Fellowships, Grants & Financial Aid
A number of stipends and scholarships are available to prospective graduate students. Financial awards are paid out on an eight-month schedule; the first check is issued on September 10 (September 30 for International students) and the last check in mid-April (April 30 for Int. students).
The Graduate Teaching Assistantship is given to students who have completed the M.A. elsewhere or have done a full year of graduate course work at Vanderbilt by the beginning date of the award. T.A.'s usually teach one section of elementary or intermediate Spanish each semester for four years. First-year student who enter with the B.A. for the first year have no departmental duties. The Teaching Assistantship carry a stipend plus tuition waiver and health insurance. $16,500
The Harold Stirling Vanderbilt Scholarship is a four-year "topping-up" stipend in addition to one of the awards mentioned above. This award is given to outstanding students entering the doctoral program. Its continuance is contingent upon satis- factory progress toward the degree. HSV awards are competitive among applicants to all graduate programs in the University. $ 6,000
The University Graduate Fellowship is a four-year "topping-up" award granted in addition to one of the awards mentioned above. This award is given to students entering the doctoral program. Its continuance is contingent upon satisfactory progress toward the degree. UGF awards are competitive among applicants to all graduate programs in the University. $ 10,000
The Provost's Graduate Fellowship is a four-year complete scholarship, plus tuition, health insurance, and fees, for African American graduate students who intend to teach at the college or university level. Provost's Graduate Fellows are expected to teach two classes, normally during their third year. $ 10,000
Sidney P. Colowick Scholarship. An exceptional student may be awarded this one-year scholarship of an extra $5000 to supplement other "topping-up" awards.
Graduate Select Scholars in Arts and Science receive a four-year stipend in addition to the basic award. Applicants compete with those for all graduate programs in the College of Arts & Science.
Students should be aware that provisions for subsistence over the summer are their own responsibility .
Summer & Travel Grants
A. CENTER FOR THE AMERICAS:
Purpose: to support students whose scholarly pursuits focus on the Americas and whose interests are demonstrably cross-disciplinary, comparative or both.
Deadline: February 23, 2007
How Many: 8 awards
Description:
Summer Field Research Awards (up to $5,000)
Dissertation Fellowships ($20,000)
B. ROBERT PENN WARREN CENTER FOR THE HUMANITIES, Summer Graduate Student Fellows Program
Purpose: to participate in a summer Graduate Student Fellows Program and to give presentations based on their research.
Deadline: January 30, 2008
How Many?: 7 fellowships
Award: $18,000 stipend and $2,000 research budget
C. THE SUMMER RESEARCH AWARDS PROGRAM IN ARTS AND SCIENCE (2007)
Purpose: To help graduate students with outstanding potential to accelerate progress on their research, whether for the doctoral thesis or for other advanced projects.
Deadline: January 9, 2008
Who is eligible: Doctoral students in good standing making satisfactory progress toward the degree. It is expected that successful applicants will have spent no longer than four years in the degree program as of the spring semester of 2008. The funds are not to be used to support either coursework or preparation for qualifying exams but are, rather, intended to support mid-career students' work for the dissertation, dissertation proposal, or other research projects. A student may receive this award no more than twice during his or her career at Vanderbilt.
Award: $4,500
Those selected for a summer research award may not be supported by other funds-with the exception of a Dissertation Enhancement Grant-or hold other employment, including any type of teaching, during the course of the award.
Application process: Applications should include a completed graduate student application cover sheet (blank cover sheets can be obtained thru your DGS or departmental administrative assistant), a current curriculum vitae; two letters of support, one of which must be from a faculty member who is supervising the research proposed for funding; a transcript of coursework undertaken at Vanderbilt; and a 1-2 page proposal. The proposal should be intelligible to non-specialists, convey a sense of the importance of the research, and outline as concretely as possible what research activities will be undertaken during the grant period. All documents in the application should be single-sided (convert to single sided if documents are not) and paper clipped together - please do not staple.
Applicants should submit materials to the Director of Graduate Studies of their programs by early January 2008.
Each fellowship recipient must submit a final report to the College of Arts and Science and to his or her DGS. Questions? Prospective applicants should direct their questions about the program or the application process to the DGS.
D. DISSERTATION ENHANCEMENT GRANT
Purpose: These grants are intended to enhance already outstanding dissertation projects by permitting the addition of a new dimension, additional breadth, or other worthwhile extensions.
Deadline: October 17, 2007
Award: $2,000
E. STUDENT TRAVEL GRANTS
If you plan to attend an academic conference please complete the form, have the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) approve the request, and send it to the Graduate School at least two weeks before you travel. Please attach a copy of the abstract to be presented. Incomplete or unsigned forms will be returned to the applicant.
Student must be the sole presenter of research conducted at Vanderbilt.
Meeting must be a major regional, national, or international conference.
Grants are limited to $500 for domestic travel and $1,000 for foreign travel.
Grants to a graduate student are limited to a maximum of one award per year; for domestic travel or one award per two years for foreign travel.
Priority will be given to students whose financial need is greatest.
Meals are not an allowable expense for this grant.