Student Funding

Whether you are an incoming student or writing your dissertation, there are funding opportunities available at each stage of your graduate career.

On this page:

External Funding Opportunities

The American Anthropological Association (AAA) offers links to many relevant national and international fellowships in support of research:

Student Funding

The Department of Anthropology spring funding opportunities are now open. All funding applications are due April 10, 2023.

Spring 2023 Graduate Student Conference Grant

The Department of Anthropology will award $500 to three PhD students each to help defray the cost of presenting original research, undertaken while studying at UB, at a professional/ scholarly meeting. The time period covered by this award is July 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023.

Eligibility:
All currently enrolled doctoral students

Application Materials Required:

  1.  A brief description of no more than 1 page (typed, single-spaced), which includes the name and description of the conference, the title and description of the paper or poster you will present, the dates and location of the conference, and any additional sources of funding received. Clearly indicate in the heading of your proposal that this is an application for the Spring 2023 Graduate Student Conference grant.
  2. A  budget, including airfare, hotel accommodation, and conference registration fee.
  3. A curriculum vitae.

Submit proposals to Maria Portera, with Attn to: Graduate Awards Committee.

Deadline:  
April 10, 2023

The Anthropology Graduate Committee will review all applications and select the three top applicants.

To receive funding, recipients must submit in a timely fashion receipts and a copy of the page in the conference/ meeting program where the name of the presenter and the title of their paper or poster is listed. 

 

2023 Opler Scholarship for Dissertation Research

The Department of Anthropology will award an Opler Scholarship for Dissertation Research to an Anthropology PhD student in the amount of $7000 for the period from May 1, 2023 – May 1, 2024.

This scholarship is applied to your Student Account, and is used to pay any charges for tuition, fees and health insurance. Any remaining funds will be disbursed to you around October 2023.

Eligibility:
All currently enrolled doctoral students who have passed their advanced exams and successfully defended their doctoral dissertation proposal.

Application Materials Required:
A brief proposal of no more than 1 page (typed, single-spaced) in which you describe your proposed research. Include a budget and timetable. Clearly indicate in the heading of your proposal that this is an application for the Opler Dissertation Research Scholarship.

In addition, submit the following supportive materials:

  1. Documentation that you have applied for external (i.e. non-UB) funding to support your research.
  2. Statement about any funding you have received for dissertation research
  3. A curriculum vitae

Submit proposals to Dr. Vasiliki Neofotistos and cc to Maria Portera, with Attn to: Graduate Awards Committee

Deadline:
April 10, 2023

A faculty committee will review the applications and notify the recipient by late April, 2023.

The recipient of this award will file a one-page report to the Director of Graduate Studies no later than the semester after they have completed their research.

 

2023 Opler Scholarship for Dissertation Writing

The Department of Anthropology will award an Opler Scholarship for Dissertation Writing to an Anthropology PhD student in the amount of $7000 for the period from May 1, 2023 – May 1, 2024.

This scholarship is applied to your Student Account, and is used to pay any charges for tuition, fees and health insurance. Any remaining funds will be disbursed to you around October 2023.

Eligibility:
All currently enrolled doctoral students who have passed advanced exams and the dissertation proposal and will have completed their dissertation research by the end of the Spring 2023 semester and will start writing their dissertations at that time.

Application Materials Required:

A brief proposal of no more than 2 pages (typed, single-spaced) in which you describe your research and its significance, and your plan for completion of your dissertation. Clearly indicate in the heading of the proposal it is for dissertation writing, and indicate also your progress on the dissertation to date.  If this request involves travel, include a budget.

In addition, submit the following supporting materials:

  1. Any funding you have received to support dissertation writing
  2. A curriculum vitae

Submit proposals to Dr. Vasiliki Neofotistos and cc to Maria Portera, with Attn to: Graduate Awards Committee

Deadline:
April 10, 2023

A faculty committee will review the applications and notify the recipient by late April, 2023.

 

Keith F. Otterbein Award Competition

The Keith F. Otterbein Award is intended to provide support to one exceptional PhD student at the University at Buffalo doing doctoral research on War and/or Peace. The award is for research that focuses on social, cultural, or historical factors involved in initiating and/or conducting war and/or establishing and/or maintaining peace. Preference is given to students in anthropology and classics, but students from different disciplines are strongly encouraged to apply. Qualified female candidates are especially encouraged to apply.

The award carries a stipend of $1,500 and is given to students at the pre-dissertation research stage, the dissertation research stage, or the dissertation-writing stage.

To apply for the award, please send the following to Anthropology Department Graduate Program Coordinator Maria Portera (380 Academic Center-Ellicott Complex), mportera@buffalo.edu.

A research proposal of no more than 5 pages (typed, single-spaced) in which you describe your research and its significance; and, 1 page with the budget for research-related travel.

In addition, submit the following supporting materials:

  1. a curriculum vitae
  2. two letters of reference
  3. information on any funding you have received or applied for to conduct pre-dissertation research or dissertation research, or to write up your dissertation

The application deadline is Monday April 10, 2023. Candidates will be notified of the committee’s decision in late April/early May 2023.  

Please note that if the recipient plans to use the award for research travel, especially this summer, travel must be approved before the award can be disbursed.

 

The recipient of this award must file a 5-10 page report with the Chair of the Anthropology Department. In addition, the recipient will give a presentation as part of the Anthropology Lecture Series.

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