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Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society (BKC) is an interdisciplinary, University-wide center at Harvard that studies the internet, builds tools and runs a fellowship program for scholars and practitioners. This guide explains how the center is organised and how its fellowship application works, as described on the official pages on 2026-11-08. It is written for researchers and research administrators deciding whether to apply, partner or cite the center’s work.
What it is and who runs it
BKC describes itself on its About page as an interdisciplinary, University-wide center with a global scope and an entrepreneurial nonprofit approach. Its stated mission is to make sense of the digital environment while promoting human agency, dignity and genuine connection. Its work falls into four strands: building tools and platforms, studying internet topics, educating, and connecting people across disciplines. It also hosts an annual international cohort of fellows.
How the center’s structure changed
- 1997: Harvard Law School faculty members Charles Nesson and Jonathan Zittrain founded the center, funded by a gift from the Berkman family, with an interdisciplinary agenda grounded in law (Harvard Gazette, 2008).
- 2008: it became a University-wide initiative working across Harvard’s faculties while retaining its home and roots at the Law School (Harvard Gazette).
- 2016: it became the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society in recognition of a gift from Michael R. Klein (BKC support page).
The center’s own About page lists 500+ people from 40+ countries, 1,000+ events and 250+ reports, papers and books among its outputs. One of its projects, the Lumen database of takedown notices, has its own CASRAI guide: Lumen Database.
Eligibility (summary, with the official source)
Fellowship details are on the fellowships page and its Fellowship FAQ. As described on the official pages on 2026-11-08:
- The program welcomes an interdisciplinary and diverse community of academics and practitioners. The 2024-25 call sought scholars and practitioners whose research advances Internet and society studies in the public interest.
- Students were not eligible in the open call described in the FAQ.
- Selection favours collegiality, curiosity, intellectual rigor, adaptability and a strong commitment to the public interest.
- Fellows are preferably based in the Cambridge area; candidates unable to be are considered case by case.
What it funds or requires
The FAQ states fellowships are intended to be non-employee roles, and that offers depend on factors including funding requirements. The fellowships page notes that some project-based positions are considered employee fellowships and are funded, while other project-based roles are non-employee. No stipend amount is published on either page, so treat any figure on a third-party listing as unconfirmed. Two periods were offered in the FAQ: January to August 2026 (flexible length) and September 2026 to August 2027 (expected full twelve months).
Application or compliance steps
- Read the current call and FAQ on the official fellowships pages.
- Prepare one to three work samples written for a public audience, combined into a single PDF.
- Submit through the application system. Materials stay editable before the deadline via the My Job Applications tab; updated materials sent by email afterwards are not accepted.
- Wait for a decision. Senior staff and faculty directors decide, and others may be consulted. The FAQ gives no decision dates and no status updates are provided.
Typical timeline phases
The annual open call and project-specific calls work differently. The annual call has closed in past cycles around January, and the fellowships page says specific fellowship calls may happen at any point in the year, announced through the center’s newsletter. The sequence is: call opens, application window, review by senior staff and faculty directors, offers, then a cohort start. No date on this page should be read as a current deadline; the official page governs.
Common mistakes
- Applying as a student when the call excludes students.
- Submitting academic-only samples when the FAQ asks for work aimed at a public audience.
- Emailing revised materials after the deadline instead of editing before it.
- Assuming a stipend: the pages state none, and non-employee roles are the stated default.
- Treating the annual call as the only route when project-based calls are announced separately.
Related programs
| Related CASRAI page | Connection |
|---|---|
| Lumen Database | A project of the Berkman Klein Center that archives takedown notices |
| Radcliffe Fellowship | Another fellowship guide on CASRAI |
| Guggenheim Fellowship | Another fellowship guide on CASRAI |
FAQ
What is the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society?
A Harvard interdisciplinary, University-wide research center on the internet and society, founded in 1997 and renamed in 2016.
Who founded it?
Harvard Law School faculty members Charles Nesson and Jonathan Zittrain, per the Harvard Gazette.
Can students apply for its fellowships?
Not in the open call described in the FAQ on 2026-11-08. Each call states its own rules.
Are the fellowships paid?
No amount is stated. Fellowships are intended as non-employee roles, with some funded project-based positions.
Do I need to live near Cambridge?
Preferred, not required; others are considered case by case.
Sources
- BKC About, read 2026-11-08
- BKC support page, read 2026-11-08
- BKC fellowships, read 2026-11-08
- BKC Fellowship FAQ, read 2026-11-08
- Harvard Gazette, 2008, read 2026-11-08
