Funding Opportunities

There are numerous funding sources available at Harvard to support your Senior thesis research. Note that most applications for summer funding are due in March, so you will need to have a well-developed proposal ready by this time if you hope to conduct research during the summer between your Junior and Senior years (see Thesis Timeline). 

General Listings and funding sources: 

• Harvard College Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships (URAF): Publishes comprehensive listings of undergraduate research opportunities, as well as advice on how to put together a successful funding application 
• CARAT: Searchable database of university-wide funding opportunities 
• Harvard College Research Program (HCRP): Offers undergraduate grants for both term-time and summer 
• Museum of Comparative Zoology (MCZ)/Harvard University Herbaria (HUH) & Arnold Arboretum (AA): Offer undergraduate grants for both term-time and summer 

Environmentally-focused funding sources: 

• Harvard University Center for the Environment (HUCE): Funding for environmentally-focused student research projects available through the Summer Undergraduate Research Fund (SURF) 
• Salata Institute: Maintains a list of student funding opportunities related to climate and sustainability 

Regionally-focused funding sources: 

• Center for African Studies: Offers grants for undergraduate students conducting thesis research focused on the African continent, both during January term and summer 
• The David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies (DRCLAS): Offers grants for undergraduate students conducting thesis research focused on Latin America and the Caribbean, both during term-time and summer