The Scandinavian Consortium for Organizational Research (SCANCOR), is a full-time in-person program which facilitates international research in organizational social science. The program is a partnership between Harvard’s Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, Stanford University, and the Scandinavian Consortium for Organizational Research (SCANCOR) a membership-supported nonprofit sponsored by leading universities and business schools in Scandinavia.

SCANCOR has two locations in the United States:

• Stanford University in California
• Harvard University at Weatherhead Center in Massachusetts.

• to nurture the development of social scientists and their scholarship over the course of whole careers
• to advance research and development in the social sciences, particularly in the area of organizational studies
• to encourage collaboration among organizational social scientists worldwide
• to operate facilities at Stanford University and Harvard University for visiting scholars from our member institutions

SCANCOR application deadlines for both Stanford and Harvard are May 1 and December 1 with an additional September 1 deadline for Stanford for the following year.

The application portal opens two months before the deadline.

Stanford University: Please contact SCANCOR Coordinator at the Graduate School of Education, Olivia Motamedi at oliviamo@stanford.edu

Harvard University: Please contact SCANCOR Coordinator at the Weatherhead Center, Diana Ocampo Belloso at dianaocampobelloso@wcfia.harvard.edu

Full-time doctoral students, post-doctoral scholars, and full-time faculty from SCANCOR member institutions are eligible to apply at SCANCOR in Stanford.

SCANCOR welcomes visiting scholars to Stanford University. Scholars may stay between one to three quarters of the academic year.

• Access to on-campus libraries
• Participation in seminars and social events
• Applicants for all quarters are advised to plan their arrivals in advance of the start of an academic quarter and not at mid-term

Note: This is separate from the Visiting Scholar program

The fellowship is open to high-quality researchers who study the social, political, economic, or managerial aspects of organizations and their environments. The postdoctoral fellow allows one to set and pursue a research program according to his or her liking. There are no teaching requirements. This position is a terrific opportunity to deepen one’s research interests and profile.

A two-year fellowship for social science scholars, within three years of their PhD. The Postdoctoral fellows work in close collaboration with Stanford University faculty members and the program offers a pathway for excellence in future careers.

• Fellow is assigned a mentor from Stanford Faculty
• Access to Stanford campus such as libraries and recreational spaces
• Post-doc benefits such as health and dental insurance
• Two year stay on J1 visa

Please submit the following three documents: a CV, a writing sample in English, and a two-page research proposal outlining how your research relates to the SCANCOR mission. Doctoral student applicants must also submit a supervisor’s letter of support.

Visit here for a list of eligible institutions in each of our four charter countries, and a list of our associate members.

Stanford operates on a quarter system (three months). Fall applicants can choose to stay from 1-3 quarters. Winter applicants can choose to stay 1-2 quarters. Spring applicants are eligible for a 1-quarter stay.

US federal government regulations require Visiting Scholars and VSRs to obtain J1 visas for the period of residence at SCANCOR. The US federal government also requests proof of funding for the time of the visit and proof of sufficient proficiency in English such as a TOEFL score (or equivalent test) of 89 or higher or signed documentation from an academic institution or English language school.

There is no fee to apply.

For the Visiting Scholar program, if accepted:

• Doctoral students: There is a monthly fee for doctoral students for the duration of your stay, who are appointed to Visiting Student Researcher (VSR) status at Stanford University. VSRs maintain a non-matriculated student status. Stanford University charges a monthly fee for VSR status. For 2026-2027, this fee is $1,418 per month. SCANCOR has no ability to reduce or waive this fee. This fee is only applicable to SCANCOR visitors who are enrolled in a doctoral program at their home institution, during their SCANCOR appointment. Postdoctoral visitors to SCANCOR do not pay this fee.
• All scholars are required to maintain health insurance for the duration of their stay that satisfies US J-1 Visa health insurance requirements

All appointments are residential fellowships; visitors are expected to be in residence at Weatherhead and to be active participants in the intellectual life of the Weatherhead Center. Visiting Scholar appointments do not provide stipends.

Currently SCANCOR at the Weatherhead Center only considers applications from tenure-track or tenured, full-time faculty members who are working at SCANCOR member institutions.

Applications from non-SCANCOR-affiliated institutions:

SCANCOR at the Weatherhead Center endeavors to include visitors from institutions in the Global South through a fee waiver program. Applicants should indicate that they seek fee waiver.

Please write to the program coordinator for further information.

Harvard operates on a semester system and appointments are for one or two Harvard semesters. Please plan to visit for one or two full semesters (late August to early December in the fall, and late January to early May in the spring).

Applicants are advised to arrive before the start of the Harvard academic semester. Consult the Harvard website for the appropriate academic calendars. https://registrar.fas.harvard.edu/ten-year-calendar

Please submit the following three documents: a CV, a writing sample in English, and a two-page research proposal outlining how your research relates to the SCANCOR at the Weatherhead Center mission.

Note that SCANCOR at the Weatherhead Center will only consider applications from tenure-track or tenured faculty who are working at eligible universities. 

Visit this page for a list of eligible institutions in each of our four charter countries, and a list of our associate member schools

For additional information about the application process, please see the following link: scancor.org/apply

U.S. government regulations require Visiting Scholars to obtain J1 visas for the period of residence at SCANCOR at the Weatherhead Center.  Federal regulations require proof of funding for the time of the visit and proof of English language proficiency, such as a TOEFL score or documentation from an academic institution or English language school.

Visiting Scholar appointments do not provide stipends.

Appointments are made by the SCANCOR Directors upon the advice of the SCANCOR Board of Directors. Applications from institutions in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden always receive an in-country review in advance of evaluation by the Director.

Selection is based on a judgment of the likelihood that a stay at SCANCOR will advance high-quality research and international cooperation through active contributions to scholarly activities at Stanford. This judgment is based primarily on the quality of the research abilities of the applicant and fit with existing research at Stanford. We are particularly interested in applications from scholars whose work focuses on institutions, organizations, and organizing related to social impact or the public good.

PhD students who are later in their PhD program will be given greater consideration than those who have just started their program

Notifications are sent within two months after the application deadline.

Appointments are made by the Weatherhead Executive Committee, in consultation with the SCANCOR Board of Directors. Applications from institutions in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden always receive an in-country review in advance of evaluation by the Weatherhead Executive Committee.

Selection is based on a judgment of the likely contribution that a stay at SCANCOR at the Weatherhead Center will make to the production of high-quality research. This judgment is based primarily on the quality and relevance of the research abilities of the applicant. We are particularly interested in applications from scholars who have made plans to pursue research topics or collaborations that could not be pursued in their home countries.

We strive for parity in regard to nationality and seek a viable mix in terms of academic rank and gender. We also consider whether the proposed research contributes to the Weatherhead project of international research. These factors help us select scholars who will be able to make the best use of Harvard and the Weatherhead community.

Notifications are sent within two months after the application deadline.