CLAS Dissertation Writing Fellowships

12 September 2016

Fifteen new CLAS Dissertation Writing Fellowships ($11,250 each) will be awarded. 

Rationale: The purpose of the program is to provide fifteen students each year with the precious gift of time to complete a PhD dissertation, thus having the beneficial effects of improving degree completion rates and reducing time to degree. This investment is fully consistent with collegiate strategic goals.

Timing of Award Payments: The awards will be provided during the summer and fall of each year.  The award period will commence in late May (a partial month of support will be provided) and continue with monthly payments of $1500 through the end of December. The total amount of each award is $11,250:  ($750 + (7*1500)).

Award Process: Applications will be solicited in mid-September, with a due date of 14 October. Individuals will not apply directly; applications must be routed through the DEO.  Brief applications (one page) are collated by each unit and accompanied by a brief statement from the DEO that rank orders the applications from that unit.  All valid submitted applications will be evaluated, discussed, and ranked by the Graduate Educational Policy Committee.  The Associate Dean for Graduate and Online Education will make the final decision and notify Fellowship recipients and DEOs by the first week of December.

Eligibility: Applicants must have completed their comprehensive examination in order to be eligible to apply for an award.  The main focus of work to be accomplished during the period of the award is completion of the doctoral dissertation.  Awardees must register for at least 1 s.h. credit during the fall semester of the award. Recipients of a CLAS Dissertation Writing Fellowship may not combine the award with any other UI fellowship, assistantship or paid work during the award period.

In-Kind Contributions: CLAS units are required to contribute fringe benefits as well as any tuition and fee payments for the recipient of the fellowship.

Restriction: One fellow per PhD program each year.

Penalty Clause: If an individual who is awarded a fellowship fails to complete all requirements for graduation by the end of the spring semester in the Academic Year of the award, the unit will be ineligible to submit applications for a CLAS Dissertation Writing Fellowship during the subsequent award period.

Submitting a CLAS Dissertation Writing Fellowship Application: Eligible students should complete this form (if you have trouble with PDF you can use this version) and send it to their DEO.  DEOs should verify the accuracy of the information, complete their evaluation process, and email the results to allison-gerstenberger@uiowa.edu with the subject line: CLAS Dissertation Writing Fellowship Application.