Tufts Research Grants
The Department of Political Science offers various grants to support and fund student research or assistantships. Student will have opportunities to apply for grants in the Fall and Spring semesters. Students are only eligible to receive one grant at a time. The deadline to apply for grants in Fall 2025 semester has passed. The application will reopen for Spring 2026 on 11/24/2025 and will close on 2/6/2026.
Tufts Political Science Research Grant
The goal of this grant program is to support student research by either covering expenses associated with student research or funding research assistantships with department faculty.
Apply here: https://tufts.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_esAigouTncCWwrI
- The student and faculty member supervising the project or research assistantship should submit a joint letter. The letter should include a 1-page description of the project followed by a budget justification.
- If the student is applying for research-related expenses, the project description should explain what other sources of funding the student has consulted and what the outcome of that consultation was (ex: The Tufts Undergraduate Research Fund).
- For the 2025-2026 academic year, awards are capped at $500.
- There is no deadline; funds are awarded on a rolling basis until available funds have been exhausted.
- For RA awards, students will be paid an hourly rate; for research expenses, students will work with Department staff to get reimbursed.
In accepting the grant, grantees will agree to allow the Political Science Department to write about their work in Departmental communications, such as our weekly newsletter, alumni newsletter, and social media.
Jeffrey M. Berry Political Science Research Grant
The goal of this grant program is to support student research by either covering expenses associated with student research or funding research assistantships with department faculty.
Apply here: https://tufts.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9tUlhAQ5sD15v26
- The student and faculty member supervising the project or research assistantship submit send a joint letter. The letter should include a 1-page description of the project followed by a budget justification.
- If the student is applying for research-related expenses, the project description should explain what other sources of funding the student has consulted and what the outcome of that consultation was (ex: The Tufts Undergraduate Research Fund).
- For the 2025-2026 academic year, awards are capped at $250.
- For RA awards, students will be paid an hourly rate; for research expenses, students will work with Department staff to get reimbursed.
- In accepting the grant, grantees will agree to allow the Political Science Department to write about their work in Departmental communications, such as our weekly newsletter, alumni newsletter, and social media.
Pi Sigma Alpha Student Research Grant
The goal of this grant program is to support student research by covering expenses associated with original student research. The student must be a current member of Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honor Society in order to apply. For any questions about Pi Sigma Alpha, please contact Professor Meredith McLain (Meredith.McLain@tufts.edu).
To apply:
- The student should send a letter Professor McLain. The letter should include a 1-page description of the project followed by a budget justification.
- If the student is applying for research-related expenses, the project description should explain what other sources of funding the student has consulted and what the outcome of that consultation was (ex: The Tufts Undergraduate Research Fund).
- For the 2025-2026 academic year, awards are capped at $250.
- There is no deadline; funds are awarded on a rolling basis until available funds have been exhausted.
- In accepting the grant, grantees will agree to allow the Political Science Department to write about their work in Departmental communications, such as our weekly newsletter, alumni newsletter, and social media.