Syracuse University

Maxwell School

Roscoe Martin Fund for Dissertation and Thesis Research

The Roscoe Martin Fund provides grants to graduate students for expenses related to dissertation and thesis research, including travel to perform research, data fees, and other research needs. Call for Proposals

Andrew Berlin Family National Security Research Fund

The Institute for Security Policy and Law (SPL)—a collaboration between Maxwell and the SU College of Law—awards grants through the Berlin Fund to faculty and student teams that promote research on salient topics in security studies, including national security, homeland security, and human security. Funds can be used to cover the costs of conducting and disseminating research. Applications consisting of a project description, a timeline for the activities covered, and a simple budget are accepted on a rolling basis. Contact Keli Perrin (kaperrin@law.syr.edu) to submit an application.

Moynihan Summer Research Grants

Each spring, applications are invited for Summer Research Grants from the Regional Centers of the Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs. The purpose of the awards is to provide students the opportunity to develop field experience, whether to gather preliminary data, make contacts, map topics, or increase the competitiveness of future proposals for funding. Any graduate student enrolled in a MA or PhD program at Syracuse University may apply. Visit the Center websites or call the Moynihan Institute at (315) 443-4022 for more information. Application deadlines are typically March 1.

South Asia Center: 29^th Agehananda Bharati Memorial Graduate Scholarship

Open to Maxwell students enrolled in PhD programs with research projects in South Asia
Grants range from $1000 to $3000

Center for European Studies: Center for European Studies Annual Graduate Student Grant Competition

Open to Syracuse University students enrolled in MA or PhD programs with research projects in or concerning Europe
Can be used to gather preliminary data, make contacts, and map topics
Grants range from $500 to $1500

Maxwell African Scholars Union: Maxwell African Scholars Union Annual Graduate Student Grant Competition

Open to Syracuse University students enrolled in MA or PhD programs with research projects in or concerning Sub-Saharan Africa
Can be used to gather preliminary data, make contacts, and map topics
Grants provide up to $2,500 in support

Program on Latin America and the Caribbean: Program on Latin America and Caribbean Annual Graduate Student Grant Competition

Open to Syracuse University students enrolled in MA or PhD programs with research projects in or concerning Latin America or the Caribbean
Can be used to gather preliminary data, make contacts, and map topics
Grants provide up to $1,500 in support

Middle Eastern Studies Program: Middle Eastern Studies Program Annual Graduate Student Competition

Open to Syracuse University students enrolled in MA or PhD programs with research projects in or concerning the Middle East
Can be used for advanced language training or gathering data

East Asia Program: East Asia Program Annual Graduate Student Grant Competition

Open to Syracuse University students enrolled in PhD programs with research projects in East Asia

Can be used to gather preliminary data, make contacts, and map topics
Grants provide up to $2,000 in support

South Asia Center Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship Program

Open to undergraduate and graduate students who are studying less commonly taught South Asian languages at the intermediate to advanced level, this graduate fellowship program provides 24 credit of tuition and a stipend of $15,000. U.S. citizenship or permanent residency required; see announcement for additional eligibility requirements. Application deadline is typically April 15.

Program for the Advancement of Research on Conflict and Collaboration (PARCC) Mini-Grant Research Program

The mission of PARCC is to advance research on conflict and collaboration, including theory, practice, and education. PARCC grants research awards in the range of $500 to $3,000 to support research activities in PARCC's areas of focus: International and Interstate Conflicts, Environmental Collaboration, Collaborative Governance, and Advocacy and Activism. The awards selection is based on potential contribution to scholarship, possibility of future funding, consistency with the goals of PARCC, and cost-effectiveness. Funds are used for such activities as data acquisition, survey design, the hosting of research conferences at Maxwell, and research assistance.

PARCC John Burdick Mini-Grant Award for Research on Social Movements and Social Change

Honoring the life and legacy of Professor John Burdick (1959-2020), this grant program supports faculty and graduate students conducting research projects on social movements and social change. This program will also consider projects that employ community-based research methods (e.g. ethnography, intensive fieldwork, action research) in partnership with social movement organizations. Researchers may use these awards for research activities such as but not limited to data acquisition, fieldwork, survey design, or research assistance. The selection committee will choose project proposals based on their consistency with program goals, potential contribution to scholarship and activism, possibility of future funding, and cost-effectiveness.

Graduate School

Summer Dissertation Fellowships

In 2019, the Graduate School announced a pilot summer funding program of dissertation fellowships to advanced doctoral students. The summer dissertation fellowships provide $4,000 each to a select group of outstanding doctoral students to facilitate progress towards completion of the dissertation. Funding can be used to offset cost of living expenses and/or to cover research-related expenses.

