Funding Opportunities

COSAS funding is generally restricted to current graduate students at the University of Chicago.
This includes COSAS fellowships, travel grants and small research grants.

College students and graduate students may apply for occasional Special Projects. Projects supported in the recent years have included campus-based arts programs, workshops, and conferences with a central focus on Southern Asia.

It is best to submit a proposal in the early spring for the following academic year. Contact the COSAS office at 773-702-8637 or e-mail rashmij@uchicago.edu for further information.

Graduate Student Research Fund

The Graduate Student Research Fund is announced in the winter

The COSAS Graduate Research Fund is eligible for graduate students enrolled at the University of Chicago who are engaged in scholarly research on the region and peoples of Southern Asia (as defined in the COSAS Constitution) and who require funds to cover their Southern Asia–related research tasks or projects. 

Research fund amounts and restrictions: In any particular year, students may not apply for more than $12,000 in research funds. Students may apply multiple times over their graduate career and in any year of their program.

Application info

Due: This application will be due on April 1, 2024 and can be found here: Graduate Student Research Fund

Contact: The Committee on Southern Asian Studies; Rashmi Joshi, rashmij@uchicago.edu

Outdoor staircase with foliage in Bambu Indah, Ubud, Indonesia

Fellowships

COSAS Graduating Funding Opportunities for the following academic year are announced in the Winter Quarter.

COSAS fellowships fund the following areas as priorities: dissertation writing, summer language study, and other areas of research and study based on committee review.

Eligible University of Chicago students of any nationality may apply for a COSAS fellowship. Applicants in each of these priority areas apply and are evaluated by the Committee in a single fellowship competition during the spring quarter of each year.

Decisions regarding awards will be considered in light of other sources of funding available to applicants. All decisions regarding awards must also be finally approved by the applicant’s Dean of Students.

Details on each of the funding priorities are below:

Dissertation Writing Support Fellowship

This fellowship provides funds for dissertation writing on a topic relating to South or Southeast Asian studies. Generally research for the dissertation has been completed by the time the fellowship is to commence. Formal admission to candidacy is required. Students who have been admitted to candidacy may apply in the spring for funding that will begin the following summer.

Application Info

Open to:
University of Chicago Ph.D candidates writing dissertations on topics related to South and South East Asia

Due: This application will be due on April 1, 2024 and can be found here: Dissertation Writing Support

Contact: The Committee on Southern Asian Studies; Rashmi Joshi, rashmij@uchicago.edu

Summer Research and Travel

This fellowship supports students who propose to be engaged in summer research that would benefit their project/doctoral research. This includes the study of any Southern Asian languages. For example, COSAS may cover study at the University of Wisconsin’s SASLI and SESAI programs and other eligible programs, including the CAORC institute programs such as the AIIS. Funding may also be applied to support the study of languages not covered under FLAS (e.g. Sanskrit and Pali), and any other non-language related research conducted during the summer.

Application Info

Open to:
University of Chicago graduate students conducting research over the summer related to their doctoral project/primary research project.

Due: This application will be due on April 1, 2024 and can be found here: Summer Research and Travel Fellowship

Contact: Committee on Southern Asia Studies; Rashmi Joshi, rashmij@uchicago.edu

Fellowships for Other Projects

This category of fellowship support is contingent on committee review of its eligibility for funding and will be evaluated in light of budget availability once other priority areas have been covered.

Application Info

Open to:
University of Chicago graduate students for other projects related to dissertation research or language study not explicitly covered under the above categories.

Due: This application will be due on April 1, 2024 and can be found here: Other Support Fellowship

Contact: Committee on Southern Asia Studies; Rashmi Joshi, rashmij@uchicago.edu

Grants

Student Conference Travel Grants

University of Chicago graduate students who deliver papers on subjects related to Southern Asia at a recognized conference may be eligible to receive reimbursement for conference-related expenses for attending the conference up to a limit of $1000 per year. Expenses can include flights, hotel stays, registration fees, food, and taxis.

