can I submit two applications?

A: Yes, you may submit more than one application, as long as each application is for a distinct opportunity with a different host organization. However, please note that your proposals should be strong and well thought out; applying to multiple projects will not improve your chance of funding, and we will not award more than one fellowship per recipient. We recommend being selective and applying for the opportunity you are most interested in. 

Q: Can I still apply if I haven’t yet secured confirmation of my summer experience?

A: Yes, you may apply provisionally without confirmation. In that case, you must upload a statement of your status (e.g. you have interviewed, awaiting confirmation) in your application. If selected for funding, the offer will be conditional upon receiving a formal letter of sponsorship by a given deadline. If you fail to provide this confirmation, you will be ineligible for funding and your award will be revoked.

Q: If I haven’t been accepted yet by the host organization, is a funding offer still binding?

A: No, funding offers are contingent on you securing and confirming your placement (or acceptance) with the host organization. The award will only become final once you provide a letter of sponsorship from the organization (with dates, hours, supervisor details).

Q: What happens if I receive a conditional funding offer, and then my summer opportunity falls through?

A: If your placement is canceled or falls through after you accept a conditional offer, you must notify CPSES immediately. Depending on the timing and circumstances, we may (a) allow you to apply the award to another eligible opportunity with approval (b) help you find an alternate placement, or (c) withdraw the award. Any final resolution will depend on the program’s policies, funding availability, and timing.

Q: I’m already receiving funding from another source. Am I still eligible to apply?

A: Yes, you may still apply. However, you must disclose any external funding in your application and provide the details (amount, duration, terms). CPSES may offer supplemental funding to bring your total award up to the program maximum (e.g. $6,000 for US-based internships, or $7,000 if receiving financial aid), but there’s no guarantee. Please note Harvard’s Summer Funding Policy states that students may apply Harvard University funding to only one summer experience and co‑funding is allowed only if it supports the same experience and does not exceed program funding limits.

Q: When will I be notified of a decision?

A: First-round offers will be extended in mid-April and the deadline to accept/decline those offers is April 20. Additional offers will be made on a rolling basis through late April–early May until all funding is allocated. We are unable to provide real-time status updates to applicants and appreciate your patience waiting for notification.