The Buffett Institute offers International Research Awards to doctoral students who are conducting research outside the contiguous United States and/or within Tribal Nations. All awards will be made as scholarship awards and will be paid out through the University’s payroll system.

Pre-dissertation International Summer Research Grants

For students in years 1-3, we award pre-dissertation summer funding, intended for exploratory international research and fieldwork. The most competitive applications will demonstrate how the summer research will help to advance the candidate’s progress towards the dissertation. Students are limited to one pre-dissertation research grant of up to $6,000 over the course of their graduate career at Northwestern. Learn more >>

International Research Travel Grants

For students in years 3-6, we offer research travel funding to be taken in any quarter/s. The most competitive applications will include a clear statement about the major questions to be explored, the sources and methods to be used, as well as the significance of the dissertation project to the literature on the subject. Please write your proposal so that the significance of the dissertation is clear to people outside your field. The maximum award is $9,000. Students may only be awarded this grant once over the course of their graduate career, and they are eligible to receive the award if they have already received a pre-dissertation summer research grant. Learn more >>

Funding for Projects on Modern Turkey or the Middle East

Funds are also available for projects on modern Turkey through Buffett's Keyman Modern Turkish Studies Program and for projects on the Middle East through the Crown Family Middle East Research Travel fund. Interdisciplinary projects and collaborative projects with institutions and researchers in the regions will be given priority. Only graduate students who have not received a Keyman or Crown grant in the last two years are eligible. To be considered, simply indicate in your application that you would like to be considered for a Keyman and/or Crown grant.