A guide to pre-doctoral sources of funding

Available to doctoral candidates at U.S. colleges and universities in all fields of study. Junior Research Fellowships are specifically designed to enable doctoral candidates to pursue dissertation research in India. Junior Research Fellows establish formal affiliation with Indian universities and Indian research supervisors.

Sponsors travel to and research in the Scandinavian countries.

Awards several fellowships each year, with the exception of the Anna C. and Oliver C. Colburn Fellowship, which is awarded every other year. These fellowships are generally offered to students in doctoral programs or to recent recipients of the Ph.D.

The AAC's Humanities Fellowship Program funds doctoral students in the humanities to undertake research, training, and study in Asia in the following fields: archaeology; conservation; museology; and the theory, history, and criticism of architecture, art, dance, film, music, photography, and theater. The AAC's Japan-United States Arts Program

Offers up to one year of research support at the Freie Universitat Berlin. The program is open to scholars in all social science and humanities disciplines, including historians working on the period since the mid-19th century. It accepts applications from U.S. and Canadian nationals or permanent residents. Applicants for a dissertation fellowship must be full-time graduate students who have achieved ABD status by the time the proposed research stay in Berlin begins. Also eligible are U.S. and Canadian Ph.D.s who have received their doctorates within the past two calendar years.

The Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts (CASVA) offers nine fellowships. Each has specific requirements and intents, including support for the advancement and completion of a doctoral dissertation, for residency and travel during the period of dissertation research, and for postdoctoral research. Application for a predoctoral fellowship may be made only through nomination by the chair of the graduate department of art history or other appropriate departments. To be eligible, the nominee must have completed all departmental requirements, including course work, residency, and general and preliminary examinations. Certification in two languages other than English is required. Candidates must be either United States citizens or enrolled in a university in the United States.

Fellowships require scholars to conduct research in more than one country, at least one of which hosts a participating American overseas research center: the American Academy in Rome; the American Center of Oriental Research in Amman; the American Institute for Maghrib Studies (Tunisia and Morocco); the American Institute for Sri Lankan Studies; the American Institute for Yemeni Studies; the American Institute of Bangladesh Studies; the American Institute of Indian Studies; the American Institute of Iranian Studies; the American Institute of Pakistan Studies; the American Research Center in Egypt; the American Research Institute in Turkey; the American School of Classical Studies at Athens; the Center for Khmer Studies, the Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute; the Mexico-North Research Network, the Palestinian American Research Center; the West African Research Association (West African Region); and the W. F. Albright Institute of Archaeological Research in Jerusalem. Given changing restrictions to many countries, applicants should contact CAORC before preparing a proposal. The program is open to U.S. doctoral candidates and scholars who have already earned their Ph.D. in fields in the humanities, social sciences, or allied natural sciences and wish to conduct research of regional or trans-regional significance.

The Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) offers fellowships funded by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for dissertation research in the humanities in original sources. The program offers about ten competitively awarded fellowships per year, each providing a monthly stipend for 8-12 months. Fellows receive an additional grant after participating in a symposium on research in original sources and submitting an acceptable report to CLIR on the research experience.

Sponsors doctoral students wishing to study or to do research in Germany. Grants are awarded primarily to highly qualified PhD candidates, but also to Master's degree holders and post-doc researchers for research or a course of study and training at universities or other institutes.

Supports graduate work in any recognized field of study in the humanities, social sciences, or natural sciences (including law, medicine, engineering, architecture or other formal professional training) and scholarly publications focusing on Armenian studies and culture. Fellowships are restricted to graduate students who are United States citizens attending an accredited institution of higher education within the United States. The program of study need not be limited to Armenian studies, and candidates can be of any national descent. Applications must be submitted through the dean of the university. The Fund also makes grants to support the publication of dissertations, historical or literary works focusing on Armenian culture or history. Additional conditions apply. Applicants must be nominated by the University, so interested students should contact the graduate chair.

The Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection is an international center for scholarship, providing resources for study and publishing scholarly works in Byzantine, Pre-Columbian, and Garden and Landscape Architecture Studies.

Fulbright grants are available to more than 100 countries in Europe, the Near East, Africa, Central and South America, and the Asia/Pacific region. Applicants must be U.S. citizens. Penn students must apply through the university.

Provides grants to colleges and universities to fund individual doctoral students to conduct research in countries outside of Western Europe in modern foreign languages. Restricted to U.S. citizens and permanent residents who intend to teach in the United States after completing their degree. Students must apply through Penn's Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships (CURF).

Supports short periods of residence and research at the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum; recipients are expected to take part in the life of the Research Center. Scholarships are awarded to (a) doctoral candidates who have fulfilled all preliminary requirements for the Ph.D. and are under the direction of a faculty member from their own institution, (b) scholars who hold a doctorate or comparable degree and/or experience, and (c) museum professionals.

Sponsors U.S. citizens who are no more than 35 years old to conduct research in Germany. The scholarship provides for a stay of one year in Germany for professional development, study, or research. Applicants design individual projects and select institutions at which institutions to pursue them. Successful candidates have come from such fields as business, government, social and policy sciences, law, journalism, communications, management, finance, economics, architecture, public service, humanities, arts and environmental affairs.

Awarded annually to a scholar, from any field, whose work will help promote the extended and complementary use of the British Library's book and cartographic collections in historical investigation. The Fellow will be treated like a member of staff (i.e. not restricted to reading room hours) and will be provided with his/her own work-station, with an e-mail account and access to the Internet. Preference will be given to proposals that relate to the Library's collections and have an international dimension. The fellowship may be held as a full or part-time appointment.

Meant to assist graduate students in any stage of Ph.D. dissertation research or writing. The grants may be carried out in residence at the Fellow's home institution, abroad, or at another appropriate site for the research. The fellowships, however, may not be used to defray tuition costs and may not be held concurrently with any other major fellowship or grant.

The Institute of Historical Research (IHR) offers fellowships funded by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for dissertation research in the humanities in original sources. The purposes of the fellowship program are to help doctoral candidates who may otherwise not have opportunities or encouragement to work in original source materials in the humanities in the United Kingdom; help doctoral candidates in the humanities to deepen their ability to develop knowledge from original sources; provide insight from the viewpoint of doctoral candidates into how scholarly resources can be developed most helpfully in the future.

The International Dissertation Field Research Fellowship (IDRF) program provides support for social scientists and humanists conducting dissertation field research in all areas and regions of the world. Up to fifty fellowships are awarded per year. The program is administered by the Social Science Research Council in partnership with the American Council of Learned Societies. Funds are provided by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The IDRF awards enable doctoral candidates of proven achievement and outstanding potential to use their knowledge of distinctive cultures, societies, languages, economies, polities, and histories, in combination with their disciplinary training, to address issues that transcend their disciplines or area specializations. The program supports scholarship that treats place and setting in relation to broader phenomena as well as in particular historical and cultural contexts.

Predoctoral and Postdoctoral Fellowships provide support for emerging scholars to complete work on projects related to the Getty Research Institute's annual theme. Recipients are in residence at the Getty Research Institute, where they pursue research to complete their dissertations or to expand them for publication. Fellows make use of the Getty collections, join in a weekly meeting devoted to the annual theme, and participate in the intellectual life of the Getty Center.

Funds graduate students for one year of research or study in Japan. The purpose of the fellowships is to support future American educators who will teach more effectively about Japan. One fellowship is awarded per year. Applicants may affiliate with Kobe College for their award year, however this is not a requirement.

Winterthur awards four semesters of McNeil funding each year. Applicants may apply for one semester or for the academic year. This fellowship is intended to support dissertation research in Winterthur's collections and so is particularly appropriate for candidates in the earlier stages of a project.

