Dissertation Year Fellowships
2008-2009

In order to enhance the research dimension of graduate education, the President’s Office has provided funding to support Dissertation Year Fellowships for the 2008-2009 Academic Year. The fellowship will carry a stipend of $16,000, a tuition scholarship and student health insurance. The Dissertation Year Fellowship is a 12-month award from July 1–June 30, as long as recipients are enrolled.

CRITERIA FOR ELIGIBILITY

• The qualifying examination must have been successfully completed by December 7, 2007.
• The applicant's record should give evidence of outstanding scholastic and scholarly achievement.
• The applicant must include a brief prospectus of the dissertation research project approved by his/her advisory committee.
• The applicant must be in residence at the University of Kentucky and devote full-time to dissertation research during the tenure of the fellowship (additional positions/employment are disallowed).
• Prior recipients of a Dissertation Year Fellowship are not eligible for a second award because the expectation is that students will defend their dissertation at the end of the fellowship year.
• Students who want to hold assistantships or outside employment during the fellowship year cannot be nominated.

NOMINATION PROCESS

Candidates for Dissertation Year Fellowships must be nominated by the program's Director of Graduate Studies. Programs may submit only two nominees for the Dissertation Year Fellowship.

In the following order, the nomination packet must include six complete sets of:

1. A completed fellowship nomination form specific to the Dissertation Year Fellowship;
2. A letter of nomination from the dissertation committee chair or DGS; and should include a statement relative to the significance of the proposed dissertation research and its potential contribution to the field of study;
3. One additional letter of recommendation, from another faculty member on the dissertation committee, for a total of two letters;
4. A brief curriculum vitae (not to exceed three pages);
5. A photocopy of the approved prospectus (not to exceed five double-spaced pages in length). The prospectus must be written in a manner that makes it comprehensible to readers who are not from the candidate's field of study.
6. Evidence of the applicant's research capabilities as demonstrated by abstracts of research presented, publications and/or papers accepted for publication, other honors or outstanding achievements of the nominee. Applicants should submit no more than two abstracts of their research.

SELECTION PROCESS

Ranking of the top candidates and alternates for these fellowships will be determined on the basis of the criteria set forth above. Faculty representatives of the standing fellowship panels will advise the dean on recommended recipients and alternates. Preference will be given to candidates who demonstrate the potential to complete the dissertation during the award year. Applications which do not comply with all the above criteria will not be considered.

DUE DATE FOR NOMINATIONS

Nominations with all appropriate documentation (six complete sets) must reach the Graduate School Funding Office, 203 Gillis Building, no later than Wednesday, February 6, 2008.

Direct questions to grad.webmaster@email.uky.edu
Last updated February 13, 2008