SAO Predoctoral Program

About this program

The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO), part of the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, supports external-university graduate students conducting all or part of their doctoral thesis research with an SAO scientist while remaining supervised by their home institution. Fellowships last at least six months, may include stipend support and eligible relocation or travel expenses, and are renewable subject to funding and satisfactory progress. Applicants must be enrolled in a Ph.D. program, have completed preliminary coursework and examinations, secure approval from their home department head, and arrange an SAO advisor and funding from either their home institution or advisor. Applications require a CV, research summaries and proposal, references, official transcript, and department approval, with deadlines of May 1 and November 1 for start dates in the following year.