On this page, you will find information on grants awarded by the Committee on African Studies, general information and funding opportunities for language programs both on and off campus, as well as external sources of funding such as campus employment opportunities.

Grants are offered for research, travel, professional training, and/or language study to be conducted by University of Chicago graduate students. If you are requesting funds for travel and/or off-campus research, you must provide the Committee with an approved Research Resumption Plan (RRP) prior to receiving the award funds.

 

AFRICAN STUDIES GRANTS

University of Chicago Graduate Student Small Grants

These grants are for projects that will advance the research agendas and professional training of University of Chicago doctoral students. Students may use these awards either alone or in combination with African Language Funds to support independent research and travel related to dissertation fieldwork and language study or, for students who are post-field, to support write up of results. Priority will be given to projects that are carried out on the African continent and that are likely to enhance the applicant’s ability to obtain outside funding for dissertation research. It is also possible to use small grants for follow-up research or for other initiatives; please confer with faculty members before the deadline in such instances. Consistent and committed participation in the African Studies Workshop and proof of satisfactory progress through the relevant doctoral program is required of all awardees. Awards will not exceed $3,000 and in some cases may be considerably less.

Applications should be submitted via Google forms using the link below, and must include a one-paragraph summary and justification of the proposed research, a cv, and a budget. Deadlines for this award will be announced during the academic year.

The Graduate Student Small Grants are made possible by support from the Office of the Provost.

Apply here for Graduate Student Small Grants.

African Language Fund

The African Language Fund (ALF) offers limited support for students preparing for doctoral research. These funds may be used to defray the costs of tuition, tutoring fees, textbooks, or other language-learning materials, or to assist with travel to language programs offered elsewhere, including in African countries. In exceptional circumstances, ALF may also be used for other scholarly projects. Consistent and committed participation in the African Studies Workshop and proof of satisfactory progress through the relevant doctoral program is required of all awardees. No budget should exceed $1,500, and actual awards may be less.

Applications should be submitted via Google forms using the link below, and should include a brief letter on your proposed doctoral research, as well as a discussion of your need for language training, your plans for undertaking it, and a budget. Deadlines for this award will be announced during the academic year.

The African Language Fund is made possible by support from the Dean of the Social Sciences.

Apply here for African Language Fund

 

 

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES 

 

Graduate Assistant in Dakar, Senegal	The College’s “Dakar: African Civilizations” program requires a Graduate Assistant (GA) to serve as a program and course assistant in Dakar.  The program includes three intensive African Civilizations courses taught in English by two University of Chicago faculty members and a faculty member from University Cheikh Anta Diop. More information available here.
African Studies Workshop Coordinator	Every year, a graduate student coordinator works with the ASW faculty advisors to manage the logistics and organization of the workshop. The workshop coordinator is responsible for the logistics and organization of the workshop. Duties include working with faculty advisors to organize the ASW schedule; coordinating with presenters and recruiting discussants; distributing papers and setting up each ASW meeting; managing the ASW email list and Canvas site; arranging visits and publicity for outside visitors, including the Distinguished African Studies Visitors, and working closely with staff to manage the budget and logistics. In addition, the coordinator works with Northwestern for the bi-annual Red Lion seminars; maintains ties with the Council on Advanced Study (CAS); helps to solicit applications for the African Language Fund and Small Grants awards; works with webmaster to ensure that ASW and Lecture Series pages are updated; and prepares and submits workshop renewal forms.
Research Assistantships & Work-Study	Faculty members often hire individual graduate students to help with their research and other projects. If you are eligible for work-study, contact your department and also talk with faculty members with whom you would like to work.

 

GRANTS AND FELLOWSHIPS: EXTERNAL RESOURCES

 

Graduate Student Affairs	An extensive list of external funding opportunities is regularly updated on UChicagoGRAD.
Boston University’s WARA Grants and Fellowships	WARA offers several exciting funding opportunities to both U.S. and West African scholars.