Academic Year Housing

The CSWR Residential Community

CSWR residents are selected based on their particular interests in world religions in combination with their potential for substantively contributing to and benefiting from residency at the Center. Harvard graduate students, visiting fellows, and visiting faculty with an interest in world religions are strongly encouraged to apply. Throughout the year numerous social and academic events take place at the Center, and we hope that residents will participate actively in such events. Participation enhances the community spirit of the CSWR and affords residents the opportunity to interact with colleagues on multiple levels throughout the year. Residents are encouraged to consider possible new initiatives for social and academic events, and to discuss these with the residential coordinator.

Key to the residential community at the Center is the World Religions Café, a series of informal presentations throughout the year by its residents, for the residential community and occasional invited outside guests. These cafes, which occur on Friday mornings for an hour, are a required part of residential life. They offer an opportunity for the CSWR residential community to come together for conversation around the theoretical and applied interests of its members. Residents in the past have found the cafe venue to be a good opportunity either to test the waters for a new research project or to share current work. The atmosphere of this particular series of meetings is intended to be relaxed and conducive to in-depth conversation around the morning’s topic. As the year progresses and everyone hears the presentations and takes a turn presenting, the intellectual and social life of the Center is deepened and enhanced.

In addition, there are other occasions when the residents gather informally while following social-distancing guidelines (due to Covid-19 concerns, residents can also elect to gather via Zoom or MS Teams). We welcome residents' suggestions on ways to enhance life at the Center.

Apply for Academic Year Residence

Decisions regarding residency are made by the Director, in consultation with the Associate Director and Residential Coordinator, and take into consideration the following factors:

  • Reasons for wanting to live at the CSWR.
  • Ways that your interests might enrich the CSWR community.
  • Representation of field or area of study in the CSWR community of scholars.
  • Desire to actively participate in CSWR residential events and activities.

Applications due February 15, 2024. Residency decisions will be announced sometime in early May. Accepted residents can move in starting Monday, August 19, 2024. The move-out date is Friday, May 23, 2025. Download the 2024-25 application (PDF).

Rates for Academic Year Residence

Below are the 2024-2025 academic year rates per month (Updated Wednesday, January 18, 2023)

  • Studio: $1,800.75/month
  • One-bedroom: $2,268.00/month
  • Two-bedroom: $2,803.50/month (can be rented for an individual, or shared for $1,401.75/month per roommate)
  • Three-bedroom: $3320.50/month

Utilities (heat, hot water, electricity) and broadband internet are included. There is no air conditioning in the apartments. Pets are not permitted.

PLEASE NOTE: We are ONLY accepting emailed applications. For inquiries, please contact the CSWR, cswr@hds.harvard.edu