Graduate Students
Funding to Support Thesis Research
Each year (budget permitting) the History and Area Studies Graduate Programs make available small research grants to advanced graduate students engaged in thesis research. Funds may be used for travel (to archives; to conduct interviews, etc.) and for photocopying essential research materials unavailable at Virginia Tech.
To apply for research support, you must submit a letter of application with specific information about your plans for use of these funds.
This application should be no longer than two pages, and it should be addressed to the Graduate Committee.
Submit copies of the application to Linda Fountaine in the History Department office.
Applications are commonly due in October. Applications submitted after the announced date will not be considered for awards.
All awards must be used by the end of April, the following spring.
The application must include:
- a brief statement of your thesis subject
- a detailed account of when and how you will use the funds (what archive you will visit, what specific collections you will use, what these collections contain)
- an explanation of why the research for which you want support is essential to the completion of your thesis
- an itemized budget for the proposed research activity. Figures for travel, meals, and lodging must reflect amounts allowed for all employees of the state of Virginia. These figures can be found at http://www.co.vt.edu/Procedures/p20335r.html and http://www.co.vt.edu/Procedures/p20335d.html
Your research plan must meet with the approval of your thesis advisor, who must sign the application.
Applications that fail to address any of these elements or that do not include the signature of the advisor will not be considered by the committee.
The Department of History condemns all
acts of intolerance on the basis of race, gender, religion,
or sexual orientation.