Overseas Programs - Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad

To provide opportunities for graduate students to engage in full-time dissertation research abroad in modern foreign language and area studies with the exception of Western Europe. This program is designed to contribute to the development and improv

To provide opportunities for graduate students to engage in full-time dissertation research abroad in modern foreign language and area studies with the exception of Western Europe. This program is designed to contribute to the development and improvement of the study of modern foreign languages and area studies in the United States.

Institutions of higher education may apply.

A candidate for Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad Fellowship must: (1) be a (a) citizen or national of the United States; or (b) permanent resident of the United States; (2) be a graduate student in good standing at an institution of higher education who, when the fellowship period begins, has been admitted to candidacy in a doctoral degree program in modern foreign languages and area studies at that institution; (3) plan a teaching career in the United States upon graduation; (4) possess adequate skills in the foreign language(s) necessary to carry out the dissertation research project.

Funds will be available to enable doctoral candidates to complete field research for their dissertations. Generally, awards will not be available for projects focusing primarily on Western Europe or countries where the United States has no diplomatic representation. Financial provisions include basic stipend computed on the cost-of-living in the country where research is to be conducted; cost of international round trip jet economy air fare for fellow only; baggage allowance, dependents allowance for accompanying dependents based on cost-of-living in host country; project allowance to be utilized for the purchase of expendable materials, services, and supplies, tuition payments to foreign institutions, and local travel expenditures; funds to secure health and accident insurance.

Awards are made for at least 6 but not more than 12 months.

The institutional project director will be responsible for accepting, screening, and forwarding through the Department of Education's Application system to the Advanced Training and Research Team in the Office of International and Foreign Language Education in the Office of Postsecondary Education those individual applications which meet the institution's technical and academic criteria and the program's eligibility requirements. Candidates for dissertation research fellowships apply directly to the institutions at which they are enrolled in a Ph.D. program, not to the Department of Education.

The selection criteria for this program are from 34 CFR 662.21 and are listed in the following paragraphs. (a) Quality of proposed project. (63 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the quality of the research project proposed by the applicant. The Secretary considers- (1) The statement of the major hypotheses to be tested or questions to be examined, and the description and justification of the research methods to be used (20 points); (2) The relationship of the research to the literature on the topic and to major theoretical issues in the field, and the project's originality and importance in terms of the concerns of the discipline (10 points); (3) The preliminary research already completed in the United States and overseas or plans for such research prior to going overseas, and the kinds, quality and availability of data for the research in the host country or countries (10 points); (4) The justification for overseas field research and preparations to establish appropriate and sufficient research contacts and affiliations abroad (10 points); (5) The applicant's plans to share the results of the research in progress and a copy of the dissertation with scholars and officials of the host country or countries (3 points); and (6) The guidance and supervision of the dissertation advisor or committee at all stages of the project, including guidance in developing the project, understanding research conditions abroad, and acquainting the applicant with research in the field (10 points). (b) Qualifications of the applicant. (37 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the qualifications of the applicant. The Secretary considers- (1) The overall strength of the applicant's graduate academic record (10 points); (2) The extent to which the applicant's academic record demonstrates strength in area studies relevant to the proposed project (10 points); (3) The applicant's proficiency in one or more of the languages (other than English) of the host country or countries of research (10 points); (4) The extent to which the applicant's academic record demonstrates steps taken to further improve advanced language proficiency to overcome any anticipated language barriers relative to the proposed research project (5 points); and (5) The applicant's ability to conduct research in a foreign cultural context, as evidenced by the applicant's references or previous overseas experience, or both (2 points).

The Advanced Training and Research Team in the Office of International and Foreign Language Education will make initial selection and recommendation of fellowship recipients with the advice of a panel of specialists in foreign language and area studies and comments by U.S. embassies and binational commissions in the proposed countries of research. Selections are subject to review and final approval by the presidentially appointed J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. The grant covering successful graduate students is made to the applicant, i.e., institutions of higher education.

About 180 days.