Provides grants for Japanese and non-Japanese scholars of the arts of East Asia, including support for dissertation research overseas. Grants are intended as seed money for new projects or as supplements to other income. Students must complete all requirements for the Ph.D. except the dissertation by March first prior to the grant period.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art offers annual resident fellowships in art history to graduate students at the pre-doctoral level as well as to postdoctoral researchers. Projects should relate to the Museum's collections. The fields of research for art history candidates include Asian art; arts of Africa, Oceania and the Americas; antiquities; arms and armor, costumes; drawings, illuminated manuscripts; paintings, photographs, prints, sculpture, textiles, and Western art. Some art history fellowships for travel abroad are also available for students whose projects involve firsthand examination of paintings in major European collections.

The Samuel H. Kress Foundation offers two types of predoctoral fellowships. There are fifteen to twenty Kress Travel Fellowships in the History of Art for travel required for the completion of dissertation research on European art. Dissertation research must focus on European art before 1900. Other fellowships require a two-year research appointment with a foreign institution, pre-selected by the foundation. The fellowships are restricted to pre-doctoral candidates in the history of art. Nominees must be U.S. citizens or individuals matriculated at an American university. Candidates must be nominated by their art history department.

Support research on the art and visual culture of the United States. Fellowships include a stipend plus research and travel allowances. The standard term of residency is twelve months, but shorter terms are considered; stipends are pro-rated for periods less than twelve months.

The Albright provides 50 awards annually. Fellowships are open to those in ancient Near Eastern studies, including the fields of archaeology, anthropology, art history, epigraphy, historical geography, history, language, literature, philology and religion and related disciplines from prehistory, through the early Islamic period. The research period should be continuous, without frequent trips outside the country. Residence at the Albright is normally required; it is sometimes possible to accommodate dependents.

The Albright provides 50 awards annually. Fellowships are open to those in ancient Near Eastern studies, including the fields of archaeology, anthropology, art history, epigraphy, historical geography, history, language, literature, philology and religion and related disciplines from prehistory, through the early Islamic period. The research period should be continuous, without frequent trips outside the country. Residence at the Albright is normally required; it is sometimes possible to accommodate dependents.

ARCE administers fellowships for study in Egypt by students enrolled in doctoral programs at North American universities and by post-doctoral scholars and professionals affiliated with North American universities and research institutions.

ARIT directly supports and administers a variety of fellowship for scholarly research and for language study in Turkey. Programs for U.S.-based scholars and graduate students include the ARIT, Kress, Erim, NEH, and the ARIT-Princeton Summer Language Program at Bogazici University in Istanbul. ARIT Fellows come from all regions of the country and represent many fields of the humanities and social sciences. ARIT fellowships support individual research projects in ancient, historical, and modern times in all fields of the humanities and social sciences that must be carried out in Turkey.

The American School of Classical Studies at Athens is the principal resource in Greece for American scholars conducting advanced research on the language, literature, art, history, archaeology, and philosophy of Greece and the Greek world from pre-Hellenic times to the present. Each year the School, its programs, and its facilities welcome some 400 graduate students and scholars from over 160 affiliated North American colleges and universities.

Sponsors research by promising scholars whose dissertations focus on areas traditionally supported by the Graham Foundation: architecture, landscape architecture, interior design, architectural technologies, architectural research, architectural history and theory, urban design and planning, and-in some circumstances-the fine arts.

The French Government awards about 20 scholarships a year to Ph.D. candidates in the humanities or social sciences enrolled in American universities.

Provides support for research in the field of Chinese Studies in the humanities and social sciences. Applicants should have completed all other requirements for their Ph.D. degree except the dissertation. In addition, eligible applicants should not be employed or receive grants from other sources.

Predoctoral and postdoctoral grants for travel to and residence in Venice and the Veneto. Grants are awarded for historical research specifically on Venice and the former Venetian empire, and for study of contemporary Venetian society and culture. Disciplines of the humanities and social sciences are eligible areas of study, including (but not limited to) archaeology, architecture, art, bibliography, economics, history, history of science, law, literature, music, political science, religion, and theater.

