Funding Your Dissertation: Getting Outta Here

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Funding Your Dissertation Getting Outta Here

• Chris Johnstone

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Ways to Fund Your Dissertation

• Scholarships
• Combine with Work Experience
• Work for the U
• Hold off on data collection until you have paid
  off thesis credits

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College-Wide Scholarships

• Alumni Society Advanced Study Scholarship
  (significant contributions to the field of
  education - 500)
• Alumni Society Larry Wilson Award (non-school
  education - 1,000)
• Seashore Graduate Fellowship (Social inquiry or
  social justice focus - 2500)

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College-Wide Scholarships (Continued)

• Beck Scholarship (Intersection of teaching and
  research - 2000)
• Community Outreach and Engagement Award (1000)
• Corcoran Research Travel Award (Focus on
  evaluation or policy studies - 2500 to present
  at a national or international conference go to
  a conference where you want to collect data!)

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College-Wide Scholarships (Cont.)

• Eckert Scholarship (Females who have passed
  prelim exams - 1000)
• Hague Fellowship (4000)
• Multicultural Recognition Award (1000)
• CEHD Outstanding Student Award (250)

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College-Wide Scholarships (Cont.)

• Womens Philanthropic Circle Award (Female
  students only 3000)
• All College awards can be viewed at
  http//cehd.umn.edu/students/scholarships/GradScho
  ol.html

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Graduate School Scholarships

• Graduate School Thesis Research Grant (Domestic
  travel 2500)
• Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship (must be
  nominated by DGS - 21500 plus tuition
  benefits)
• Fellowships for Research Abroad (2500)
• International Thesis Research Grants (including
  Myrna G. Smith International Graduate Fellowship
  5000)
• Torske Klubben Fellowships (Minnesota resident
  and interest in Norway - 13000 plus tuition)

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Graduate School Scholarships

• See http//cehd.umn.edu/students/scholarships/UofM
  .html or
• http//www.grad.umn.edu/fellowships/research_abroa
  d/index.htmlIntlResearch

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Other University International Scholarships

• Josie R. Johnson Human Rights and Social Justice
  Award (2500) (see http//www.academic.umn.edu/equ
  ity/awards/josie_johnson.html)
• Mary McEvoy Award for Public Engagement and
  Leadership (1000) (http//www.sua.umn.edu/leaders
  hip/awards/mcevoy.php)

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Other University Scholarships

• United Negro College Fund / U of M Fellowship
• call 338-5742
• must be a graduate of a UNCF Member School
  http//www.uncf.org/members/index.asp)

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Other University Scholarships

• Women Student Travel Grants (Travel to US
  conference collect data after the conference!
  See http//www1.umn.edu/women/awards_travel.htm)

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Office of International Programs Administered
Grants

• Boren Fellowship (for study not in Western
  Europe, Australia, New Zealand) (24000-30000)
• Judd International Fellowship (for international
  study or research 2500)
• Dunn Peace Research Scholarship (1500)
• See http//www.international.umn.edu/funding/grads
  tudents.php for all OIP-administered scholarships

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Learning Abroad Center Scholarships

• Scholarships for Study Abroad (Collect your data
  while you study abroad!)
• UMTC Access Abroad Scholarship (for students with
  documented disabilities registered at Disability
  Services office) (1000-5000) (see
  http//www.umabroad.umn.edu/financial/scholarships
  /accessAbroad.html)
• Learning Abroad Center Scholarship Database
  (http//160.94.154.31591/LAC/sch/FMPro?-DBISTC_S
  cholarships.fp5-LayWebForm-Formatsch_entersear
  ch.html-Find)

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Human Rights Center Fellowships

• Facilitate internships in Human Rights
  organizations (collect your data while at work!)
• Open to Minnesota residents only (1000-4500)
• See http//www1.umn.edu/humanrts/center/uppermidwe
  st/index.html

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External Programs

• Fullbright Program (one-year exchange for
  teaching or research)
• http//www.iie.org/Template.cfm?sectionFulbright1
  

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External Programs Administered by Graduate School

• Luce Scholars
• For US students under 29 who want to learn more
  about Asia (and do not have experience in Asia)
  (see http//www.grad.umn.edu/fellowships/research_
  abroad/luce.html)
• German Academic Exchange Service (DADD)
• Provides funding for 10-month study or research
  (see http//www.grad.umn.edu/fellowships/research_
  abroad/daad.html)

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Funding Databases

• SPIN (Sponsored Projects) http//www.ospa.umn.edu/
  fundingopportunities/spin/spin.html
• OVPR Website (http//www.research.umn.edu/opportun
  ities/SearchTools.html)
• OIP-recommended sites (http//www.international.um
  n.edu/funding/research/references.php)

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So What if I Cant Find A Scholarship

• Go to work!
• Research organizations will generally have access
  to vast amounts of data
• Human service organizations may have the same
• Check with supervisor if you can do a study with
  data
• Check with IRB about limitations
• Dedicate two nights per week to your dissertation

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What if I Still Need to Pay for My Thesis Credits?

• Get a full-time job at the U of M (check visa
  requirements)
• Use Regents Scholarship to pay for thesis or
  other credits you need

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What if I Cant Get a Visa to Work?

• Stay at GRA position (if you can) until thesis
  credits are paid off
• Do background work (recruitment, background
  information, design research protocols, etc.)
• Wait until thesis credits are paid off, then do
  field work
• Check with your advisor to see if this is a good
  idea
• Check your visa status to make sure this wont
  put you in danger!

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What if I Cant Do Field Work?

• Conduct a study on extant data
• Try to find a dataset to analyze
• TIMSS, PISA, UNESCO, etc.
• Check with your advisor for other ideas

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Questions / Comments?