The Global Climate Policy Project (GCPP) unites Harvard and MIT, and partners around the world, to drive innovation in global climate policy. By fostering academic collaborations across climate science, economics, political science, law, and other areas, we generate ambitious new ideas and actionable policy proposals to address climate change.

The Global Climate Policy Scholars Program (GCPSP) is a year-long opportunity for undergraduates to explore climate change and public policymaking while gaining practical research and communication skills. Freshmen and sophomores from all curricular backgrounds and interests are encouraged to apply. Whether your focus is science, technology, social sciences, humanities, or the arts, GCPSP recognizes the need for diverse perspectives in shaping bold climate solutions.

Why Apply?

The Global Climate Policy Scholars Program offers a rare chance to combine academic study with real-world policy engagement, while working alongside world-class faculty, staff, and peers from diverse disciplines who care deeply about solving the climate crisis.

Through the program, students will develop climate policy research skills while working to effect real-world change through the completion of a policy challenge (described below). Selected students will receive stipends for independent research, attend monthly seminars and workshops, and engage with the wider Harvard and MIT climate community.

In addition, GCPSP will provide students with opportunities to:

• Build multidisciplinary research skills in climate policy research and communication.
• Position themselves for advanced studies in climate, economics, political science, and related fields.
• Position themselves to apply for badges and funding to attend the World Bank/IMF Annual Meetings (October) and/or COP31 (November).
• Engage in actionable research while discovering new solutions for global climate challenges.

Program features include:

• A policy challenge: Students will propose and investigate solutions to a real-world global climate policy question. Applicant proposals will focus on: 1) preserving climate data and modeling capacity, 2) promoting low-carbon technologies, or 3) addressing the nexus of climate and security.
• Research stipends: Selected students will receive modest stipends to conduct independent research to develop their proposals.
• Seminars and workshops: Students will participate in monthly workshops and seminars. These sessions will not only include lectures from guest experts but also skill-building exercises on topics such as policy analysis, policy communication, and research methodologies.
• Community: Students will engage with a network of peers and mentors across institutions, thereby directly contributing to ongoing global climate policy debates.

Expectations

The program will run during the Spring 2026 and Fall 2026 terms. Selected applicants will be expected to commit 6-8 hours per week to the program, including research activities, workshop and seminar participation, and check-ins with program mentors.

Application and Timeline

Harvard Students

Applications for the 2026 GCPSP cohort will open on September 17, 2025; the application deadline for Harvard students is October 31, 2025. The application form is available here: https://harvard.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4ZTkiUHgjzHxSDQ

Selected scholars will be informed of their acceptance in early December; the program will begin in February 2026. Harvard students can contact Rachel Mural (rmural@hks.harvard.edu) with any questions about the process

MIT Students

Applications for the 2026 GCPSP cohort open on September 23, 2025. MIT students will complete the Global Climate Policy Scholars application form to gain admittance into the program. The deadline for MIT students to complete the application is October 31, 2025. The application form is available here: https://harvard.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4ZTkiUHgjzHxSDQ

MIT students pre-selected for the program will be notified in early December. Pre-selected students may then need to submit the statement of work they outlined in the Global Climate Policy Scholars application to the MIT UROP office for funding ahead of the Spring term deadline (February 3, 2026). Applicants who have secured a placement in the program and funding from MIT will begin the program in early February. MIT students can contact Aisling O’Grady (aogrady@mit.edu) or Rachel Mural (rmural@hks.harvard.edu) with any questions about the process.

The Global Climate Policy Scholars Program is supported in part by the Betty Wold Johnson Foundation Undergraduate Fund for Climate and Environment at Harvard College.