Harvard University announced Thursday that it has created new scholarships for at least 50 military veterans and public servants to earn master's degrees at its prestigious Kennedy School of Government.
Under the program, called the American Service Fellowship, students will receive $100,000 to cover tuition, fees and an additional stipend. The school plans to recruit for the one-year master's degree program in all 50 states, with classwork beginning in fall 2026.
"In this moment of political division and major challenges in America, it's never been a more important time to invest in the next generation of public servants," Harvard Kennedy School Dean Jeremy Weinstein said in a letter to the student body Thursday.
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The program comes as the school has been under attack by the Trump administration, with a federal task force accusing the university of violating the Civil Rights Act, alleging that it has allowed antisemitic harassment on campus and recommending that the Justice Department file a civil rights lawsuit against it.
The school already has lost more than $2.6 billion in federal research dollars, and President Donald Trump has said the school should lose its tax-exempt status. He also has challenged its accreditation and attempted to withhold student visas for international students.
The fellowship coincides with the administration's efforts to slash the size of the federal workforce, laying off workers across the board and gutting entities like the Department of Education, Voice of America and the U.S. Agency for International Development.
Nonetheless, the fellowship is designed to encourage careers in public service, including the federal government. It will be open to people who have served at least seven years in the U.S. military, including veterans or active-duty service members, or those who have worked in federal, state or local government, including teachers and law enforcement personnel.
According to Harvard, at least half of the recipients will be selected from military service.
"There's nothing more patriotic than public service," Weinstein said in a public statement Thursday. "Whether you served in the U.S. armed forces, in any level of government, as a teacher, a law enforcement professional, or in a civilian service organization, we want you to come to [the Harvard Kennedy School]."
Several Ivy League schools have made a concerted effort to attract veterans to diversify their student bodies to include military voices. Former Columbia President Lee Bollinger made veteran student recruitment a pillar of his presidency; in 2023, it had 700 veterans enrolled -- more than the other Ivy League schools combined.
In the past decade, more than 500 active-duty, veteran and reserve members have been educated at the Kennedy School. Notable alumni across the years include Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and former Defense Secretary Mark Esper, as well as Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I.; Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass.; and Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas.
The school also is encouraging public servants who meet eligibility requirements and have been laid off in the past six months to apply.
Applications will be open in September, and candidates will be notified next spring, according to the school. Weinstein said that even if public servants or veterans don't meet all the requirements, they should still consider applying.
"That's what this fellowship is all about: Helping train the current and future leaders of America, who have demonstrated throughout their lives that they are ready and willing to lead their communities and our country into the future," he said.
