Summer Language Grant

DEADLINE:  March 2013 (exact deadline TBD)

OVERVIEW:

The Summer Language Grant (SLG) is intended to assist PhD students with expenses related to language acquisition during the summer. The grant is intended for students who require language training for their research.

ELIGIBILITY:

  • The grantee must be registered at Northwestern University for Summer Term.
  • First-, second-, and third-year PhD students in Divisions II and III (social sciences and humanities) of the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Education and Social Policy, the School of Communication (humanities and social science projects), and the School of Music are eligible for the SLG.
  • Prior to the beginning of the award period, the student must have completed 3 quarters of full-time full tuition registration toward the PhD degree in The Graduate School.  Students beyond their third year of graduate study will receive funding only in exceptional cases.  Students in this situation should include an explanation in the application.
  • Although formal coursework is not a pre-requisite, students must have had some exposure to the target language before making an application.  Students with at least one year of study in the target language will be given preference for the award.
  • Students who are on an extension of the deadline for the completion of all PhD requirements are not eligible for a Summer Language Grant.
  • Awards will not be granted for retroactive payments.
  • Preference is given to students who require training in a language that is not their primary area of study but is still a significant part of their research.  Grants are made to help defray expenses incurred pursuing language instruction outside the Chicago metropolitan area during the summer session. Summer Language Grants may not be used for language study at Northwestern. Students may apply for an SLG to pursue immersion language training via a study abroad program.
  • Summer Language Grants may be held concurrently with other awards, such as a Summer University Fellowship.

AWARD:

The maximum award amount is $2,000. The award works as a reimbursement: funds are transferred to the student's home department, and are transferred to the student upon the student's submission to the department of the relevant receipts and reimbursement forms. 

Applications are reviewed based on:

  • The relevance of the proposed language to the applicant's academic program
  • The availability of the proposed language versus its availability at NorthwesternPrior study, if any, of the proposed language
  • The quality and breadth of the applicant's preparation and the potential or demonstrated productivity of the applicant.

Awards are for the summer term and cannot be deferred. At the end of the award period, any unspent funds must be returned to The Graduate School.

INSTRUCTIONS:

The materials described below must be collected into a single pdf file and submitted via the online fellowship tool by the person designated to be the TGS nominator for the department/program. 

Cover sheet that lists the following information:

  • Student Name
  • Student (EMPL) ID number
  • Program of study
  • NU Email address
  • Amount requested:  ($2,000 maximum)
  • Proposed institution or program:                                                     
  • Language:                             
  • Have you requested outside funding?   If yes, from what source(s)?                                       
  • Faculty advisor

Statement (double-spaced, not to exceed two pages) that describes:

  • The relevance of the proposed language to the applicant's academic program
  • The availability of the proposed language
  • Prior study, if any, of the proposed language

Budget (not to exceed one page) that itemizes the estimated expenses and shows the total amount requested. Per diem and lodging must be listed separately. Allowable Costs: Living expenses incurred while attending an instituition outside the Chicago metropolitan area during the summer session; Travel expenses; Educational expenses  Non-allowable Costs: Retroactive charges for expenditures incurred or committed prior to review and approval of the application.

Curriculum vitae

Unofficial Northwestern transcript

Letter of recommendation from your advisor (or another faculty member, if advisor is unavailable).

|