Our doctoral program is jointly managed by the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and Harvard Kennedy School.

As you consider applying to our PPOL PhD program, keep in mind that:

  • You must be officially registered from the time you enroll at Harvard until you are awarded your degree.
  • Fellowships are merit based. You will automatically be considered for available fellowships when your application is reviewed by our admissions committee. As a fellowship recipient, your tuition will be covered for four years and you’ll receive a stipend for your first and second years. You are guaranteed funding during your final year so you can focus on finishing your dissertation.
  • We encourage you to pursue external fellowships and explore research funding opportunities beyond Harvard. Many of our PPOL students have received funding from the National Science FoundationJacob K. Javits Fellowships ProgramFulbright Program, and the Ford Foundation.