Funds are limited to a maximum established by the COSAS annual budget. We strongly recommend that students have their travel reimbursement pre-approved by emailing the COSAS Associate Director at rashmij@uchicago.edu.

Applying to Student Conference Travel Grants

In order to receive full funding, please email the following documentation to rashmij@uchicago.edu:

  1. A program or letter of invitation from the conference proving that you presented a paper;
  2. Completed copies of the TEV and Student Reimbursement Forms, which can be found after clicking on “Forms” under “Graduate Student Funding”;
  3. Receipts of all expenses documented on the TEV form, including flights, hotels, registration, Taxis, and travel meals. If you do not have access to a scanner, emailed photos of the receipts will also suffice. Please email Rashmi Joshi at rashmij@uchicago.edu if you have any questions.

Funds are limited to a maximum established by the COSAS annual budget. We strongly recommend that students have their travel reimbursement pre-approved by emailing the COSAS Associate Director at rashmij@uchicago.edu.

Small Research Grants

COSAS has set aside a fund to support students’ acquisition of materials generally held in archives and libraries. The fund also supports other research-related expenses. These funds are meant to cover reimbursement fees for things like photocopying, acquiring microfilm and microfiche documents, and similar types of requests.

Students are encouraged to view the materials collected in archival research as a source to share with colleagues and donate them, after the initial reference use, to the Southern Asian Collection at the University of Chicago.

Students are allowed up to $1500 per academic year in research/archival reimbursements. For more information, please contact the COSAS Associate Director at rashmij@uchicago.edu.

Applying to Student Archival and Research Grants (“Small Grants”)

Receipts are required and reimbursements are limited to $1500 per person per year. Due to limitations on the size of this budget, we recommend that students have their reimbursements pre-approved to assure that the request can be honored.

Please email the COSAS office at rashmij@uchicago.edu, if you have questions regarding this grant or would like to have your request pre-approved.

Last Quarter Tuition Only Grants

COSAS doctoral students may request tuition-only grants to cover their tuition for the quarter in which they graduate. These grants do not involve any stipend, and are not available to students who are unable to show evidence of graduation for the quarter in which funding is sought. All funding is available pending budget approval and all decisions regarding these awards must also be finally approved by the applicant’s Dean of Students.

We suggest that you contact the COSAS Associate Director who will advise you on eligibility by writing to rashmij@uchicago.edu.

COSAS Undergraduate Research Grant

COSAS is pleased to announce the COSAS Undergraduate Research Grant for AY 2024–2025. This grant is designed to support BA thesis research—or equivalent research projects—in the study of Southern Asia. This grant allows students to fund travel for fieldwork, archival work, or access to digital materials relevant to their research project.

Maximum Award: up to $2,500 per award.

Deadline for application: May 15, 2024; to be sent to Rashmi Joshi (rashmij@uchicago.edu)

Eligibility: All University of Chicago undergraduate students in any degree granting department of the University whose research project (BA thesis or equivalent research project) centers on the study of Southern Asia are eligible. Awardees should be in good academic standing.

Scope: COSAS is happy to support undergraduate research projects—with a preference for BA thesis research—proposed by any University of Chicago undergraduate, provided that the student requires research—whether in the form of archival or visual, or oral materials, or fieldwork—that concerns Southern Asian studies. (Southern Asian studies designates all scholarly research about the Southern Asian region and its peoples, viz. Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, East Timor, Vietnam, and the Tibet Autonomous Region.) Research funds may be used for travel to Southern Asia for research purposes, as well as to areas outside of Southern Asia for access to archival materials, in addition for access to digital sources.

Students who apply to COSAS are strongly encouraged to also submit an application to the Dean’s Fund as well as other fellowships for undergraduates (see The College Center for Research database of fellowships for undergraduates).

