Graduate Student Research Grants

Deadline: Nov. 13, 2024

The Center for International Studies provides funding to support PhD student research on international relations or comparative politics who have successfully passed their qualifying exams by December 2024. The center will consider proposals up to $1,500. Students seeking funding must have a demonstrated record of active engagement in CIS programming and initiatives over the past year.

Please complete the online CIS Graduate Student Research Funding form and upload the following documentation.

• Proposal/project description, with detailed budget proposal (250–500 words)
• CV
• Endorsement from dissertation chair/faculty advisor (via this CIS form)

Please note the following deadlines:

• Nov. 13, 2024: Last day to apply for 2024–25 funding
• Aug. 15, 2025: All funds must be used, including survey purchases
• Aug. 15, 2025: Last date to process receipts in Concur*
• Sept. 1, 2025: Impact report due

*Receipts must be processed in Concur within 45 days of a transaction (CIS can provide guidance on using Concur to process your expense reports).

Please also note that any changes to an approved proposal must be resubmitted to CIS for review; there will be no roll-overs of unused balances. Students should provide timelines for when they anticipate using funds, including any needs during summer 2025.

Categories of research funding:

• Travel related to research (airfare, ground transportation, lodging)
• Surveys, experiments, and other types of primary data gathering (for guidelines regarding the purchase of surveys, please contact the CIS office)
• Research materials (books, etc. that are not available via library or interlibrary loan)
• Hiring undergraduate research assistants (URAs) for 2024–25 academic year (required to attend a CIS orientation workshop and with special approval from your chair)

The following items/categories are not covered by CIS research funds at this time:

• Attending conferences (Please apply for funding through the POIR PhD office)
• Equipment, computers, cell phones, cell phone plans, etc.
• Course work fees (i.e., language, methods)
• Software
• Labor and service fees (i.e., local guides, translators, editors)
• Gift cards, cash advances, food and meals

Eligibility:

• POIR PhD students in good standing who have successfully advanced to candidacy as per requirements established by the POIR PhD office
• Endorsement of dissertation chair/faculty advisor
• Active and contributing member of the CIS community; frequent participation in CIS events (see FAQs for more information)

Email cis@dornsife.usc.edu with any questions.

The Center for International Studies is committed to ensuring equity in its mission to support scholarship in international studies.