graduate funding 101 linda vong office of graduate studies september 16, 2009
TRANSCRIPT
Graduate Funding 101
Linda Vong
Office of Graduate Studies
September 16, 2009
Outline for today
Who I am and what I do
Types of funding
Where to look for funding
A few of the major players
Where to go from here
Who I am and what I do
Financial Support Unit
Help navigate application procedures
Act as a liaison between agency and student
Act as a second (or third, or fourth…or seventh) pair of eyes for proposals
-basic editing, grammatical errors, etc.
Sources of graduate funding
Departmental funding
Some programs are able to fund their students
Outside sources
In the form of fellowships and grants from outside agencies
Can include tuition, fees, stipend
What are fellowships?
Opportunities to allow graduate students to pursue their research interests with funding unencumbered by institutional obligation (such as TAships, RAships)
Competitive awards given based on the merit of a research proposal, as well as other relevant academic criteria (such as letters of recommendation, transcripts, etc.)
Fellowship timeline
Most fellowships have lead time of 12-18 months from application to award
Current funding (09-10 academic year) was first advertised in spring 2008
For academic year 09-10, most deadlines have passed…start applying now for 10-11
Types of fellowships
Training
Research
Travel
General Scholarship
Fellowships type: Training
Opportunities for first and second year graduate students to work with a faculty mentor, usually in a laboratory, to develop skills for future research.
Can contain a travel element
Example:National Institutes of Health training grants (F31, F32: Ruth Kirchstein)
Fellowships type: Research
The most common type of fellowship; usually intended for Ph.D. or other terminal degree candidates
Support original research which may lead to a dissertation or other long-range project
May include small stipends for travel, books, and supplies
Examples:
-Pacific Rim Research Grants and NSF GRFP
Fellowships type: Travel
Specialized awards which allow graduate students to pursue a semester or more abroad
Often combined with another type of grant (i.e. research, training, or dissertation fellowships)
Extremely competitive, with deadlines well in advance of actual awarding of grant
Examples:
-All Fulbright grants (full grant, Fulbright-Hays dissertation research) and German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
Fellowships type: General Scholarship
Typically awarded on the basis of past accomplishments and academic record
General purpose: open to almost all subjects
Highly selective, nationwide competitions
Examples:
-Dolores Zohrab Liebmann
-Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowships
Where to look for funding
UCSD’s SURF database (http://research.ucsd.edu/surf/)Contains information sent to the university by organizations that sponsor fellowships.
Community of Science (http://www.cos.com)The most comprehensive web database to locate fellowships and other research opportunities. UCSD is a member institution; you do not need to be registered to utilize the funding opportunities database, but you do need to access it from an on-campus computer.
Other UC funding databases, such as UCLA’s GRAPES (Grad and Postdoc Extramural Support) (http://www.gdnet.ucla.edu/grpinst.htm)
Where to start
Where to start (cont’d)Grants.gov (http://grants.gov/)
Grants.gov is the federal government’s central database for all grant-making agencies. Contains valuable resources about how to apply to specific agencies, including the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Institutes of Health, and the National Science Foundation.
Social Sciences Research Council (http://www.ssrc.org)
Favorite professors and department advisors
Blog: http://ucsdgraduatefunding.wordpress.com
A few of the major players
Fulbright U.S. Student Program
The IIE Fulbright U.S. Student Program equips American leaders with the skills they need to thrive in an increasingly global environment by providing funding for open academic year of study or research abroad. Grantees undertake self-designed programs in disciplines ranging from social sciences, business, communications and performing arts to physical sciences, engineering and education.
Basic Eligibility RequirementBe a U.S. citizen & have a Bachelor’s Degree
*Please note that OGS administers this award for UC San Diego*
[Institute of International Education (IIE)]
Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research
The ED Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad (DDRA) Fellowship Program provides opportunities for graduate students to engage in full-time dissertation research abroad for 6 to 12 months in modern foreign languages and area studies.
Basic Eligibility RequirementsBe a graduate student and be a U.S.
citizen or national or a permanent resident of the U.S.
[U.S. Department of Education]
Abroad Fellowship Program
Jacob K. Javits Fellowship Program
The Jacob K. Javits Fellowship Program is designed to support graduate students of superior ability and financial need in doctoral or (terminal) MFA programs, as demonstrated by their achievements and promise. Awards are given in selected fields in the arts, humanities and social sciences.
Basic Eligibility RequirementsIndividuals who are currently in their first year of graduate study
or who will be entering a graduate program in 2006-2007. Eligibility is further limited to U.S. citizens or nationals, and
permanent residents of the U.S., who demonstrate financial need.
