The Isa and Avi Mehta Graduate Student Research Grant
About
Created through the generosity of Kavita Patel, Class of 1998, this fund provides research support for graduate students in the WGSS Certificate or PhD Programs. WGSS graduate students may apply for up to $700 in support for research related to their work in the Certificate or PhD, including dissertation research. Supported expenses may include travel* to archives; transcription of interviews; acquisition of inaccessible books or other materials (which may ultimately be offered to the Yale Library); assistance in research. Note that the award does not cover food expenses. Applications will be accepted twice a year, in February and October.
* Important: Please read Yale’s Travel Policy here. Faculty, students, and staff must complete the travel self-assessment when making plans to travel internationally.
Mehta funds cannot provide reimbursement for expenses already incurred.
Requirements
Original receipts are necessary for reimbursement and applications for expenses already incurred will not be considered. Award monies are available for one year after the grant has been awarded. After one year, a request for an extension for the grant must be filed. Applicants who seek additional funding for a previously supported project must state how the money already received has been used in order to justify the continuation of support.
Deadline
The Fall 2024 deadline is Wednesday, October 9, 2024 by 11:59 PM.
The Spring 2025 deadline is Wednesday, February 5, 2025 by 11:59 PM.
Apply
To apply, please complete this application. The following will be required:
- A description of the work for which funding is needed (one to four double-spaced pages). This description should offer a specific explanation of the overall project to which the research will contribute and a sense of the scholarly works on which it relies. Successful proposals usually include: an introduction to the subject you are researching; a description of the relevant literature; a sense of the argument you hope to make; and a specific explanation of the relationship between the support you are requesting and your ability to make the argument.
- An itemized budget and description of the need for support (including the description of any other financial support solicited for this project); airfare and hotel costs should be included as PDFs (include travel website estimates).
- The name of one person (normally a Yale faculty member) who will write a letter of recommendation. Reference writers should send their letters directly to wgss@yale.edu and should comment on the applicant’s project and ability to carry it out successfully.
- A home address, email address, and phone number.