Graduate Student Organization

Professional, Academic, and Creative Work Grant Program

The Professional, Academic, and Creative Work Program partially reimburse academic and professional conference expenses for graduate students. Graduate students can request funding to cover the cost of transportation, lodging, registration, and membership expenses. The GSO PAC Committee gives awards ranging from $50 to $500 based on the quality of the application. This program has multiple deadlines throughout the academic year.

External Grants and Fellowships

Wenner-Gren Foundation’s Engaged Research Grants

The Engaged Research Grants program works to empower individuals who are frequently the subject of anthropological research rather than the researchers themselves. Projects funded through this program should work to collaboratively create anthropological knowledge produced by both academic researchers and their interlocutors.

This program is open to postdoctoral researchers and students enrolled in doctoral programs at the time of application. Individuals of all nationalities pursuing doctorates in Anthropology or related degrees are eligible to apply.

Supports dissertation research
Funding: $20,000
Deadline is typically in August

Humanities New York’s Action Grants

The Action Grant program offers community organizations, scholars, and public-facing institutions funding to develop projects that allow public audiences to reflect on their values, explore new ideas, and engage with others in their community. Eligible projects may be in-person, virtual, or both.

Supports community-based projects
Funding: $5,000 (February and June deadlines); $10,000 (October deadline)
Deadlines: October 1 (for projects starting January 1 or later), February 1 (for projects starting May 1 or later), June 1 (for projects starting September 1)

Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Completion Fellowship

The Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Completion Fellowship is designed to support advanced graduate students in humanities and social sciences disciplines during their final year of PhD dissertation writing.

All doctoral candidates completing their PhD research in the United States are eligible to apply. Applicants are required to be less than six years into their program at the time of application. This fellowship is open to all scholars pursuing their PhDs in humanistic research, regardless of time period, world region, or methodology employed. Scholars whose research contributes new perspectives on the history and interests of historically marginalized populations are especially encouraged to apply.

Supports dissertation writing
Funding: $35,000, plus funds for research costs of up to $3,000 and for university fees of up to $5,000
Deadline is typically in October

United States Institute of Peace’s Peace Scholar Fellowship Program

The Peace Scholar Fellowship program offers non-residential writing fellowships to PhD candidates enrolled in U.S. universities. Applicants' research should cover issues of conflict management, peacebuilding, and relevant social studies.

Please note that this fellowship program does not support research that focuses on U.S. domestic issues, although this program may consider projects covering United States foreign policy.

Supports dissertation writing
Funding up to $20,000
Deadline is frequently in October

American Academy of University Women (AAUW)

American Dissertation Fellowship

The purpose of the American Dissertation Fellowship is to offset a scholar’s living expenses while she completes her dissertation. The fellowship must be used for the final year of writing the dissertation.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Additionally, applicants must complete all coursework, pass all preliminary examinations, and receive approval for their research proposals or plans by the preceding November. Students holding fellowships for writing a dissertation in the year prior to the AAUW fellowships year are not eligible. Open to applicants in all fields of study. Scholars engaged in science, technology, engineering and math or those researching gender issues are encouraged to apply.

Supports dissertation writing
Funding: $8,000–$50,000
Applications open on August 1
Deadline is November 1
Candidates must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents

Career Development Grants

Career Development Grants are available to bachelor's degree-holding scholars returning to school after a break of eight or more years. These scholars should be planning to enter the workforce in education; health and medical sciences; science, technology, engineering, math, or social sciences. Scholars can use funds from this program to cover fees related to tuition, school fees, books, supplies, and dependent care.

To be eligible to apply, applicants must have a bachelor's degree received before June 30, 2015. These scholars must also pursue a master's degree, second bachelor's degree, certification program, or specialized training. Students cannot use these funds for doctorate-level work.

Covers fees during coursework
Funding: $2,000-$20,000
Deadline is November 15
Applicant must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident

International Fellowship

International Fellowships support international women pursuing graduate or postdoctoral studies in the United States. Eligible candidates’ research should focus on themes and topics relevant to the lived experiences of women and girls. This fellowship can cover educational, childcare, living, and travel expenses to professional conferences.

Applicants must have citizenship in a country outside of the United States and hold the equivalent of a bachelor's degree. They should intend to return to their home country after their graduate studies to pursue a professional career.

