Graduate Student Funding

The Graduate Research Small Grants Program is designed to enhance opportunities for graduate students in arts and humanities to conduct research by offering supplemental financial support on a competitive basis. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis during the autumn and spring semesters (application is closed in the summer). To allow sufficient time for approvals, we recommend applications be submitted eight weeks before the date when the funds are to be used, but this is not a hard deadline.

This funding is not a substitute for other forms of funding that currently exist. Rather, it is designed to support research activities in instances where other sources (e.g., departmental sources, the Council of Graduate Students) are inadequate or unavailable in order to help fill gaps not met by current opportunities. For information on funding opportunities within your degree program, contact the Graduate Studies Director of your home department or school. Explore the Graduate School’s site for details on other university and external awards and programs.

Grants are restricted to currently enrolled students in arts and humanities programs. Applications are considered from individual students only. Eligible students can apply for one award every academic year (beginning the first day of classes in the fall semester), but preference will be given to students who have not received funding from this program in preceding years.

Students may apply for grants to fund any of the following and should mark on the DocuSign application which category their request falls under:

Categories 1 & 2 are eligible for up to $700:

1. Travel to conduct research (fieldwork, research collections, residency programs) in the United States or abroad.*
2. Travel for invited research presentations, performances or exhibitions at significant professional meetings or events both here in the United States and abroad.*

Categories 3 – 6 are eligible for up to $500:

1. Remote or virtual opportunities related to categories 1 & 2.
2. Payment to human subjects related to your research project.
3. The purchase of research-related materials, such as videos or microfilms. NOTE: Any equipment purchased with grant money remains the property of The Ohio State University.
4. Expenses related to the translation or transcription of primary research or research materials.

TRAVEL GUIDELINES: Students must follow travel guidance from the Office of Business and Finance. Fiscal year runs July 1 through June 30. Please work with your department if you’re planning domestic or international travel. 

We recommend applicants request funds at least eight weeks before the travel or other expense will take place to allow for approvals. All funding is contingent on availability. Retroactive applications under this program will not be considered.

ATTENTION! IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING ISSUES WITH DOCUSIGN, PLEASE USE THE OCIO CHAT SUPPORT FOR 24 HOUR ASSISTANCE!

Applications may be submitted at any time during the year, including the summer so long as funds are available. All applications must be complete and must use the DocuSign application form. This form will be used to both submit your proposal and route it for approval. As a result, when you initiate proposal submission in DocuSign, you will first be asked to include your name and Ohio State email address, as well as those of your graduate advisor, graduate studies director, department head and departmental fiscal officer. Please check these addresses carefully for accuracy as this will ensure timely review and processing of your application.

After entering name and email contact information, you then be able to submit your proposal, which must include the following:

1. A letter of 1-2 pages in which the applicant describes the project, its purpose, significance history, its relevance to the field, etc. In the case of a performance or presentation, applicants will need to explain the relevance of the venue to the particular field. Describe how this experience will enhance your degree program and your development as an artist, performer or scholar.
2. A detailed budget. Applicants should indicate whether they have obtained matching funds or are currently applying for such funds.
3. In the case of a presentation or performance, provide a letter of invitation or other indication of acceptance from the sponsoring organization or institution.

The application is now open for the 2024-2025 academic year. The application will close around the last day of classes in April 2025.

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Departmental Review

Once you submit the application using DocuSign, your graduate advisor will receive an email requesting a letter of support, which he or she will upload directly into DocuSign on your behalf. This letter should affirm the worthiness of the project and, in the case of conference papers, affirm the quality of the paper being delivered and the prestige of the conference in the student's field.

Once your graduate advisor uploads the letter of support and signs, your graduate studies director will receive an email from DocuSign requesting approval and confirmation of matching funds. Following this approval, DocuSign will send an email to your department chair for approval. At that point, you will receive an email from DocuSign indicating whether your grant was approved. This information will also be sent to your departmental fiscal officer. 

Incomplete applications will NOT be accepted.

For questions, please contact Assistant Dean, Brian Orefice at orefice.1@osu.edu.

We are not currently accepting applications for these scholarships. We will update this section when scholarships resume.

The Gordon P.K Chu Memorial Scholarship supports graduate students within the humanities or related humanities-based disciplines, such as art history or musicology, with preference for international students participating in a study abroad program or independent research project, or U.S. students participating in study abroad programs.

The annual income for the G. Micheal Riley International Academic Fund shall be used to support international activities in the Humanities, including travel abroad by graduate students enrolled in degree programs offered by academic units in the college, to engage in research, attend professional conferences, and/or participate in exchange programs offered by the college.

Typical award for each program is up to $1,000.