How to Apply to the Harvard Institute of World Literature Through the GCLR | Graduate Center for Literary Research

Please take a moment to look at the Harvard IWL website for the July 2025 session, which will take place at Harvard University, from June 30 through July 24: https://iwl.fas.harvard.edu/.

Two of the successful UCSB student applicants are automatically accepted into the HIWL and will receive a 50% reduction of their fees. The overall cost for participation—including fees, travel, and lodging—will depend on the location, but can be estimated at being somewhere between $3500 and $4000. The GCLR will generally provide around $2000 as a stipend, while the students’ home department or program may match the GCLR’s contribution. Students who wish to apply should inquire whether their home department is willing to contribute in case their applications to the GCLR are successful.

How to apply?

Applications will be reviewed by the GCLR IWL admissions committee on a rolling basis beginning on November 15th, 2024 running through December 15th, 2024.

Please begin the process by sending a personal statement, writing sample, and CV to GCLR Director Sven Spieker on or before Sunday, December 15th, 2024.

The personal statement should not exceed 300 words and needs to contain a clear rationale for how you might benefit from attending HIWL, which seminars seem particularly useful to you, and who among the teachers attracted your attention. A link to 2025 program overview and seminar schedule can be found here: https://iwl.fas.harvard.edu/2025-program-overview

The writing sample, which can be (part of) a past seminar paper or thesis, should not exceed 5000 words and needs to touch on world literature in one way or another.

Applicants will be notified by the GCLR of its decision in late-January and then will apply directly to the HIWL, if accepted. Please check the HIWL website directly for information about their application process.

Reactions from Past HIWL Participants:

2024

Carmen Araujo

"I had an unforgettable time in Cyprus, attending excellent seminars and meeting colleagues from around the world. I am attaching a photo from the last day, with the Mediterranean Sea in the background. I truly appreciate your efforts to connect students to such invaluable experiences."

2021

Richard Nedjat-Haiem:

"I wish to thank the GCLR for this funding opportunity to participate in the 2021 Harvard IWL. It was wonderful to take the Seminar on "Exiles, Migrants, and Refugees" with Venkat Mani which really impacted my understanding on the Persian diaspora I am a part of and will be working on for my second exam. The colloquium was especially enjoyable to share one's worth in a diverse and welcoming group of peers from all over the world."

2020

Olga Faccani:

"I would definitely recommend this important program to my friends and colleagues at the University, and I especially think that this is a unique and invaluable opportunity for international students like myself: students can establish long-lasting connections and bonds with other scholars from all over the world and become part of a Global Network, where differences are celebrated and international approaches are encouraged."

Sebastian Stratan:

"The texts we read or reread, both fictional and theoretical, introduced me to new ways of approaching not only literature and other artistic endeavors, but knowledge in general. Exploring these texts with first-rate scholars that are changing the way literature is studied and produced as we speak, and attending multiple and fascinating talks and presentations almost every day, was an opportunity for which I am grateful to the Graduate Center for Literary Research."

Marcel Strobel:

"As a first-year international PhD student in comparative literature, I was truly excited to participate in this year’s Harvard IWL and develop my analytical literary skills in a very unique environment. The amount of positive and supportive feedback that I received was incredibly helpful in determining the future direction of my studies but also in gaining the courage to pursue the research that I pursue. Therefore, the experience that I gained at the IWL was truly unique and I really hope that other students from my program will benefit from it in the future."

Aili Pettersson-Peeker:

"Participating in the 2020 Harvard Institute for World Literature was an invaluably inspiring intellectual experience to me. The institute expanded my knowledge about the rich and growing field of world literature and opened my eyes to sub-genres within this field that I didn’t know existed before. The institute also helped me make new contacts with scholars all over the world. Because of the infrastructure set up for sharing contact information, research interests, and ideas with each other, I now have contacts from across the globe and from a range of different disciplines that I look forward to collaborating with for conferences, panels, and publications in my future career. Being part of such a vibrant global intellectual community, particularly in these times, was a truly inspiring and energizing experience."