Dissertation Fieldwork Grants

These grants of up to $5,000 provide support for fieldwork expenses. For the purpose of this grant, fieldwork is defined as data collection that takes place for an extended period of time (e.g. weeks or months) outside the western Massachusetts geographical area. These grants are not designed to fund data analysis, only expenses related to data collection. In rare instances applicants may request up to $8,000 to help support lengthy periods of data collection. Applicants will need to submit a statement as part of the application to justify the request for additional funds. 

Who Is Eligible?

UMass Amherst doctoral students enrolled in a campus-based degree program (i.e. no online programs) and in good academic standing are eligible to apply. Students may receive the Graduate School Fieldwork Grant only once. Applicants who were not awarded a grant in a previous application cycle are eligible to reapply, provided they still meet all eligibility requirements. Students may accept only one research grant from the Graduate School in an academic year. 

Application 

Submit your application for a Fieldwork Grant via InfoReady. The InfoReady site outlines full application instructions and provides a template to prepare your budget table. The application requires a letter of recommendation from your faculty advisor--you must register your letter writer in the application system before they can submit their letter. To register your letter writer, start your application in InfoReady and enter the name and UMass email address for your letter writer, then save your application draft. Once you have entered the information and saved your application draft, the InfoReady system will send an email to your faculty advisor with instructions to submit their letter. You can return to your saved application in InfoReady at any time prior to the deadline to complete the application. 

Application deadlines are October 15 and February 15 each year. 

The application deadline is 11:59 PM on the posted due date. All required materials (including the advisor’s Letter of Recommendation) must be received by this time. 

Award notifications will be made by the end of the semester in which the application was submitted. 

Supplements for Public Engagement or Travel with Children

Applicants for Graduate School Grants are eligible to apply for supplements to cover costs associated with Public Engagement projects or childcare/travel with children during research. Please review the criteria and application information in the Public Engagement and Travel with Children pages.

Questions on the Graduate School Fieldwork Grant should be addressed to researchgrant [at] grad [dot] umass [dot] edu (Heidi Bauer-Clapp).