Social Science Research Council

Am I eligible to apply for the IDRF grant if I am not a citizen or permanent resident of the United States?

The IDRF welcomes proposals from full-time graduate students in the humanities and social sciences – regardless of citizenship – enrolled in doctoral programs in the United States.

If I have not yet obtained ABD status at the time of application, can I still apply?

Yes. Applicants for the 2008-2009 cycle must achieve All But Dissertation status (completed coursework and passed qualifying exams) by the time the proposed fieldwork begins or by December 2008, whichever comes first.  They must also fulfill all other eligibility requirements.

Am I eligible for IDRF funding if I am a student in a discipline such as art history, literature, musicology or philosophy?

Yes.  The IDRF accepts proposals from all disciplines within the social sciences and humanities.  All applicants should specify why empirical, site-specific research is critical to the successful completion of the proposed doctoral dissertation.  If you have any questions about whether your field or topic is eligible for IDRF funding, please contact us.

Will the IDRF fund applications that propose research within the United States?

Proposals that identify the U.S. as a case for comparative inquiry are welcome; however, proposals which focus predominantly or exclusively on the United States are not eligible.

I am already in the field.  Can I use an IDRF to extend my research?

Students who have already received nine months or more of support for dissertation research in one country are not eligible to apply to the IDRF to extend the research time in the same country.

 What is the minimum length of research?

Fellowships provide support for nine to twelve months of dissertation research. No awards will be made for proposals requiring less than nine months of on-site research. The IDRF-funded research must take place in a single continuous period within the eighteen months between July 2008 and December 2009.

When can I begin my IDRF research if I am selected for funding?

For the 2008-2009 cycle, fellows may begin fieldwork as early as July 2008.  All 2008 fellows must commence fieldwork by January 2009.

How do I apply for the IDRF award?

No paper applications are used in this application process.  The IDRF application is to be filled out online and can be accessed through the SSRC Online Application Portal.  You will also use this portal to contact your referees and language evaluator(s), complete the research relevance section, and to upload your research proposal and bibliography.

When is the deadline for the 2008 IDRF application?

Applications must be complete and submitted online before 9:00pm (EST) on November 6, 2007.  The reference letters and language evaluation(s) must also be submitted online by the same deadline.

I applied last year. Can I edit my old application and resubmit it?

No.  You will need to start over with a new online application, and request new reference letters and language evaluation(s).

Where do I find the reference and language evaluation forms?

There are no forms.  You must use the “References & Language Evaluations” sections of the online application to contact referees and language evaluators.  Once you have entered your evaluators’ contact information, they will receive emails with instructions on how to submit the reference letters or language evaluation(s) online.  The submitted material will be automatically added to your application.

Do I need to complete the application all at once?

No.  You may return to the application as many times as necessary until the application deadline.  Be sure to save your work after you finish each section of the application.  Once the application has been submitted, you will no longer be able to alter the information.

Do you have examples of proposals that have been awarded fellowships?

No. The IDRF program does not provide examples of proposals that have been awarded fellowships. However, you may visit our website to learn more about the research that current fellows are conducting.  For suggestions on proposal writing, we encourage you to consult The Art of Writing Proposals.

Can I submit my online application even if my reference letters and language evaluation(s) have not been received?

Yes.  You are strongly encouraged to submit your online application well in advance of the deadline in order to avoid any technical difficulties.  There is no need to wait for your reference letters and evaluations to be received in order to submit your application – they will be automatically added to your application.  You may continue to check the status of your references and language evaluations and you can send reminder requests through the “Track References” section of the application portal, even after your application has been submitted.

How many references do I need and whom should I ask to write references for me?

Two.  One reference letter must come from your principal faculty advisor and the other from someone who is familiar with your work and academic interests.  Follow the instructions on the “References” section of the application portal to send an electronic request to the referees.

Do I need to submit a language evaluation?

You need not submit a language evaluation form if you will be conducting research in English or your native language(s).  Applicants conducting research in another language are required to submit a language evaluation with their application.

