HDS - Financial Aid - Outside Funding for Doctoral Research

Financial Aid

Outside Funding for Doctoral Research

Funding sources are listed alphabetically by the name of the sponsoring organization. Unless otherwise noted, please submit applications for funding directly to the sponsoring organization.

American Academy of Religion (AAR)

Collaborative Research Grants

To fulfill its commitment to advance research in religion, the AAR each year awards Collaborative Research Grants ranging from $500 to $5,000 to support projects proposed by AAR members and selected by the AAR Research Grants Review Committee. Collaborative grants are intended to stimulate cooperative research among scholars in different institutions, with a focus on a clearly identified research project. They may also be used for interdisciplinary work with scholars outside the field of religion, especially when such work shows promise of continuing beyond the year funded. Collaborative project proposals are expected to describe plans for having the results of the research published.

Individual Research Grants

To fulfill its commitment to advance research in religion, the AAR each year grants Individual Research Grants ranging from $500 to $5,000 to support projects proposed by AAR members and selected by the AAR Research Grants Review Committee. These grants provide support for important aspects of research, such as travel to archives and libraries, research assistance, field work, and released time.

American Historical Association Research Grants

The Albert J. Beveridge Grant for Research in the History of the Western Hemisphere

The funds for this program come from the earnings of the Albert J. Beveridge Memorial Fund. Only members of the American Historical Association are eligible. The grants are intended to further research in progress and may be used for travel to a library or archive, for microfilms, photographs, or photocopying—a list of purposes that is meant to be merely illustrative, not exhaustive (other expenses, such as child care, can be included). Preference will be given to those with specific research needs, such as the completion of a project or completion of a discrete segment thereof. Preference will be given to PhD candidates and junior scholars.

The Michael Kraus Research Grant in American Colonial History

The American Historical Association announces the availability of the Michael Kraus Research Grant in American Colonial History to recognize the most deserving proposal relating to work in progress on a research project in American colonial history, with particular reference to the intercultural aspects of American and European relations. Only members of the Association are eligible. The grants are intended to further research in progress and may be used for travel to a library or archive, for microfilms, photographs, or photocopying—a list of purposes that is meant to be merely illustrative, not exhaustive (other expenses, such as child care, can be included). Preference will be given to those with specific research needs, such as the completion of a project or completion of a discrete segment thereof. Preference will be given to PhD candidates and junior scholars.

The Littleton-Griswold Research Grant for Research in U.S. Legal History

The funds for this program come from the earnings of the Littleton-Griswold Fund. Only members of the American Historical Association are eligible to apply. The grants are intended to further research in progress and may be used for travel to a library or archive, for microfilms, photographs, or photocopying—a list of purposes that is meant to be merely illustrative, not exhaustive (other expenses, such as child care, can be included). Preference will be given to those with specific research needs, such as the completion of a project or completion of a discrete segment thereof. Preference will be given to PhD candidates and junior scholars.

The Bernadotte E. Schmitt Grants for Research in European, African, or Asian History

The funds for this program come from the earnings of a bequest from Bernadotte E. Schmitt, president of the American Historical Association in 1960. Only members of the association are eligible to apply. The grants are intended to further research in progress and may be used for travel to a library or archive, for microfilms, photographs, or photocopying—a list of purposes that is meant to be merely illustrative, not exhaustive (other expenses, such as child care, can be included). Preference will be given to those with specific research needs, such as the completion of a project or completion of a discrete segment thereof. Preference will be given to PhD candidates and junior scholars.

Asia Center Graduate Summer Research Grants

The Harvard University Asia Center offers grants to support graduate research during the summer relating to any country in East, South, and Southeast Asia. The competition is open to graduate students from all Schools at Harvard at all stages of their academic careers. Grants will not exceed $3,000.

Harvard's Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies (PDF; Adobe Reader required) offers grants to support graduate research during the summer in or relating to China and Taiwan. The competition is open to graduate students from all Schools at Harvard at all stages of their academic careers. Grants will not exceed $3,000. Recipients are required to submit, upon their return, a brief report on their work over the summer. Application deadline is Friday, February 27, 2009. Application and instructions are available on the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences' Fellowships Office website.

Collegeville Institute for Ecumenical and Cultural Research

The Collegeville Institute's Resident Scholars Program is normally for postdoctoral research. On occasion the admissions committee considers applications from persons with qualifications other than an already completed academic doctoral degree. Anyone without a doctorate is encouraged to explore the possibility of application first with the executive director. Resident scholars are expected to devote full time to their research projects as described in the applications. They should not plan to be away from Collegeville, Minnesota, for frequent and/or extended periods of time.

The Short-Term Residency Program is designed to accommodate people who can't find time for a semester stay, but who can get away for a three-week or longer commitment. Welcoming people with differing interests, backgrounds, and disciplines, the program provides for a variety of purposes, while still allowing individuals to take full advantage of the Institute experience.

The Collegeville Institute also offers a number of short Summer Programs.

