- Undergraduate Program
- Graduate Program
- LACS Languages
- Study Abroad
- Funding
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- Gutierrez Dissertation Award for Graduate Students
- Boyce Family Caribbean Studies Grant
- Brazil Initiative Scholarship for Portuguese Language Studies
- FLAS Fellowships for Undergraduate and Graduate Students
- LACS Tinker Field Research Grants for Graduate Students
- Human Trafficking Clinic Fellowship
- Courses
- Indigenous Language Programs
Funding Applications due February 15
The LACS Tinker Field Research Grants are funded by the Tinker Foundation, the Rackham School of Graduate Studies, LACS, the LACS-Brazil Initiative, and the International Institute to support master’s, doctoral, and professional school students conducting preliminary or pre-dissertation fieldwork in Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, excluding Puerto Rico. The grants provide students with the opportunity to establish professional and academic contacts, assess research sites, and refine their projects. Master’s candidates may use the funds for projects related to research for their theses. Ph.D. students may use the funds for preliminary dissertation research.
Research projects must be conducted in the Spanish- or Portuguese-speaking countries of Latin America and the Caribbean.
Awards, up to $2,500, are made based on the quality of the proposal (feasibility of project, relevance to degree program and career goals, and the extent to which the research is original) and the academic progress of the applicant. Funds cover international airfare, in-country transportation, and some field-related expenses.
Eligibility
U-M students enrolled in an M.A. degree, professional degree, and/or Ph.D. degree are eligible to apply for the grant. Priority, however, will be given to students enrolled in the LACS certificate program and those pursuing a Ph.D. degree. Master’s students are encouraged to apply. There are no nationality restrictions. The awards must be used for brief research projects, two weeks to four months in duration. Travel must take place between May and December 31 of the award year.
Projects must take place in the Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries of Latin America. Note that projects of at least one month in duration may be eligible for funding through the International Institute’s Global Individual Grant.
LACS Tinker Field Research Grants are not to be used for dissertation research but rather to provide graduate students with their initial exploratory experience in developing independent research projects and conducting fieldwork in Latin America. Applications for approved dissertation fieldwork will not be considered.
Grant Requirements
- All awardees will be required to register their travel with the U-M Travel Registry on Wolverine Access and purchase U-M International Travel Health Insurance for the duration of the trip.
- Final report (3-5 pages long) must be submitted within two weeks after travel. This report should include, at minimum, a brief reiteration of the purpose of the trip and a description of previous research, international, or field experience, activities undertaken and objectives achieved while abroad, lessons learned, and/or recommendations for others conducting similar field research, and the uses to which the findings or results will be applied.
- Awardees are required to participate in a workshop to share the results of their research in the fall of the same year.
- Any thesis, publication, video, or audio clip resulting from this research experience must include acknowledgment of funding provided by LACS, the Tinker Foundation, and co-sponsors, and a copy must be sent to LACS at the time of publication.
Application Instructions
Please submit the following application materials by 11:59 p.m., February 15, via the online application (found on the II Student Fellowships page.
*Note: Applicants are strongly encouraged to visit the II Student Fellowships Resource Page prior to beginning the application process. This page provides detailed information on the application components.
The application includes:
- Online Application form
- One recommendation letter
- Statement of Purpose: (single-spaced, 12-pt. font, 3 pages maximum, including any bibliography, citations, project timetable, graphics, etc.)
- Project expense sheet
- Letter of Invitation or Description of In-country Resources
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- U-M Transcript.
Note
All travel must follow current guidelines, which are detailed in the International Institute Travel Policy.