Supports dissertation writing
Funding: $8,000–$50,000
Deadline is November 1
Fellowship supports women who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
Applicants must intend to return to their home county to pursue a professional career

American Philosophical Society’s Lewis and Clark Fund for Exploration and Field Research

This program supports doctoral students carrying out field studies that involve direct observation and collecting specimens and data. Applicants from disciplines with methodologies based on field studies such as archaeology, anthropology, biology, ecology, geography, geology, linguistics, paleontology, and population genetics are encouraged to apply. The Lewis and Clark Fund will not consider projects that primarily rely on archival or museum-based work.

U.S. citizens and residents who carry out research anywhere in the world are eligible to apply for this program. Applicants who have received a Lewis and Clark grant can reapply after two years of receiving the grant.

Supports dissertation research
Funding: Up to $5,000
Deadline is usually in November

ASA Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants (ASA DDRIG)

The ASA Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants program supports doctoral students whose research uses theoretically grounded empirical investigations to advance understanding of fundamental social processes.

All doctoral students completing their PhD research in the United States are eligible to apply. Successful applicants can use their grant funds to cover costs associated with conducting research and living expenses. Doctoral Students who have previously received an NSF DDRIG or ASA DDRIG are ineligible to apply.

Supports dissertation research
Funding: Up to $16,000
Deadline is usually in November
See Special Instructions for Applying to the ASA DDRIG program.

APSA Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants (APSA DDRIG)

The APSA Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants are available to all U.S.-based graduate students who are at the point of initiating or are already conducting dissertation research focused on advancing knowledge and understanding of citizenship, government, and politics.

Supports dissertation research
Funding: Up to $15,000
Deadline is usually in June
See Special Instructions for Applying to the APSA DDRIG program.

Charlotte W. Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship

The Charlotte Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellowships support PhD candidates in the humanities and the social sciences whose research grapples with ethical or religious values.

All doctoral candidates completing their PhD research in the United States are eligible to apply. Successful applicants are expected to use their fellowship appointment for dissertation writing only. Applicants who have won other national awards such as the ACLS, AAUW, Ford, Mellon, NAEd/Spencer, or Whiting fellowship are not eligible.

Supports dissertation writing
Funding: $30,000
Deadline is usually in November

SSRC Mellon International Dissertation Research Fellowship

The Mellon International Dissertation Research Fellowship supports PhD candidates in the humanities and the social sciences who are completing dissertations on Native American peoples and non-United States topics.

All graduate students enrolled in PhD programs in the United States are eligible to apply. All dissertation research requirements -except on-site research- must be completed before the fellowship begins. The IDRF program is designed to support research only and cannot be used for studies at foreign universities, conference participation, or dissertation write-up.

Supports Dissertation Research
Funding: $23,000
Deadline is usually in November

The Center for European Policy Analysis’s Title VIII CEE Area Studies Fellowship Program

The Title VIII CEE Area Studies Fellowship program supports American graduate-level students, post-doctoral scholars, and early career professionals in developing their knowledge of Central and Eastern Europe for six months. Fellow’s research topics can include but are not limited to security and defense, economic development, strategic communication, and energy security in a specific Central or Eastern European country or region. Applicants must have United States citizenship.

Funding: $3,500 per month of fellowship (6 months total)
Deadline is usually in December

Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowship Program

The Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowship funds PhD candidates who exhibit superior academic achievement and are dedicated to a career in teaching and research at the college or university level.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents. Fellows are expected to complete all departmental and institutional requirements, except for dissertation writing and defense, prior to the application deadline. Members of populations historically underrepresented in the academy are especially encouraged to apply.

Supports dissertation writing
Funding: $28,000
Deadline is usually in December

Horowitz Foundation for Social Policy

Research grants are open to researchers in all social science disciplines. Projects must deal with contemporary issues in the social sciences, particularly issues of policy relevance. Applicants need not be citizens of the United States, and grants are not restricted to U.S. residents.

Supports dissertation research
Funding: $7,500
Deadline is usually in December

Center for Retirement Research at Boston College’s Dissertation Fellowship Program

The Dissertation Fellowship Program supports doctoral candidates from all academic disciplines who research retirement and disability issues. Research can cover trends in disability, work in the modern economy, disabled beneficiaries, economic security of SSA beneficiaries, disparities by race and ethnicity, and improving service delivery.

Eligible applicants must be enrolled in a doctoral program at a United States university and have all coursework completed for a PhD at the start of the program. Applicants must also have a dissertation advisor and committee.

