Scholarly Programs
Select Summer Residency Program
June 1–June 26, 2026
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.
About the Program
Scholars are nominated 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 hospitable setting customized for and highly conducive to humanities research and writing.
Select 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 library materials requests during their time in residence.
Optional professional development sessions are offered weekly on topics such as writing praxis and scholarly publishing. NHC staff, more generally, foster a climate of inclusion, safety, and generosity so that participants can do their best work while enjoying our interdisciplinary scholarly community.
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 our pastry chef 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.
For More Information
Select Summer Residency FAQs
How are Summer Residents selected?
Beginning in 2026, NHC Summer Residents will be selected through a competitive application process. Each institutional sponsor may nominate up to two faculty to apply. We leave it up to sponsoring institutions to determine whom they wish to nominate for a summer residency. We simply ask that they be humanities scholars, or working on a humanities project, who have completed a PhD or the equivalent for fields in which a terminal Master’s degree is standard.
How many Residents may we sponsor?
Each institutional sponsor may nominate up to two scholars. The 2026 Summer Residency is capped at 40 participants, who will be competitively selected from a pool of up to 200 applicants.
Who pays?
Institutional sponsors pay for the program. Transportation to and from the NHC is paid by the sponsoring institution or the scholar.
I am a faculty member interested in the Summer Residency program. How do I determine who to contact within my institution about the program and the application process?
Administrators and faculty members of institutional sponsors should contact NHC Development Manager Liz Estrada to help you determine the current contact at your institution.
What can Summer Residents expect?
At the NHC’s facilities, nestled in the pine forest that surrounds the Research Triangle Park (RTP), scholars enjoy their own private studies, the support of our exceptional support staff, and weekday breakfasts and lunches in our light-filled commons.
Scholars are able to request research materials prior to their arrival, so they can get right to work immediately. During their time in residence, they will also be able to request digital materials as well as resources from the Triangle area’s universities, which house over 20 million volumes. Optional professional development sessions are offered weekly on topics such as writing praxis and scholarly publishing.
Housing for Summer Residents is provided at a hotel near the NHC during the four-week stay. For scholars without a car, the hotel offers free shuttle service at specific times of day. Ride-sharing services (like Uber or Lyft) are also easily accessible.
How can our institution become an institutional sponsor of the NHC?
You can learn more about the Institutional Sponsorship program, including the roster of current sponsors, by visiting the program page. If you have additional questions, or would like to become a sponsoring institution, contact NHC Development Manager Liz Estrada.
Whom should I contact if I have questions?
Administrators or applicants with questions about the application process or the online portal should contact NHC Scholarly Programs.