Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad Program

Internal Submission Deadline: Monday, March 21, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. EST

Purpose

The Fulbright-Hays DDRA (Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad) program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education.  The purpose is to provide opportunities to doctoral candidates to engage in full-time dissertation research abroad in modern foreign languages and area studies in specific priority geographical areas for a period of no less than six months and no more than 12 months. 

Types of Projects

Projects deepen research knowledge on and help the nation develop capability in areas of the world not generally included in U.S. curricula.

Specified geographic areas

Africa, East Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands, South Asia, the Near East, Central and Eastern Europe and Eurasia, and the Western Hemisphere (excluding the United States and its territories). The program does not support projects in Western Europe. 

A student is eligible to receive a fellowship if he or she:

  • Is a citizen or national of the United States or is a permanent resident of the United States;
  • Is a graduate student in good standing at an institution of higher education in the United States who, when the fellowship begins, is admitted to candidacy in a doctoral program in modern foreign languages and area studies at that institution;
  • Is planning a teaching career in the United States upon graduation; and
  • Possesses adequate skills in the language(s) necessary to carry out the dissertation project.
  • Students may not accept certain grants (Fulbright US Student Program administered by IIE (FUSP), Boren, IREX, Japan Foundation) in the same fiscal year that they receive a US/ED Fulbright-Hays grant.

Duration of the Grant:

Students may propose research for a period of no less than 6 months and no more than 12 months. The fellowship may not be renewed. Fellowships may be as early as January 1, 2023, provided a US/ED Grant Award Notification has been executed; travel has been approved; the appropriate research clearances and research visas have been secured by the individual scholar; and, if requested, human subject research clearance has been obtained.  All research and travel must be completed by March 31, 2024.

Terms and Conditions: A fellow shall:

  • Maintain satisfactory progress in the conduct of his or her research;
  • Devote full time to research on the approved topic;
  • Not engage in any gainful employment during the fellowship period; and
  • Remain a student in good standing at his or her institution.

Expenses Covered by the Award:

  • Travel expenses, including excess baggage to and from the residence of the fellow to the host country of research;
  • Maintenance and dependents allowances based on the cost of living in country(ies) of research for the fellow and his or her dependent(s);
  • Project allowance for research related expenses such as books, copying, tuition and affiliation fees, local travel and other incidental expenses;
  • Health and accident insurance premiums; and
  • $100.00 administrative fee to applicant institution.

The following is a checklist of application components. Please utilize a font that is either 12 point or no smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch) with one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, Courier New, or Arial.  Please note that a “page” is 8.5” x 11”, on one side only, with 1” margins at the top, bottom, and both sides. Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in charts, tables, figures and graphs:

  • Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad application form
  • 10-page project narrative
  • Bibliography, maximum 2 pages
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • IRB narrative (Both exempt and non-exempt research projects must submit a narrative, see application package for instructions)
  • 3 Electronic Graduate Student References (one of which must be obtained from the student’s dissertation advisor) – initiate the e-mail to your references & 1 Electronic Language Reference for each language of research*
  • Host country supporting materials (Letter of invitation, affiliation, etc.)
  • Graduate School Transcripts – must be scanned as one document and uploaded in the application. Please redact all Personally Identifiable Information such as birthdate, social security number, address, etc. from transcripts before uploading.

*Please note that the referees must submit in the G5 system prior to the student submitting their application in the G5 system. The internal deadline for the students to submit their application in the G5 system is Monday, March 21, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. EST. It is important for the student to inform their referees with a deadline that is prior to the date and time that they plan to submit their application in the G5 system.

Application Process

Institutions of higher education in the United States are eligible to apply for grants under the Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad Program. Students must apply through their institutions in which they are enrolled. Proposals should be prepared in the electronic format available through the Department of Education website. Applications must be submitted electronically using the G5 system.

It is the student’s responsibility to contact the University of Kentucky’s Fulbright-Hays Project Director to inform her that they intend to submit an application. Please do this as soon as possible.

Martha Peterson, Ph.D.

Interim Dean, Graduate School

Fulbright Hays DDRA Project Director

101 Gillis Building 40506-0033

Phone: (859) 257-1759

E-mail: martha.peterson@uky.edu

Official Internal Deadline: To allow time for internal review the application must be submitted by the student in the Department of Education G5 system and received internally by the Project Director on or before Monday, March 21 at 9:00 a.m. EST.

Please refer to the FAQ's for the Fulbright-Hays DDRA.

The U.S. Department of Education website provides application and grant submission information. IFLE will post a prerecorded technical assistance webinar on its YouTube channel on February 16, 2022. The webinar will cover a variety of topics, including the program requirements, selection criteria, and frequently asked questions. Please subscribe to IFLE’s YouTube channel and check periodically for updates.

IFLE will also host a live web chat to answer specific applicant questions at 2:00pm EST on Wednesday, March 2, 2022. A link to join the web chat on the designated date and time will be posted under the "Tips and Assistance" section of the DDRA program "Applicant Information" webpage. Please check there for updates.

Please take into consideration that the referees will need to be completed in the G5 system prior to the student submitting the application to the Institutional Project Director in the G5 system for review and institutional submission.  It is recommended that the student communicate with their referees to ensure that they complete and submit in the G5 system in advance of the Internal deadline on Monday, March 21 at 9:00 a.m. EST, and prior to the student submitting the application in the G5 system.

If there are human subjects (exempt or non-exempt) involved with the research project, then the student will need to send an IRB narrative to the Project Director, Dr. Martha Peterson by Monday, March 21 at 9:00 a.m. EST.

The attached instructions for the IRB narrative may be helpful.

Attached is a PowerPoint document that may be helpful to assist you in completing the e-Application.