CLACS 2025 Summer Graduate Research Fellowships 

The Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies announces our call for applications for our 2025 Summer Research Fellowships.  These fellowships are meant to provide support research travel to Latin America for graduate students in the early stages of dissertation research.  Students may apply to any of the four programs below: 

Tinker Foundation Fellowship 

Awards are intended primarily to support travel expenses related to field research in Latin America for graduate students at the master’s or doctoral level. The Tinker Foundation defines Latin America as the Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries of the Western Hemisphere.  Any graduate student with Latin American-related interests is eligible to apply. Students who have already achieved ABD status are not eligible to apply as the award is not intended for advanced dissertation research.  Previous awardees are eligible to reapply. 

Whitten Fellowship: 

Awards are intended primarily to support travel expenses related to field research in Latin America for graduate students at the master’s or doctoral level. Any graduate student at any stage of their career (including advanced) with Latin American-related interests is eligible to apply. Previous awardees are eligible to reapply. 

Kilby Fellowship: 

Thanks to the generous support of Professor Werner Baer (Economics), the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies announces the competition for this fellowship to graduate students working in Latin America.  This fellowship is intended for PhD students who have reached ABD status and who look to spend at least 4 weeks conducting research in Latin America. 

Love Fellowship: 

Thanks to the generous support of Professor Joseph Love (History), the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies announces the competition for this fellowship to graduate students working in Latin America. This fellowship is intended for PhD students who have reached ABD status and who look to spend at least 4 weeks conducting research in Latin America. 

To Apply: 

Complete instructions for applications can be found on the CLACS website. 

Applications should include the following materials 

  • Application Coversheet (click to download) (please indicate the competitions you are applying to).
  • Current Transcript (unofficial is fine)
  • Title Page with Abstract (200-word max)
  • Brief Project Narrative (max 5 pages double-spaced, size 12 font)
  • COVID-19 risk and mitigation plan (1 page)
  • References Cited
  • Detailed Budget and budget justification

  • Proof that you have applied for IRB approval or a petition for IRB waiver (waivers will only be granted to individuals who are NOT working with human or animal subjects – all research involving human or animal subjects MUST have the appropriate approvals – if your proposal is selected for funding you MUST provide evidence that your project has IRB approval BEFORE funds will be disbursed) 

  • Two letters of reference to be uploaded separately here

Project proposals will be evaluated on their intellectual merit and feasibility.

Deadline: All materials must be received by February 14th, 2025

Please visit the CLACS website for more information

All materials (except for letters of reference which should be submitted directly by the recommender) should be combined into one PDF and uploaded here. Please click here to upload your application.

Questions about application procedures can be directed to Kasia Szremski at szremski@illinois.edu.