Doctoral Fellowships give doctoral candidates in the humanities and social sciences, including comparative research projects, the opportunity to conduct research in Japan for periods ranging from 4 to 12 months. Applicants must have completed all academic requirements except the dissertation when they begin the fellowship and are expected to have sufficient proficiency in the Japanese language to pursue their research in Japan. Higher priority will be given to applicants who expect to submit their dissertation shortly after the completion of their fellowship. Three letters of reference, an evaluation of Japanese-language ability, and academic transcripts must accompany all applications.

Fellows receive office space in the Center's quarters at the heart of the University of Pennsylvania's historic campus, and library, computer, and other privileges at the University. Limited travel funds for research are also available. While no teaching is required, all McNeil Center fellows are expected to be in residence during the academic year and to participate in the Center's program of seminars and other activities. While a limited number of shorter-term awards may be made, all candidates should apply for a nine-month appointment.

The Academy offers three types of dissertation research fellowships: The Birgit Baldwin Fellowship in French Medieval History, the Schallek Fellowship, and Medieval Academy Dissertation Grants. The Baldwin Fellowship provides a grant to support a graduate student in a North American university who is researching and writing a significant dissertation for the Ph.D. on any subject in French medieval history that can be realized only by sustained research in the archives and libraries of France. It may be renewed for a second year upon demonstration of satisfactory progress. Because of the renewable nature of the fellowship, applications are solicited on a biannual basis. The Schallek Fellowship provides a one-year grant to support Ph.D. dissertation research in any relevant discipline dealing with late-medieval Britain (ca. 1350-1500). Medieval Academy dissertation grants support advanced graduate students who are writing Ph.D. dissertations on medieval topics. The grants help defray research expenses such as the cost of travel to research collections and the cost of photographs, photocopies, microfilms, and other research materials.

Offers a grant in support of research (such as dissertation or archival research) in the Netherlands or Belgium on any subject within Netherlandic Studies. Under exceptional circumstances, an additional scholarship may be awarded. The field is broadly defined and may include research on, for example, aspects of Dutch/Netherlandish culture as they relate to Indonesia or South Africa, or research on the Afrikaans language. The grant is intended for citizens or residents of the United States who study or teach at an American university. Preference is given to those scholars who do not receive research support from their home institution.

The American Numismatic Society provides three forms of financial aid for study and research: six stipends for attendance at the Society's annual Eric P. Newman Graduate Seminar in Numismatics; the Frances M. Schwartz Fellowship; and Donald Groves Fund awards.

Various small grants, including funding for short research trips, for dissertation-level graduate students working on projects related to Japan or Korea.

Internships for periods of up to four months are awarded to graduate students enrolled full time in an architecture or historic preservation program. Interns are expected to reside in Philadelphia and devote half their time to service in the department of architecture at the Athenaeum to develop practical skills in the management of architectural records. An equivalent amount of time is to be spent on the intern's own research in American architecture or building technology prior to 1860. Internships may be used in any months of the year.

Awards scholarships to university students who need to study in Rome to carry out research concerning Rome and Roman culture from the Pre-Roman period to the present.

In 1985 Williams College established the Gaius Charles Bolin Fellowships to underline the importance of diversity on college faculties by encouraging able minority students to complete the doctoral degree and to pursue careers in college teaching. The Bolin Fellowships enable at least two graduate students from underrepresented groups to devote the bulk of their time during the academic year to the completion of dissertation work in residence at Williams College. Named in honor of its first black graduate, who was admitted to Williams in 1885, the Bolin Fellowships will be awarded to graduate students from underrepresented groups who are working toward the Ph.D. in the humanities or in the natural, social, or behavioral sciences. The College will also provide housing assistance, academic support including office space and computer and library privileges, and an allowance for research-related expenses. During the year of residence at Williams, the Bolin Fellows will be affiliated with an appropriate department or program, and will be expected to teach one one-semester course, normally in the fall semester. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and must have completed all doctoral work except the dissertation by the end of the current academic year.

