Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad

The Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad (DDRA) supports doctoral students (post-candidacy) to complete dissertation research in language or area studies outside of Western Europe and North America. Applications to countries in Western Europe may be permitted if the purpose is to access archives or other information regarding another (non-Western) country that is only available in Western Europe.

In addition to completing the on-line application, applicants are required to notify the dean as to whether their research uses human subjects, and if so, whether this use qualifies for an IRB Exemption. In the event that the human subjects are being used, proposals that qualify for an exemption require a brief narrative describing the qualifications for an exemption. Proposals which do not qualify for an exemption need a longer narrative describing the use of human subjects and the protections provided, as well as the IRB approval number and date (if IRB approval has been obtained).

Fulbright-Hays applications are scored based on the following criteria. Applicants need to be sure to explicitly address each of these points in their applications:

Quality of the Proposed Project:

• Statement of the major hypotheses to be tested or questions to be examined; description and justification of the research methods to be used
• Relationship of the research to the literature and to major theoretical issues in the field; project’s originality and importance
• Preliminary research completed; kind, quality, and availability of data in the host country
• Justification for overseas field work, preparation to establish appropriate and sufficient research contacts and affiliations
• Plans to share results of the research in progress and the final dissertation with scholars and officials in the host country
• Guidance and supervision of the dissertation research advisor or committee, including guidance in developing the project, understanding research conditions abroad, and acquainting the applicant with research in the field

Qualifications of the Applicant:

• Overall strength of the graduate academic record
• Extent to which the academic record demonstrates strength in relevant area studies
• Proficiency in language; measures taken to overcome language barriers
• Ability to conduct research in a foreign cultural context, as evidenced by references or prior overseas experience

The points assigned to each of these categories can vary from year to year, and in some years bonus points might be awarded for certain topics or languages. Contact the dean for up-to-date information about scoring.