Language evaluators should be qualified individuals who are able to test your proficiency in the language(s) needed for your on-site research at the time of your application.  Ideally, your evaluator will be an instructor at a university, in the U.S. or abroad; however, exceptions can be made for less commonly taught languages.  Departmental language exams will not be accepted as proof of language proficiency.  Please note that referees may not submit language evaluations on your behalf.

Do I need to answer the questions in the research relevance section?

Yes.  The three questions in the research relevance section are a required part of your application.  Please consider them carefully and answer each one as thoroughly and thoughtfully as possible within the word limit.  Your application cannot be submitted if this section of the application is incomplete.

Are there formatting requirements for the research proposal and bibliography?

Yes.  Your research proposal and bibliography should be collated as one continuous .PDF document not exceeding 12 pages in total.  Research proposals must not exceed TEN pages in length (including any appendices or end notes). The bibliography must not exceed TWO pages.

The proposal and bibliography must be in Times New Roman 11-point font type with at least one inch margins on all sides.  Proposals must be formatted with double-spacing.  The bibliography may be single-spaced.  Your name and page numbers should appear on each page.  Proposals not adhering to these guidelines will not be considered.

Is there a minimum page length for proposals?

At the very minimum, proposals to the IDRF should be six pages in length.  Proposals shorter than six pages are not considered competitive.

Do I need to submit transcripts with my application?

No.  Transcripts are not required at the time of application.  Relevant coursework and grades should be listed in the course report section of the online application.  However, you should be prepared to submit one official graduate-level transcript for each school you have attended (including any degree certificates from graduate institutions outside the U.S.) upon request of the program.

Do I need to send letters of affiliation with my application?

No.  Do not submit letters of affiliation with your application.  However, you should be able to supply letters of affiliation upon request of the program.

How will I know that my application is complete?

After you have successfully submitted your application, you will receive a confirmation email from the SSRC. You may continue to check the status of your references and language evaluation(s) and send reminder requests through the “Track References” section of the application portal, even after your application has been submitted.  Please do not call the IDRF office to ask about the status of your application.

Do I need to convert my proposal and bibliography document into .PDF format myself? I don’t know how to perform the conversion.

Yes.  You must convert your proposal and bibliography document into .PDF format.  You may do so by using Adobe Professional, or an online program such as www.zohowriter.com.  If you are unable to perform the conversion, please contact your university IT services for assistance.

My proposal and bibliography document was exactly the correct length in word processing program, but when I convert it to .PDF format, it exceeds the page limit.  Is that ok?

No.  Your proposal and bibliography may not exceed twelve (12) pages in total in .PDF format.

I added page numbers to my proposal document in MS Word™, but when I converted it to .PDF format, the formatting has changed?

We recommend that you use the footer function for page numbering, rather than the header function.  If you have tried this and the formatting still does not work, you may omit page numbering.

I uploaded my proposal and bibliography onto the application form, but when I print out the application, only my bibliography appears.  Did my proposal not get uploaded?

Your proposal and bibliography should be collated as one continuous .PDF document.  If you try to upload two separate documents, each will replace the one previously uploaded.  Please combine the two documents into one document and then upload again.

I use Mac OS X™ and I am having difficulty uploading my proposal document.

What should I do? There is a known problem – specific to Mac OS X™ machines – with uploading files over a secure connection.  You may upload files using any of the following options:

• Use Apple™’s browser, Safari™
• Upload your file using another computer not running OS X™

What should I do if one of my referees and/or evaluators cannot send in the letter s/he agreed to?

You may check the status of your references and language evaluations and send reminder requests through the “Track References” section of the application portal.  If one of your designated referees and/or evaluators cannot submit a letter on your behalf, you may send a request to someone else using the References section of the application portal.  Please note that once two reference letters or necessary evaluation(s) have been submitted, no more will be accepted.

My referee/evaluator cannot (or refuses) to use an online system to submit a reference/ evaluation.  What should I do?

Please follow the instructions in the References section of the application portal.  The IDRF program needs this information.  Your referee/evaluator will receive an email from us with information on how to contact us if s/he cannot use the online system.  We will work with your referee/evaluator to ensure that the necessary materials are submitted in a timely manner. (Please note that this will only be used as a method of last resort.)