Funding Opportunities

The IR Program supports students inside and outside the classroom through research opportunities, scholarships, and funding to attend IR-relevant programs, events and conferences. Participation in such activities presents an invaluable opportunity for students to become developed scholars and vital contributors to international understanding and a global society.

IR Program Funding Opportunities

Anne E. Borghesani Memorial Prize

The Anne E. Borghesani Memorial Prize is an incentive award that enables the recipient(s) to undertake a research project, internship, volunteer activity, or plan of study in any field involving international issues. Designed to foster the spirit of the award, the prize encourages personal growth and independence, while increasing one's understanding of all peoples and encouraging a commitment to the world community.

Conference Funding

The IR Program will on occasion solicit applications from students studying IR to attend discipline-relevant conferences.

IR majors in good academic standing are also eligible to apply for small grants to help defray the costs of attending and participating in IR-related national and international meetings. Applications for grants up to $250 will be considered (on a rolling basis). To apply, please submit the Conference Funding Application no later than 4 weeks before the meeting.

IR Internship Funding

The International Relations Internship Award is a highly competitive award that is designed to help enable recipients to pursue an IR-related internship. Internships may be U.S. based or international. Select students will receive an award up to $2,000.

Applications for the IR Internship Award will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Please contact the IR Program for more information.

IR Undergraduate Research Scholar Program

The IR Undergraduate Research Scholar program is designed to foster IR student excellence in scholarly research, creative inquiry, and interdisciplinary thinking, as well as collaboration and mentoring relationships between IR majors and faculty. The program supports IR majors to work in semester or summer-long research assistant positions with Tufts IR Core Faculty members or Fletcher School faculty members. This funding is available for the fall, spring, and summer terms. Faculty funding is reserved for IR Core Faculty who hire and manage undergraduate IR majors to assist in the faculty member's research. Students, however, can receive funding for working with either IR Core Faculty or Fletcher School faculty. IR majors are encouraged to share this opportunity with their faculty mentors if they are
interested in participating in the program. IR majors who approach IR Core Faculty inquiring about research assistant positions may want to inform the faculty that both the IR core faculty member and the student can receive an award. IR majors who approach Fletcher School faculty about research assistant positions may want to inform the faculty that, as IR majors, they are eligible for student funding from the IR program.

Applications are typically due at the beginning of the semester for an award to support researchers throughout the rest of the term, and in May for summer research. However, funding applications are reviewed, and awards are made on a rolling basis, so later applications may be considered.

Applications can be submitted by IR Core Faculty or by IR majors, as follows:

Faculty Applications

IR Core Faculty may apply for funding to hire IR majors to assist on faculty research projects. These awards are capped at $1,000 for the student research assistant and $500 for the IR Core Faculty member.

Faculty-submitted applications must include:

Completed application form
Student resume (student can send directly to the IR Program)
Student unofficial transcript (student can send directly to the IR Program)
Letter describing the:
- Faculty research project on which the student will assist
- Nature of the work the student will perform and the ways in which it will foster
  student intellectual growth
- Estimated number of hours the student will work (this information will determine the amount of student award)

IR Undergraduate Research Scholars Program- IR Core Faculty Application

Student Applications

IR students who secure an offer to work as a research assistant with Fletcher faculty may apply for funding to support the development of strong research skills critical to professional or academic goals. These awards are capped at $1,000 per student per semester. Summer award amounts will depend on remaining funds.

Student applications must include:

Completed application form
Resume
Unofficial transcript
Letter from the prospective faculty supervisor (sent directly to the IR Program)
- Confirming that the student would be hired if the student application for the award is successful
- Describing the project and nature of the work the student would perform and the ways in which it will foster student intellectual growth
- Estimating the number of hours the student will work (this information will determine the amount of student award)

IR Undergraduate Research Scholars Program- Student Application

Other Funding Opportunities Available to IR majors

Laidlaw Scholarship Program

Launched in 2018, the Tufts Laidlaw Research and Leadership Program is open to undergraduate students, preferably those in their sophomore year, willing to commit to two consecutive summers of research with a Tufts faculty mentor. Research projects can be in any discipline. Projects may have an international dimension, and scholars may spend all or part of the second summer in an overseas university. Following each summer research period, scholars and their faculty mentors will participate in a research day in which their findings are shared with the broader community.

Summer Scholars Program

The Summer Scholars program funds rising juniors and seniors to pursue ten-week independent research projects. As part of the program, you will work closely with a faculty mentor to create a poster to present at a poster session in the fall. Summer Scholars then present the next stage of your research at the Undergraduate Research Symposium in the spring. Often, the summer project will culminate in your senior honors thesis.

Career Center Summer Internship Grants

Each summer the Career Center funds 40-50 undergraduate students doing unpaid internships for a minimum of 350 hours. These funds offer students the opportunity to explore career fields and gain experience. Selected students will receive $3,500. Students must secure an internship prior to the deadlines.

Tisch Summer Fellows (TSF) International Program

The Tisch Summer Fellows (TSF) International program supports undergraduate, graduate and professional students working on creative, self-designed projects with an active citizenship theme. TSF provides financial support to help students bring their international initiatives to life. We recommend that TSF projects be led by a group of two or more Tufts undergraduate, graduate or professional school students, although individuals with very strong proposals are welcome to apply. Applications will be accepted from official and unofficial Tufts groups or organizations.

Tisch Library Undergraduate Research Award

Tisch Library has developed an award recognizing outstanding undergraduate use of the library's collections, resources and services in the production of an exemplary research project. All undergraduate students who are registered through the end of the respective academic year may apply. Projects completed any time during the application's AY (spring, summer or fall semesters) are eligible, including group projects. Prizes will be split equally among group members.

Office of the Vice Provost for Research

The Office of the Vice Provost for Research is a great resource for Tufts students to gain insight into several sources of research funding, including: federal, state, corporations, foundations, and opportunities internal to Tufts.