Get 11 months of elite policy training and applied research at the University of Chicago, backed by a $75,000 living-and-healthcare stipend and $21,000 toward the academic credential.
Overview
The Harris Social Impact Fellowship at the University of Chicago is a highly selective, full-time 11-month fellowship for recent graduates and early-career professionals with strong STEM, technical, quantitative or analytical skills.
Fellows begin with eight weeks of intensive academic coursework in research methods, data analytics, economics and analytical politics before spending nine months working with leading research centres and policy institutes on real-world social-impact challenges.
The 2027–28 cohort is currently open, with an application deadline of 19 October 2026 at 11:59 PM CT.
Quick Facts
- Opportunity type: Fully Funded Professional Fellowship
- Host: University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy
- Location: Chicago, Illinois, United States
- Format: Full-time, in person
- Duration: 11 months
- Programme dates: July 2027–June 2028
- Cohort size: 15 fellows
- Funding status: Fully funded
- Living and healthcare stipend: $75,000
- Academic credential support: $21,000
- Total stated financial support: $96,000
- Tuition/credential: Covered through the $21,000 academic-credential support
- Healthcare: Covered through the stated $75,000 stipend
- Visa: Not provided; University of Chicago cannot sponsor visas
- Age: None
- Nationality: International applicants
- Degree: Bachelor’s degree must be conferred before fellowship start
- Work experience: Designed for recent graduates and early-career professionals, generally with less than two years of experience
- Fields: Data science, engineering, statistics, applied mathematics, economics, public policy and related quantitative fields
- Application fee: None
- Deadline: 19 October 2026, 11:59 PM CT
The University of Chicago’s official graduate fellowship listing states that the award includes a $75,000 stipend for living and healthcare expenses and $21,000 to fully cover the fellowship academic credential.
Programme Structure
The fellowship consists of:
8 weeks — Academic Coursework
Training includes:
- Research methods
- Data analytics
- Economic analysis
- Analytical politics
- Quantitative analysis
- Critical reasoning
- Cost-benefit analysis
- Policy design
9 months — Applied Learning
Fellows work with research centres and policy institutes on issues including:
- Educational equity
- Government efficiency
- Climate action
- Public safety
- Health equity
- Urban policy
Capstone
The programme culminates in a real-world data-driven policy project.
What Is Covered?
Official University of Chicago materials state:
- $75,000 stipend for living and healthcare expenses
- $21,000 to fully cover the fellowship academic credential
The University also describes the inaugural fellowship as funding fellows’ full participation in the immersive programme.
Eligibility
Applicants should have:
- Strong technical, quantitative or analytical ability
- A Bachelor’s degree completed before the fellowship begins
- A recent-graduate or early-career profile
- Interest in evidence-based public policy and social impact
The programme specifically highlights candidates with backgrounds such as:
- Data science
- Engineering
- Statistics
- Applied mathematics
- Quantitative social science
- Related technical fields
No prior policy experience is required.
Work Experience
The programme describes its target candidates as recent graduates and early-career professionals with less than two years of experience.
International Applicants — Important
The fellowship does not sponsor visas.
The official programme states that participants must be legally authorised to work in the United States, and the fellowship does not qualify for the STEM OPT extension.
Application Process
- Confirm that you satisfy the Bachelor’s-degree requirement.
- Review the technical/quantitative background expected.
- Prepare your motivation statement.
- Prepare your technical experience statement.
- Prepare your résumé.
- Arrange one recommendation letter.
- Prepare transcripts.
- Submit the application online before the deadline.
- Complete the technical assessment if shortlisted.
- Participate in interviews and host-site matching.
The published selection timeline includes a take-home technical assessment in November, virtual interviews in December and lab-matching/on-campus interviews in January.
Important Notes
- Only 15 fellows are selected.
- The fellowship is extremely selective; the inaugural cohort was selected from nearly 800 applicants.
- Visa sponsorship is not available.
- The official programme currently lists the 2027–28 application as open.
- Travel and accommodation benefits are Not specified and should not be represented as covered by Potenue.
- Despite that limitation, the fellowship itself is fully financed through the stated academic-credential support and $75,000 stipend for living/healthcare expenses.
Exact Deadline
19 October 2026, 11:59 PM Central Time (CT)
Official Application
University of Chicago Harris Social Impact Fellowship — Apply
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