Supports dissertation research
Funding: $28,000
Deadline is usually in January

The Washington Center for Equitable Growth’s Doctoral/Post-Doctoral Grants

The Washington Center for Equitable Growth supports interdisciplinary research on how inequality affects economic growth and stability. Research can address multiple dimensions of inequality, including race, ethnicity, gender, place, environmental factors, and public policies.

The Doctoral/Postdoctoral Grants are open to graduate students currently enrolled in a doctoral program or who have a postdoctoral position at a university in the United States. Successful candidates can use this funding to cover costs associated with conducting research, such as participating in conferences, research assistance, or data purchase.

Supports dissertation research
Funding: $15,000
Deadline: Applications are usually due in January

The Washington Center for Equitable Growth’s Dissertation Scholars Program

The Washington Center for Equitable Growth supports interdisciplinary research on how inequality affects economic growth and stability. Research can address multiple dimensions of inequality, including race, ethnicity, gender, place, environmental factors, and public policies.

The Dissertation Scholars program is open to graduate students enrolled in a United States University. This program is usually an in-resident program, although it is currently operating virtually.

Supports dissertation writing
Funding: $50,000
Applications are usually due in January

The Jacobs Research Funds

The Jacobs Research Funds broadly supports scholars who study aboriginal languages and cultures of the Americas. These funds can be used to pay consultants, research assistants, travel, accommodations, and equipment.

Funding: $3,000, $6,000, and $9,000
Applications are usually due in February

Russell Sage Foundation’s Dissertation Research Grants Program

The Dissertation Research Grants Program funds scholars whose research is relevant to RSF’s priority areas. Applicants must be doctoral candidates currently enrolled at an institution of higher education in the United States. This program is intended to support students throughout data collection, data preparation, data analysis, and writing. Doctoral candidates who have completed data collection and analysis are ineligible to apply.

Supports dissertation research
Funding: Up to $10,000
Applications are usually in February

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Health Policy Research Scholars

The Health Policy Research Scholars is a four-year development program for doctoral students from non-clinical disciplines. Applicants should be interested in using public policy to enact change that improves the health and well-being of communities.

This program will only consider U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or individuals granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status. Applicants must be full-time, first-year doctoral students at the time of their application and have at least three academic years remaining in their doctoral program. Applicants must be from populations underrepresented in specific doctoral disciplines and marginalized backgrounds, including first-generation college students, individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, individuals from communities of color, and individuals with disabilities.

Supports dissertation research
Funding: $30,000 (per year, up to 4 years)
Deadline is usually in March

Wenner-Gren Foundation’s Dissertation Fieldwork Grants

The Dissertation Fieldwork Grant program supports graduate students pursuing their doctoral degrees in Anthropology or a related field. There is no preference for methodology, research location, or subfield. Applicants who employ a comparative perspective, are generating innovative approaches or ideas, or integrate two or more subfields in their research are especially encouraged to apply.

Supports dissertation research
Funding: up to $25,000
Applications are frequently due in May and November

Fulbright Study/Research Grant

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program offers research, study and teaching opportunities in over 140 countries to recent graduates and graduate students. The Fulbright program is funded by the U.S. Department of State and administered by the IIE (Institute of International Education). The program’s goals include the “promotion of international good will through the exchange of students in the fields of education, culture, and science.” Research/study applicants propose an independent project and secure an affiliation with an institution in the host country. Students from any field of study (including creative and performing arts) are encouraged to apply. These fellowships are available in around 140 countries. Programs vary depending on the country.

The SU Center for Fellowship and Scholarship Advising (CFSA) helps students pursue this program: Register with CFSA.

NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F31)

To provide predoctoral individuals with supervised research training in specified health and health-related areas leading toward the research doctoral degree (e.g., PhD).

NIH Individual Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Fellow Transition Award (F99/K00)

To support outstanding graduate students who have demonstrated potential and interest in pursuing careers as independent researchers in the transition from predoctoral studies to successful research postdoctoral appointments.

NSF Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants (DDRIG)

The NSF awards grants to doctoral students to improve the quality of dissertation research. These grants allow doctoral students to undertake significant data-gathering projects and to conduct field research in settings away from their campus which would not otherwise be possible. Proposals are judged on the basis of their scientific merit, including the theoretical importance of the research question and the appropriateness of the proposed data and methodology to be used in addressing the question.

See the DDRIG Application Toolkit for a full set of proposal development and submission resources.

NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)

The NSF GRFP recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported STEM disciplines who are pursuing research-based master's and doctoral degrees at accredited U.S. institutions. The five-year fellowship includes three years of financial support including an annual stipend and a cost of education allowance to the institution.