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Multi-Country Research Fellowship

Frequently Asked Questions - 2012/2013 cycle

  23. How competitive is the program?
  24. Is there a general recommendation form or any guidelines that should be given to those writing the letter of recommendation?

1. When is the deadline?

The deadline for application submission is Tuesday, January, 15, 2013. Graduate transcripts and Letters of Recomendations sent via postal mail must be post-marked by Tuesday, January 15, 2013 and received by Wednesday, January 23, 2013.

2. Who can apply?

For eligibility criteria please refer to the Eligibility Guidelines section of the Multi-Country Research Fellowship page.

3. What must I submit for my application to be complete?

You must submit the following:

  1. Application Form - submitted online: Post Doctoral Scholar Application or Doctoral Candidate Application (The on-line application system for the 2012-2013 cycle is now closed. )and including:
    1. Project Description - On a separate sheet of paper, in 1500 words or less, please describe the nature of your proposed project and your competence to carry out the required research. State your research question and the methods and procedures you will use to conduct your research. Give the reasons why your project requires your presence in the countries you indicated and indicate the facilities (e.g., libraries, museums, archives, field sites) that you plan to use while conducting your research. What relationship will you have with the host-country ORC(s)? Finally, indicate the extent to which you have investigated other funding sources. Please note that those judging your application may not be specialists in your field.
    2. Project Bibliography/Literature Review - 1 page maximum, additional pages will not be submitted to the readers for review.
    3. Curriculum Vitae - 3 pages maximum, additional pages will not be submitted to the readers for review.
  2. Two (2) separate letters of recommendation- Ph.D candidates must have one letter from academic advisor with a signed Academic Advisor Form.
  3. Graduate Transcripts - Ph.D candidates only

 

Please do not include extraneous materials such as report covers, supplemental recommendations, publications, or photographs.

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4. How many countries can I visit?

You must visit a minimum of two countries outside of the United States, at least one of which hosts an American overseas research center. The fellow is responsible for making all research arrangements in countries without a research center. Applicants interested in conducting research in more than one country that hosts an American overseas research center are especially encouraged to apply. Funding is not available for research conducted in the United States.

5. What countries host an American overseas research center?

Algeria, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Turkey, and Senegal/West Africa. Travel to centers in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Palestine, and Yemen is currently restricted by the Department of State. CAORC encourages applicants and fellows to check the Department of State website (http://travel.state.gov) frequently and contact CAORC for any travel updates.

6. When must the fellowship grant be used?

The fellowship expires on October 31, 2014. By this time, all travel must be complete and your final report submitted to the CAORC office. Any unused portion of grant must be returned by this date as well. Extensions may be considered if the fellow is in continual contact with the CAORC office and a request is made with in an appropriate amount of time for CAORC to apply for an extension on your behalf.

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7. Where do I send my application?

The on-line application system for the 2012-2013 cycle is now closed.

Please submit the application form, project description, project bibliography/literature review, and curriculum vitae on-line here: Post Doctoral Scholar Application or Doctoral Candidate Application. Documents in MS Word format are preferred.

8. How do I send my transcript(s) and letters of recommendation?

Please have your letters of recommendation sent directly from your referee via email to fellowships@caorc.org. Documents, scanned with the referee's signature, in PDF format are preferred. In lieu of email, letters may be sent to the address below.

Please have your transcript (if applicable) mailed directly to CAORC via the U.S Postal Service or Express Mail.

 

U.S. Postal Service:

CAORC
Multi-Country Research Fellowship Program
P.O. Box 37012
MRC-178
Washington, DC 20013-7012

Express Mail:

CAORC
Multi-Country Research Fellowship Program
c/o Natural History Museum
10th Street & Constitution Avenue, NW
MRC-178
Washington, DC 20560-0178

 

9. Who has to submit a transcript?

Only Ph.D. candidates need to submit their graduate school transcripts. If you are a U.S. citizen Ph.D. candidate studying abroad please send MA transcripts and a letter from the schools registrar stating that you are registered in the Ph.D. program.

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10. How do I contact CAORC with further question?

For general information and questions about the fellowship please call 202-633-1599 or email fellowships@caorc.org

11. How are fellows selected?

For selection process please refer to the Review Criteria section of the Multi-Country Research Fellowship page.

12. How is the fellowship funded?

The CAORC Multi-Country Research Fellowship Program is funded by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the United States Department of State.

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13. What are the terms and conditions of the fellowship?

For all terms and conditions of the fellowship please refer to the Fellowship Terms and Conditions section of the Multi-Country Research Fellowship page. It is the fellow’s responsibility to understand and adhere to the guidelines set forth by CAORC.

14. Do I have to be affiliated with a US academic institution in order to apply for and
       receive the research grants from CAORC if I already have my Ph.D.?

It is not required that scholars holding a Ph.D. be affiliated with a US academic institution. Applications by independent scholars are acceptable. As long as you are a Ph.D. candidate at an accredited university or have already earned the degree you are eligible for the fellowship.

15. How are funds distributed to the fellow?

Fellows may select to have funds sent by check or wire transfer. Funds are pro-rated according to the number of days spent in country during each portion of the total grant tenure that the Fellow is engaged in research for this program and are only released once proof of travel has been provided to CAORC and all necessary paperwork has been completed.

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16. If I already had a CAORC Multi Country Research Fellowship, can I apply again?

Fellowship recipients are eligible to reapply for a second Multi Country Research Fellowship three years after their initial award.

17. Do I have to be a US Citizen to be eligible for the fellowship?

Fellowships will be awarded to U.S. citizens only. Proof of citizenship (i.e. photocopy of passport, etc.) must be shown upon receipt of fellowship.

18. Can I use other grants during the same time that I am a CAORC Fellow?

While CAORC encourages scholars to apply to other federal and private sources in addition to the CAORC Multi-Country Research Fellowship Program, CAORC fellows may not simultaneously hold other federally funded fellowships, such as Fulbright,Fulbright-Hays, and NEH grants. Some may be taken serially. CAORC fellows who receive additional awards must contact CAORC immediately to discuss possible date and stipend adjustments.

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19. What should I do if one of my references does not send in his/her letter of recommendation?

It is the responsibility of the applicant to follow-up with references as well as confirm with CAORC to ensure that all letters of recommendation are received prior to the application deadline.

20. Who will review my application?

Fellows will be selected by the CAORC grants panel made up of scholars accustomed to conducting regional and trans-regional research.

21. How soon will I find out if I am awarded a fellowship?

It is anticipated that applicants will be notified via email by Wednesday, April 17, 2013. Please do not call CAORC, as notification will only be made by email.

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22. Can I get feedback about why my application was not selected for a fellowship?
        Do you have examples of winning proposals?

Unfortunately, CAORC does not have the resources to provide feedback. We do not provide examples of winning proposals because there is not a set template by which applications are judged. Each application is reviewed on an individual basis according to the categories cited above.

23. How competitive is the program?

We receive an average of 100 applications for the 9 fellowships.

24. Is there a general recommendation form or any guidelines that should be given to
        those writing the letter of recommendation?

Ph.D. candidates must submit one letter from his/her academic advisor. The advisor must complete and return the ‘Academic Advisor Form’. For all other letters the standard format for letters of recommendation is sufficient. Please have your letters of recommendation sent directly from your referee via email to fellowships@caorc.org. Documents, scanned with signature, in PDF format are preferred.

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