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)

Members of ELCA congregations who are enrolled in a doctoral program for advanced theological study may apply directly to the ELCA for financial aid through the ELCA Educational Grant Program. Grants are given to PhD, ThD, and EdD candidates in theological study appropriate to seminary teaching. The program is open to both lay and ordained ELCA members.

Grants up to $4,000 per individual per year are awarded. Recipients may apply annually to renew their grants for a total of four years of support, but renewals are not guaranteed. In addition, a fifth year of support up to $2,000 may be awarded as a dissertation grant.

Annual grants are awarded based on academic calendar years from July 1 to June 30. Applications must be received before April 15 prior to the academic year for which the grant is sought. Awards will be announced to recipients in June, and recipients will receive their grants upon presentation of proof of registration, which is typically in September.

The Ford Foundation

The Ford Foundation Diversity Fellowships seek to increase the diversity of the nation's college and university faculties by increasing their ethnic and racial diversity, maximizing the educational benefits of diversity, and increasing the number of professors who can and will use diversity as a resource for enriching the education of all students.

To facilitate this goal, the Fellowship grants awards at the predoctoral, dissertation, and postdoctoral levels to students who demonstrate excellence, a commitment to diversity, and a desire to enter the professoriate.

For information regarding specific fellowship program goals and eligibility requirements, please visit the Ford Foundation website.

Fund for Nurturing Unitarian Universalist

The Panel on Theological Education of the Unitarian Universalist Association is receiving applications for grants up to $25,000 from Unitarian Universalist scholars who are committed to strengthening the UU movement through research and publication, excellence in teaching, and educational leadership.

Fund for Theological Education (FTE) Doctoral and Dissertation Fellowships

The FTE fellowships support outstanding African American students pursuing graduate degrees in religion and theology. This work is designed to address the significant shortage of African American scholars in faculty teaching and research positions. Diversity is crucial to the vitality of the academy and the Christian church. A strong presence of African American faculty in the nation's theological schools in particular is needed to serve today's diverse student body, to attract and inspire outstanding candidates for ministry, and to contribute to broad, deep, and inclusive teaching and research. The program offers two kinds of fellowships:

The goal of the Doctoral Fellowship is to recruit more African American doctoral degree candidates and support them in the first year of their graduate programs.
The goal of the Dissertation Fellowship is to help African American doctoral students successfully complete their dissertations and move toward faculty positions in theological schools and seminaries.

Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History invites applications for short-term fellowships in several categories: Research Fellowships for postdoctoral scholars at every faculty rank; Dissertation Fellowships for doctoral candidates who have completed exams and begun dissertation reading and writing; and Research Fellowships for journalists and independent scholars. The Gilder Lehrman Fellowships support work in one of their five archives.

Harvard University Committee on General Scholarships Traveling Fellowships

Australian Graduate Research Scholarships

Australian Graduate Research Scholarships are awarded to Harvard doctoral students to support research and/or field work in Australia that relates directly to their doctoral thesis.

The scholarship has been established to support a full academic year (September to June) of research in Australia. Fellowship recipients are required to live at their research destination for the length of the academic year. This scholarship is not intended to support multiple trips to research destinations for students who are based in Cambridge or elsewhere in the United States during the year.

The fellowship provides a lump-sum stipend that is paid to the recipient before he or she leaves the U.S. The funding maximum is currently $22,500.

For more information, or to receive an application, please contact Beth Flaherty in the HDS Office of Financial Aid. Applications must be submitted to the HDS Office of Financial Aid by 5 pm on Friday, January 30, 2009.

Sinclair Kennedy Traveling Fellowships

Sinclair Kennedy Traveling Fellowships are awarded to Harvard graduate students for one academic year of travel, study, and/or research outside the United States. The fellowship provides a lump-sum stipend that is paid to the recipient before he or she leaves the U.S. (the stipend was $22,000 for academic year 2008-09). The fellowship can be combined with other sources of funding, subject to the approval of the Committee on General Scholarships (CGS). Graduate students interested in applying must have already completed one full year of graduate study at Harvard at the time of application. Applicants need not hold a Harvard degree. Preference is given to applicants with U.S. citizenship.

Frank Knox Traveling Fellowships

Frank Knox Traveling Fellowships are awarded to Harvard College seniors and Harvard graduate students for one academic year of travel, study, and/or research in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, or the United Kingdom. The Knox Traveling Fellowship provides a lump-sum stipend that is paid to the recipient before he or she leaves the U.S. (the stipend was $22,000 for academic year 2008-09).The fellowship can be combined with other sources of funding, subject to the approval of the Committee on General Scholarships (CGS). Graduate students interested in applying must have already completed one full year of graduate study at Harvard at the time of application. Applicants need not hold a Harvard degree but must be U.S. citizens.

Frederick Sheldon Traveling Fellowships

Frederick Sheldon Traveling Fellowships are awarded to Harvard graduate students for one academic year of travel, study, and/or research outside the United States. Although the intent of this fellowship program is to provide Harvard graduate students with the opportunity to spend an academic year abroad, applications from students interested in travel, study, or research within the United States are considered on a case-by-case basis. In no event are Sheldon Fellowships awarded to students who wish to study or conduct research at Harvard or in the greater Boston area.

