Programs > Grants for Doctoral Students

Dissertation Fieldwork Grants are awarded to aid doctoral or thesis research. The program contributes to the Foundation's overall mission to support basic research in anthropology and to ensure that the discipline continues to be a source of vibrant and significant work that furthers our understanding of humanity's cultural and biological origins, development, and variation. The Foundation supports research that demonstrates a clear link to anthropological theory and debates, and promises to make a solid contribution to advancing these ideas. There is no preference for any methodology, research location, or subfield. The Foundation particularly welcomes proposals that employ a comparative perspective, can generate innovative approaches or ideas, and/or integrate two or more subfields.

Applicants applying for a Dissertation Fieldwork Grant may also chose to be considered simultaneously for the Osmundsen Initiative.

Please note that the maximum amount of the Dissertation Fieldwork Grant has been changed. Dissertation Fieldwork Grants provide a maximum of US $20,000 and the Osmundsen Initiative supplement provides up to an additional $5,000 for a maximum grant of US $25,000. Grants are non-renewable.

Students must be enrolled in a doctoral program (or equivalent, if applying from outside the United States) at the time of application. Students of all nationalities are eligible to apply.  There is no time limit on the duration of the grant, and funding may be requested to cover distinct research phases (for example, two summers) if this is part of the research design. Application deadlines are May 1 and November 1. Final decisions are made six months later.

Applicants must submit application materials using the Foundation's online application submission procedure as well as send printed copies to the Foundation by regular mail.

For more detailed information on program requirements, application procedures, and review criteria, please refer to the links below:

Eligibility
Application Deadlines and Decision Notification
General Criteria of Evaluation
The Osmundsen Initiative
Application Procedures
Access the Online Application
Final Reports required from Dissertation Fieldwork Grantees