PhD Small Grant Program

The Office of Research has designed a PhD Research Small Grants Program to assist PhD students at UT Dallas with dissertation-based research and travel expenses by offering supplemental financial support of up to $1,000 (1/2 from School and 1/2 from OVPR) on a competitive basis. This funding is not a substitute for other forms of funding that currently exist. Rather, the intent is to support research activities in instances where other sources (e.g., departmental sources, the Office of Graduate Studies) are inadequate or unavailable.

The application is now available.

Eligibility: Applicants must be currently enrolled at UT Dallas and have advanced to doctoral candidacy. Applicants may not receive more than one grant during an academic year.

Funding Category: Students may apply for grants to fund any of the following and should mark the appropriate category on the Application:

1. Travel to research collections or residency programs in the United States or abroad;
2. Travel for invited research presentations, performances, or exhibitions at significant professional meetings or events both here in the United States and abroad;
3. The purchase of research-related materials, such as videos or microfilms; (Note that any equipment purchased with grant money remains the property of UT Dallas)
4. Expenses related to the translation or transcription of primary research or research materials.

Application Process: Applications are accepted at any time during the year as long as funds are available. Applicants should request funds at least six weeks before they need the funds and requests cannot be retroactive. All applications must be submitted through and approved by the student's Program Head/Dissertation Committee then forwarded to the Office of VP for Research for final approval. Application packets must include:

1. An application form including the endorsement of Program Head/Dissertation Committee and confirmation of the availability of departmental matching funds.
2. A 1-page letter describing the project, its purpose, and its relevance to the field and applicant. In the case of a performance or presentation, applicants will need to explain the relevance of the venue to the particular field and how the experience will enhance development as an artist, performer, or scholar.
3. A detailed budget. Applicants should indicate whether they have matching funds from outside sources or are currently applying for such funds. Per diems are not permitted under this program.
4. In the case of presentation travel, provide a letter of invitation or other indication of acceptance from the sponsoring organization.

Departmental Review: The Program Head/Dissertation Committee is required to review applications to confirm that the applicant is currently registered as a PhD candidate in the program, that the proposed project will be beneficial to the completion of the applicant's dissertation or add to their professional standing, and to verify that Departmental matching funds are available for the project. Following financial approval by the appropriate School representative, forward the Application page to the ORD (attn: Jazmin Perez, AD15) for confirmation of matching funds. The School will process applicable travel vouchers or purchase orders working with ORD for funding. A signed copy of the Application is returned to the School and the School keeps all supporting documents.

Follow-Up: In keeping with all competitive grants programs, a brief (1-page or less) report should be filed by the student once the activity is complete. The partnering School keeps these reports and sends a copy to ORD.