[U.S. Department of Education]
Ford Foundation Predoctoral
FellowshipsAwarded in a national competition administered
by the National Research Council (NRC) of the National Academies on behalf of the Ford Foundation. The awards will be made to individuals who, in the judgment of the review panels, have demonstrated superior academic achievement, are committed to a career in teaching and research at the college or university level, show promise of future achievement as scholars and teachers, and are well prepared to use diversity as a resource for enriching the education of all students.
Basic Eligibility Requirements
U.S. citizens who are enrolled or planning to enroll in an eligible research-based program leading to a Ph.D. at a
U.S. educational institution.
Ruth L. Kirchstein Individual Predoctoral Fellowships (F31s and F32s) support training opportunities within one of several institutes within NIH. Applicants must have a sponsor, a sponsoring institution, and the time to pursue the research 40 hours each week. Graduate students apply individually and are awarded individually. Additional grants available to support minority candidates and/or candidates pursuing a dual Ph.D./MD (F30).
National Institutes of Health
Social Science Research Council
The SSRC sponsors fellowship and grant programs on a wide range of topics, and across many different career stages. Most support goes to pre-dissertation, dissertation, and postdoctoral fellowships, offered through annual competitions. Some programs support summer institutes and advanced research grants. Although most programs target the social sciences, many are also open to applicants from the humanities, the natural sciences, and relevant professional and practitioner communities.
Some UC Opportunities
UC Research Institutes
Pacific Rim Research Program
UC Institute for Research in the Arts UCIRA: http://www.ucira.ucsb.edu/
UC-MEXUS: http://ucmexus.ucr.edu/
UC Humanities Research Institute: http://www.uchri.org/
http://ucop.edu/research/
Pacific Rim Research Program
Funding for research on all areas and nations that border the Pacific Ocean, including Southeast Asia, the Pacific islands, and Pacific Latin America. priority on research that is new, specific to the region, and collaborative -- reaching across national boundaries and bridging academic disciplines. Proposals may come from any discipline and should address questions that contribute to an understanding of the Pacific Rim region as a whole.
UCIRA
UC Institute for Research in the Arts (UCIRA) supports UC artists dedicated to innovative approaches to form and content in the performing, media, and visual arts
The UCIRA provides grants to arts faculty and students for projects with the potential for significant artistic and cultural impact. We support projects that are innovative, experimental, and risk-taking in their approach to form and/or content.
UC-MEXUS
UC-MEXUS is an academic research institute dedicated to encouraging, securing, and contributing to binational and Latino research and collaborative academic programs and exchanges.
Dissertation grants and small grants available
UCHRI
UC Humanities Research Institute addresses topics traditional to the humanities in disciplines such as literature, philosophy, classics, languages, and history, as well as the pressing human dimensions that arise in the social and natural sciences, technology, art, medicine, and the professions. Stresses interdisciplinary research.
Thinking ahead
Dissertation Writing
UCSD: Fletcher Jones and President’s Dissertation Year Fellowships
Harry Frank Guggenheim Fellowships
Woodrow Wilson and Charlotte Newcombe Fellowships
Wenner-Gren Foundation
Spencer Dissertation Fellowships
CILAS Grants
Deadlines snapshot
Agencies:
Fulbright IIE DoE DDRA Ford DAAD Pacific RimNIH
Deadlines:
September 11 & October 21Late Oct. or early Nov.November 14Early - mid NovemberEarly JanuaryApril, August, December
Okay…now what??
Do the research
Devise a plan of attack
Rally the troops
Submit your applications
Keep track of progress
Lather, rinse, repeat
Get those applications ready!
Basic application components
Statement of purpose/proposal
Two or three recommendation letters
Resume or curriculum vitae
Official transcripts (both grad and undergrad)
Budget
(After you’ve received the fellowship) Update on progress/interim report
Be concise and be clear. Don’t make the reviewer search for the “who, what, when, where, how and why.”
Know your limitations/pitfalls and be ready to address them. If you are the slightest bit unclear about an aspect of your research, be ready to address that.
Formatting may seem like something you can get around – it’s not.
Tips for success
Avoid jargon-heavy wording. Can someone outside of your field of expertise understand what you’re trying to do?
For travel grants: demonstrate evidence as to why your project needs to be carried out in the country you are proposing. There is a definite difference between NEED and WANT. The use of vague, general or broad terms in the proposal should be avoided.
Keep in mind that you’re writing a persuasive piece, you have to make the reader feel like they NEED to fund you.
Tips for success
Tools for successDissertation writing:
http://globetrotter.berkeley.edu/DissPropWorkshop/
Grant writing tips:
HHMI"Making the Right Moves" Chapter 9: Getting Funded
ScienceCareers.org Grant Doctor articles
NIH Grant Writing Tip Sheets
Proposal Writing Websites collected by University of Wisconsin-Madison
Thank you!
Best of luck on your search for
funding!Linda Vong
Graduate Fellowship Advisor
4th Floor, Student Services Center