The Sheldon Fellowship provides a lump-sum stipend that is paid to the recipient before departing for his or her intended destination (the stipend was $22,000 for academic year 2008-09). The fellowship can be combined with other sources of funding subject to the approval of the Committee on General Scholarships (CGS). Graduate students must have already completed one full year of graduate study at Harvard at the time of application. Applicants must hold a Harvard degree or be a candidate for a Harvard degree in the year of application. Doctoral students with no prior Harvard degree may petition their departments to award them a master's degree in order to comply with this requirement. Preference is given to applicants with U.S. citizenship.

Harvard University Foreign Languages and Area Studies Fellowships (FLAS)

The Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences' FLAS Fellowships promote foreign language competence and international world area knowledge by ensuring the continuance of area expertise in a variety of fields, including academia. The FLAS Fellowship is an annual competition designed to finance graduate study in foreign languages and appropriately related area studies. For more information, see Outside Funding for Language Study.

Harvard University Weatherhead Center for International Affairs

Support of graduate and undergraduate students is an important priority for the Weatherhead Center. Generous grants from the Weatherhead Foundation and from the Hartley R. Rogers family allow the Center to provide extensive research opportunities for students. These funds complement our student programs funds from the Weatherhead Foundation and the Maurice and Sarah Samuels family, allowing us to offer exciting programs for both undergraduate and graduate students. Resources for students are extensive, ranging from thesis research grants and workshops for undergraduates to pre- and postdoctoral fellowships, language study opportunities, and affiliations for graduate students and recent PhD recipients. We invite students to explore the Weatherhead Center's myriad resources over the coming year.

The Hispanic Theological Initiative (HTI)

The Hispanic Theological Initiative will award four outstanding Latino/a doctoral students a $15,000 grant each year during the life of the program. This award is for full-time doctoral students (PhD, EdD, ThD, or equivalent only) and requires that the student's institution partners with the HTI in providing the student with a tuition scholarship.

The Julius B. Richmond Fellowship

The Julius B. Richmond Fellowship at Harvard's Center on the Developing Child supports the dissertation research of all Harvard University doctoral students. Established in 2006, the Center is dedicated to creating a new generation of leaders who have a broad perspective on the promotion of healthy child development and who recognize the need to bring strong scientific knowledge to bear on policies and programs that support the well-being of children.

This one-year fellowship provides students a $10,000 stipend in support of their independent research. Complete applications must be submitted by May 1, 2009. Decisions will be made in June. All Harvard University doctoral students are eligible to apply.

Massachusetts Historical Society Short-Term Research Fellowships

The Massachusetts Historical Society will offer approximately 20 short-term research fellowships in 2009. Except where otherwise noted, each grant will provide a stipend of $1,500 for four weeks of research at the Society sometime between July 1, 2009, and June 30, 2010. Short-term awards are open to independent scholars, advanced graduate students, and holders of the PhD or the equivalent, with candidates who live 50 or more miles from Boston receiving preference. Recipients must be U.S. citizens or foreign nationals holding the appropriate U.S. government documents.

The National Academies Ford Foundation Diversity Fellowships

The Ford Foundation Diversity Fellowships seek to increase the diversity of the nation's college and university faculties by increasing their ethnic and racial diversity, to maximize the educational benefits of diversity, and to increase the number of professors who can and will use diversity as a resource for enriching the education of all students. To facilitate this goal, the Diversity Fellowship grants awards at the predoctoral, dissertation, and postdoctoral levels to students who demonstrate excellence, a commitment to diversity, and a desire to enter the professoriate.

The Newberry Library Fellowships

The Newberry Library Fellowships are available to graduate, doctoral, and postdoctoral students in the humanities whose research would benefit from time spent in the library's collections. Newberry's collections concern the civilizations of Western Europe and the Americas from the late middle ages to the early twentieth century. A number of long- and short-term fellowships are available at stipends of $1,800 to $35,000. Application deadlines vary; detailed program and application information is available on the library's website.

University of Notre Dame Center for Philosophy of Religion

The Center for Philosophy of Religion at the University of Notre Dame provides a stipend for one Visiting Graduate Fellowship to a philosophy graduate student at another institution who is working on a dissertation in philosophy of religion or Christian philosophy and who would profit from spending a year at the Center.

University of Notre Dame Erasmus Institute Resident Fellowship

The core of the Erasmus Institute's work has been its residential fellowship program that annually brings postdoctoral scholars to its center on the campus of the University of Notre Dame. While the Erasmus Fellows work in a wide array of disciplines, the projects they pursue at the Institute have in common a regard for the resources available within Catholic intellectual and cultural traditions.

Women's Research & Education Institution

The Women's Research & Education Institution offers the Congressional Fellowship on Women and Public Policy, which is designed to give students experience in public policymaking in Congress. Applicants must be women enrolled in a master's or doctoral program (or completed within the past 18 months), with preference given to applicants who have completed at least nine hours of graduate coursework and have a demonstrated interest in research or political activity related to women's social and political status.

Harvard Divinity School