Join
Thank you for your interest in The Harper Review! We are currently closed for writing submissions and open for editing applications. Apply at this form by October 16, 2026: https://forms.gle/qrvHVZZyte7mg8T18.
Editing
We recruit two types of editors at the start of autumn quarter: Assistant editors support the day-to-day activities of the magazine, from producing issues to managing socials, hosting events, and so forth. Contributing editors, taking a misnomer from Harper’s Magazine, do not edit—they write weekly criticism and correspondence for our newsletter, and receive priority consideration for publication in the magazine proper.
We are looking for students who understand and are excited about the magazine’s style and mission. Applicants to either position should expect to answer a few short questions and submit a writing sample.
Open to students at the University of Chicago.
Writing
We publish issues three times a year. Submissions close in September for the autumn issue, January for winter, and March for spring. Articles fall into two categories: Essays explore contemporary cultural or political phenomena in 1.5–2.5k words, thinking alongside interlocutors without relying on jargon or vogue. Letters respond to the quarterly prompt in 400–600 words.
We want writing that seeks truth and beauty. The best (and only) way to understand our editorial predilections is to read past issues. Please note that while ideas from class can inspire essays, we are a general-audience magazine and do not consider academic papers.
Open to anyone and everyone with something to say.