Summer Residencies | National Humanities Center

Summer Residency Program

Scholars from NHC Institutional Sponsor universities are exclusively eligible to participate in a four-week summer residency program, in June, intended to assist in jump-starting or making substantial progress on a current project.

Scholars are chosen and sponsored by their home institutions and must be humanities scholars or scholars working on a humanities project who have completed a PhD or the equivalent for fields in which a terminal Master’s degree is standard. Through this program, faculty from sponsoring institutions can experience a concentrated period of supported research and intellectual exchange at the Center, a setting customized for and highly conducive to humanities research and writing.

summer residents at the NHC

Summer residents are provided individual studies in our quiet, light-filled, glass building in the woods of Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. They have access to their studies 24/7 during the summer residency program. Our renowned library staff assists residents in procuring all books needed for their research by the time they arrive, as well as any requests during their time in residence.

Residents are housed in a hotel located near the Center and provided with continental breakfast and a full lunch from our in-house chef and baker during regular business hours. Lunch in our Commons is famous for the vibrant exchange of ideas and synergistic discussions that inevitably lead to enhanced scholarly output.

Deans and department chairs might consider this opportunity for faculty to reward stellar mid-career or senior researchers, assist junior faculty members in progress toward tenure, help faculty in need of an opportunity to resurrect a long-term project, assist those in a transition from a service or teaching overload, use this opportunity as a recruitment or retention tool, or provide an opportunity for administrators to focus on their research.

Selection Process

The NHC does not have an application process for the summer residency program. Faculty selection is managed at each scholar’s home institution through a process created internally. The program contact at the institution communicates the name of the selected scholar(s) to the NHC by the end of February. The Summer Residency Program typically reaches capacity and, therefore, institutional sponsors will be limited, at first, to sending one faculty member. If space remains, institutions will have the opportunity to send more than one scholar.

Summer Residency FAQs

Please read our Frequently Asked Questions for more information.

Summer Residents, 2018–2023

Dates

June 2–June 27, 2025

Cost

The cost of a summer residency is $8,000 and covers housing and shuttle service, the above-mentioned meals, a private study, and library and administrative support. Transportation between their home and the NHC is the responsibility of the Resident (or their institution).

The cost for scholars from Triangle-area (Durham, Chapel Hill, Raleigh) institutions is $4,250 and includes a private study, the above-mentioned meals, and library and administrative support. Residents are responsible for their own transportation to and from the NHC.

Contact

Please direct any questions to NHC Scholarly Programs.