About the opportunity
What this programme is offering
The Harris Social Impact Fellowship at the University of Chicago is accepting applications for its inaugural 2027–2028 cohort, providing recent graduates and early-career professionals with strong STEM and technical backgrounds an opportunity to build careers in evidence-based social impact.
The fellowship is an 11-month, full-time, in-person programme combining intensive policy training with nine months of applied work at leading research centres and policy institutes.
Fellows will apply their technical and analytical skills to real-world challenges in areas such as educational equity, climate action, public safety, health equity, urban challenges, and government efficiency.
The programme begins in July 2027 and runs through June 2028 at the University of Chicago's Hyde Park campus.
Harris Social Impact Fellowship Overview
The Harris Social Impact Fellowship is designed for technically skilled professionals who want to use quantitative, analytical, and research expertise to address public policy and social impact challenges.
The programme combines academic training, applied research, professional development, mentorship, and career coaching.
Fellowship Details Information Programme Harris Social Impact Fellowship Institution University of Chicago Harris School of Public PolicyCohort2027–2028Duration11 months Start Date July 2027End Date June 2028LocationChicago, United States Campus University of Chicago Hyde Park Campus Format Full-time, in-person Cohort Size15 fellowsStipend$75,000Academic Credential Funding$21,000Application Status Open
The $75,000 stipend is intended to support living and healthcare expenses, while $21,000 in funding fully covers the fellowship's academic credential.
What the Harris Social Impact Fellowship Offers
The fellowship begins with eight weeks of intensive academic coursework at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy.
The coursework provides fellows with advanced training in analytical methods and policy research, including:
Research methods and causal inference
Data analytics and programme evaluation
Economic analysis and cost-benefit analysis
Analytical politics and governance
Quantitative analysis and critical reasoning
Machine learning and AI applications in social science research
This academic component is designed to help technically trained professionals develop the policy and research skills required to work effectively on complex social challenges.
Nine Months of Applied Research and Professional Experience
After completing the initial academic training, fellows undertake nine months of immersive applied learning with research centres and policy institutes.
This component allows participants to apply their technical skills to real-world policy and social impact projects.
The fellowship's applied research opportunities may involve areas such as:
Machine learning and social science research
Statistical modelling
Randomized controlled trials
Environmental policy evaluation
Health research
Urban data analysis
Data-driven journalism
Depending on their placement, fellows may work with large administrative datasets, develop reproducible analytical pipelines, conduct research evaluations, create data visualisations, or translate complex technical findings for policymakers and other audiences.
Potential Research Centres and Organisations
Fellows may contribute to projects through organisations and research centres including:
Behavioral Insights and Parenting Lab
Crime Lab
Energy and Environment Lab
Health Lab
Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation
These placements provide fellows with opportunities to work on practical problems while developing experience in research, public policy, and evidence-based decision-making.
Capstone Project
The fellowship concludes with a capstone project focused on a real-world policy challenge.
The project is undertaken in partnership with a mission-driven organisation, allowing fellows to bring together the analytical, policy, and research skills developed throughout the programme.
The capstone provides an opportunity to demonstrate the ability to apply technical expertise to practical social impact challenges.
Professional Development, Mentorship and Career Coaching
The Harris Social Impact Fellowship also provides professional development and career support.
Fellows receive guidance in areas such as:
Career direction
CV development
Interview preparation
Professional networking
Career planning
Participants will also have opportunities to connect with faculty members, alumni, civic leaders, and mission-driven organisations.
These connections can help fellows explore career pathways at the intersection of technical expertise, public policy, research, and social impact.
Alumni Community
Fellowship support continues beyond the 11-month programme.
After completing the fellowship, participants join a continuing alumni community that provides opportunities for networking and continued engagement.
The alumni experience includes:
Networking opportunities
An annual retreat
Opportunities to engage with future fellowship cohorts
This creates a longer-term professional network for fellows working in evidence-based social impact and public policy.
Who Should Apply?
The Harris Social Impact Fellowship is intended for recent graduates and early-career professionals with strong STEM and technical skills who are interested in evidence-based social impact.
The programme is particularly relevant to applicants who want to combine technical expertise with:
Public policy
Research
Data analytics
Social impact
Programme evaluation
Evidence-based decision-making
Relevant technical and academic backgrounds may include:
Data science and analytics
Statistics and quantitative research
Computer science and machine learning
Economics and applied research
Engineering and other technical disciplines
Policy analysis and programme evaluation
The fellowship's applied projects span areas including education, public safety, health, climate and environmental policy, urban challenges, and government effectiveness.
How to apply