Applying for COSAS Undergraduate Research Grant

In order to receive full funding, please email the following documentation to rashmij@uchicago.edu:

  • The application materials must include:

    –     a COSAS cover sheet;

    –     a Statement of Purpose (no more than 2 pages in length). The Statement of Purpose should include:

    o  a brief description of the research project, its questions, and whether it is for a senior thesis;

    o  a description of the unique materials to be examined regarding to Southern Asia and how they will be accessed;

    o  a description of the applicants’ preparedness to carry out this research;

    o  a time-line describing the research for which funds are being applies for;

    –     a Budget that provides a line-item description of the total funds needed to complete the project, as well as a statement detailing how much of the total budget is requested from COSAS, alongside what, if any, other funds have been secured by the student for this project (e.g., from the Dean’s fund, etc.). NB: the budget should be devised with the help of the faculty member from the University of Chicago with whom you are working;

    –     an Unofficial Transcript (a PDF of your academic history or electronic transcript may be submitted)

    –     a short Resume/CV that includes the student’s major;

    –     a Letter of Recommendation from a University of Chicago faculty member, lecturer, preceptor or academic advisor who is familiar with the student’s project (to be emailed directly to Rashmi Joshi [rashmij@uchicago.edu]). All applicants should be working with closely with a faculty member (lecturer or preceptor) in determining access to archives, availability of materials and budgeting.

    Any questions about eligibility/ the application process should be directed to Rashmi Joshi (rashmij@uchicago.edu). Application materials should be e-mailed as a single Word or PDF attachment to Rashmi Joshi (rashmij@uchicago.edu) no later than the day of the deadline.

COSAS BA Prize

COSAS is pleased to announce the COSAS BA Prize for AY 2023–2024. The COSAS BA Prize recognizes excellence in BA thesis research in the study of Southern Asia by undergraduate students matriculated in any department of the University of Chicago. The award is given to the best senior BA thesis in Southern Asian Studies (per academic year) that makes use of primary materials in the area of Southern Asia in any concentration or discipline. (Southern Asian studies designates all scholarly research about the Southern Asian region and its peoples, viz. Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, East Timor, Vietnam, and the Tibet Autonomous Region.)

Award amount: $500.

Eligibility: University of Chicago undergraduate seniors who are, or have, completed a BA thesis between December 2023 and August 2024. In order to be considered for a COSAS BA Thesis Prize, a thesis must be nominated by the thesis advisor.

Applying for COSAS BA Prize

  • Application:

    ·     For nominating faculty member: A short letter nominating the student for the BA prize, with a short description detailing the merit of the thesis in the context of Southern Asian studies and attesting to the good standing of the student.

    ·     For student application: Applicants should submit a copy of their senior thesis via email, and should include their name, department, advisor’s name, expected graduation date, phone number, and e-mail address on the title page. The thesis should be e-mailed as Word or PDF attachment (no larger than 5MB) to Rashmi Joshi (rashmij@uchicago.edu) by the day of the deadline. 

    Deadline for nomination and application:  The deadline for nomination and thesis submission is April 17, 2023.

Architecture in Agra, India

Language Study and Research through COARC-affiliated Institutes

Students from any university may apply for a variety of language and research fellowships through institutes affiliated with COARC. COARC programs and fellowships are generally open to individuals of any nationality.

In recent years, undergraduate and graduate students have been able to participate in some CAORC institute summer programs with support through the U. S. Department of State Critical Languages Scholarships (CLS). CLS fellowships are restricted to US citizens.

Please visit the CAORC-affiliated institute web sites for details regarding language study and area research funding opportunities:

US Department of Education Funding

Administered by the Office of Graduate Affairs

The USED supports a variety of federally funded language study and research fellowships. Details regarding eligibility and the application processes for FLAS, Fulbright and Fulbright-Hays fellowships are posted online by the University of Chicago Office of Graduate Affairs. For additional information, contact Brooke Noonan at brookec@uchicago.edu or phone 773-702-0871. U.S. federally-supported fellowships often carry eligibility restrictions regarding citizenship.

Students applying for language study with the University of Wisconsin’s South Asia Summer Language Institute may also be eligible to apply for FLAS funding through the University of Wisconsin program. Please contact SASLI program administrators for details.

Forms

If you are visiting the college to present as part of our South Asia Seminar Series or at a conference, please fill out this Wufoo Form and we will buy your plane ticket for you.

Please visit the Financial Services page for more Tax-Related Forms.