Search for Support

Conducting a Search for Private/Government Support
A number of private organizations and government agencies provide financial support for graduate study, including fellowships, scholarships, and cash grants for other activities related to pursuing an advanced degree. Eligibility criteria and application deadlines for such awards can vary widely; consequently, students interested in such opportunities typically need to invest a fair amount of time researching appropriate awards for which to apply. Examples of some of the larger awards of this type are the Jacob Javits Fellowships, sponsored by the United States Department of Education (USDE), the National Science Foundation Fellowships, sponsored by the National Research Council, and National Endowment for the Humanities Dissertation Grants, sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Since deadlines for these awards often are between October 1 and December 31 for the following academic year (beginning the next fall semester), we advise students to begin their search for awards a year prior to the time they would use the award. However, deadlines for awards vary greatly, so students are urged to consult one of the resources listed below for specific application deadlines. To conduct a comprehensive search for private and government awards, you should review opportunities listed in publications on the subject and in any on-line databases available. Students are advised to begin their search by preparing a list of general and specific names that may cover their academic interest to ensure that they take into account the many possible definitions of their field of study by sponsoring organizations; for example, graduate students in anthropology should check listings under "anthropology," "social sciences," and "all fields."

The Annual Register of Grant Support and Peterson's Grants for Graduate Study have proven to be the two best printed references in our experience. Both may be found at many public and college libraries. They are cross-indexed in a number of ways to facilitate a search, for example: by subject (including academic field) and by the sponsoring organization and its grant program, personnel, and location. The Peterson's guide is available online at http://petersons.com/.

Syracuse University's Office of Sponsored Programs subscribes to a web-based financial support search service. Award listings include a description of the award, monetary value, deadlines for application, eligibility criteria, and the phone number and address of each sponsor. You may access this database here.

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