The Penn Graduate Students Association Council provides travel grants for graduate and professional students presenting their work at professional conferences and meetings.

The Huntington is an independent research center with holdings in British and American history, literature, art history, and the history of science and medicine. The Library collections range chronologically from the eleventh century to the present and includes 600,000 photographs, a half-million rare books, nearly six million manuscripts, and a large ephemera collection, supported by a half-million reference works. The Art Collections contain notable British and American paintings, fine prints, photographs, and an art reference library. In the library of the Botanical Gardens is a broad collection of reference works in botany, horticulture, and gardening. Fellowships derive from a variety of funding sources and have different terms. Recipients of all fellowships are expected to be in continuous residence at the Huntington and to participate in and make a contribution to its intellectual life.

The John Carter Brown Library awards approximately twenty-five Research Fellowships each academic year. Regular John Carter Brown Library Fellowships are available for periods of two to four months. Sponsorship of research at the John Carter Brown Library is reserved exclusively for scholars whose work is centered on the colonial history of the Americas, North and South, including all aspects of the European, African, and Native American involvement.

Offers short-term grants and fellowships for students doing doctoral research on the social, communal and intellectual history of German-speaking Jewry.

Each year, the Friends of the Princeton University Library offer short-term Library Research Grants to promote scholarly use of the research collections. The Program in Hellenic Studies also supports a limited number of Library Research Grants in Hellenic studies, and the Cotsen Children's Library supports research in its collection on aspects of children's books. The Maxwell Fund supports research on materials dealing with Portuguese-speaking cultures.

The Salvatori awards are stipulated for short-term research projects in any area of Italian Studies and are open to all graduate students and standing faculty at Penn. The awards focus directly on planned research with a definite program of endeavor: this means that general academic study or "fishing expeditions" in Italy will not be considered for funding. The Salvatori awards, however, are broadly enough gauged in their intention that they can sponsor supplemental research expenses, incidental publication costs, and travel for research or for significant conference presentations not otherwise funded by the University.

Each year SAH awards between five and ten graduate student fellowships to enable speakers engaged in advanced graduate study to attend the Society's annual meeting. Student Speakers are responsible for submitting applications to the SAH office. All fellowship applicants must be current members of the SAH.

Funding for summer study of Albanian, Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, or Romanian, intended for people who will use these languages in academic research or teaching. In most cases, proposals for beginning or intermediate level should be for attendance at intensive courses offered by institutions of higher education in the US, although, in exceptional cases, proposals for study in Southeast Europe will be considered. Proposals for study at the advanced level will ordinarily be for courses in Southeastern Europe. Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States.

Recipients must be pursuing a project in the field of North American costume. The grant includes a plus a travel component intended to allow recipients to attend the National Symposium and present the completed research.

The Ansel Adams Research Fellowship is one facet of the Institute for Photographic Research, an initiative aimed at realizing the Center's mission to be not simply a repository for materials, but a place where new knowledge about photography is created and shared, where the medium's history and traditions are studied, taught, debated, and learned. The Fellowship is intended to provide research time for scholars needing to use the archives, photograph collection, and/or library of the Center for Creative Photography. The research topic may be anything appropriate to the Center's holdings.

Supports research projects relevant to an ongoing field project in Cyprus. Grants are to be used to fund a period of research time in residence at CAARI and to help defray costs of travel. Residence at CAARI is required.

Encourages original and significant research about women that crosses disciplinary, regional, or cultural boundaries. Previous Fellows have explored such topics as women's role in African American adult literacy, women's sports, militarism and the education of American women, the urban crisis, gender and globalization in Indian film, and the dynamics of employment and childbearing. Students in doctoral programs in any field of study at graduate schools in the United States are eligible to apply. The fellowship award must be used for research expenses such as travel, books, taping, and computer services.