Fellowship Applicants Needed

Fellowships are competitive. However, some opportunities are so specific that they need more applicants. While the Office of Fellowships’ GradFunding Newsletter presents a plethora of fellowship opportunities each month, we would like to highlight several opportunities that need more applicants. The opportunities below are for specific people who want to do specific things. If you think you might be eligible, please apply!

The DAAD – German Academic Exchange Service Study Scholarship and Research Fellowship is an excellent source of funding for study and research in Germany. Research grants are awarded primarily to highly qualified Ph.D. candidates who are early in their academic/professional careers or to individuals wishing to earn a doctoral degree in Germany. Funding can be for a short-term research grant (1 - 6 months) or a long-term research grant (7 – 12 months). Applicants for long-term grants are eligible for a priority nomination by the UA following an internal review process. 

Each year, our office is invited to nominate a priority applicant for the long-term research grant. We often have only one nominee for this program. Some years, we do not get any interested applicants who are eligible. 

The deadline for the program (www.daad.org) beginning in Fall 2025 is expected to be in early November 2024, but it is important to begin the application over the summer. The Office of Fellowships will hold two DAAD information sessions on April 9 and April 22; for more information, see https://gradcenter.arizona.edu/funding/office-fellowships/workshop-and-information-sessions.

The Native Pathways Graduate Research Awards Program is designed and administered by the Agnese Nelms Haury Program in Environment and Social Justice at the University of Arizona to support the research of graduate students who bring knowledge and experience on matters relevant to Native American and Indigenous resilience. 

Funds are available for up to $20,000 per applicant. According to the website, “Special consideration will be given to applications to support graduate students: (1) whose work addresses the water, energy and food access and challenges, and/or climate change challenges faced by Native American and Indigenous communities, especially those within Arizona; and/or (2) who have experience or are interested in strengthening their skills related to specific tribal or Native Nation’s Traditional Environmental Knowledge, values, data sovereignty, or other ways of approaching resilience challenges of Native American and Indigenous communities.”

Last we heard, this opportunity did not yet have any applicants this year. There is a rolling deadline that is available now; applications will be evaluated upon receipt. Funds are available immediately and must be spent within one year. Proposals received after funds have been exhausted will not be considered. For information about the application, please visit their website. 

The Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad (DDRA) Fellowship Program of the U.S. Department of Education provides funding for doctoral students to complete research in modern foreign languages and area studies. The focus is on non-western European countries and less commonly taught languages. Area studies is defined as the “comprehensive study of society or societies, including their geography, history, culture, economy, politics, international relations, and language,” which may provide opportunities for doctoral students in several disciplines.  

The University of Arizona  is extremely successful with Fulbright-Hays DDRA fellowships. Years ago, we would work with 10 – 15 applicants each year. The number of applicants has dwindled, and we currently are working with only one applicant. 

Applicants must be a U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident who is planning a teaching career in the United States upon graduation and who possesses adequate skills in the language(s) necessary to conduct the dissertation project. The duration of the applicant’s research abroad will be from 6 – 12 months. The Department of Education provides significant funding for fellows, including travel expenses, maintenance and dependents allowances, research expenses, and health and accident insurance premiums.

For more information on the DDRA, please visit https://www2.ed.gov/programs/iegpsddrap/index.html

Although the UA internal deadline has passed for this year, applications for next year will be available in February 2025 for travel between January 1, 2026 and December 31, 2026.  If you are interested in applying next year, check your eligibility and then sign up for our advising hours on Wednesday 4/3 from 1:00 – 2:30. 

A big part of success with fellowship applications is finding the right fit. We hope to find more graduate students who are a good fit with the opportunities above.