Funding Opportunities

See the Watson Institute Undergraduate Student Opportunities page for additional resources.

Opportunities

The IAPA Thesis Research Fund provides financial support for undergraduates concentrating in International and Public Affairs who have been accepted to the IAPA Honors Program.

APPLICATION DEADLINES
For the 2024-25 Academic Year

  • September 16, 2024 - fall term research
  • December 2, 2024 - winter research
  • May 16, 2025 - summer stipend or summer research expenses

TYPES OF FUNDING

  1. Summer Stipend
    Lump-sum stipend for summer living expenses for exceptional honors candidates who can commit four consecutive weeks to thesis research during the summer. 
    Amount: $2000
     
  2. Research Expenses
    Up to $2000 (although most grants will be for less than that) for students who need to travel to an archive or to conduct interview, survey, or ethnographic research, or for students who need to purchase data sets not available at Brown. Cannot be used to purchase books. 
    Amount: Up to $2000

ELIGIBILITY

  • Rising seniors in IAPA who have been accepted to the IAPA Honors Program and will be returning in the fall to write their theses.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

  • Thesis Proposal: A copy of the thesis proposal you submitted when you applied for honors in April
  • Personal Statement: A 1–2-page personal statement
    • If you are applying for the summer stipend, describe how you will use your research time (4 weeks @40 hours per week), including the specific tasks you will do (for example: conduct a comprehensive literature review, complete a timeline of your research topic, analyze a data set, create an interview guide and apply for IRB approval). 
    • If you are applying for research funding, describe the data or other materials that you will analyze and explain how you will collect and analyze this data. If you are proposing to travel to a research site, explain why travel is necessary (e.g., why you cannot collect this data remotely). Include an itinerary for any travel. 
  • Budget: For research expenses, provide a specific budget, including airline flight costs, hotel, estimated daily food and transportation, and specific additional expenses. You do not need to provide a specific budget for the summer stipend: just list $2000 ($500 a week for four weeks).
  • Transcript: Unofficial internal transcript is acceptable
  • Resume 
  • Faculty Recommendation: 1 letter of recommendation from your thesis advisor (first reader)
  • Students receiving an award must:
    • Reply that they accept the award
    • Apply for and receive permission to proceed from Brown’s IRB before conducting research involving human subjects
    • If traveling abroad, register with Global TravelSafe

POST-AWARD REQUIREMENTS
Students receiving awards drawing from named funds will be required to submit a 1–2-page reflective essay, including 1-2 photographs if applicable 

  • If the student is unable to travel, attend the program, complete the internship, or conduct research after the award has been distributed, they will be required to return the award money in full
  • If the original project was modified, an updated budget and travel expense accounting is required. Money not accounted for in the modified budget must be returned.

           Post-Award Report Due Date: 
           September 30th
 for summer term
           January 31st for fall term and winter break 

CONTACT: For more information on applying, please contact Sandy Soares (allessandra_soares@brown.edu).

Apply in UFUNDs

IAPA Language Study Grants provide financial support for undergraduates concentrating in International and Public Affairs for off-campus language learning. Priority will be given to immersive language programs for study at a level beyond what is offered at Brown and to the study of languages not formally offered at Brown. 

APPLICATION DEADLINES
For academic year 2024-25

  • December 2, 2024 - winter break language study
  • March 31, 2025 - summer language study

AWARD AMOUNT

  • Up to $5,000

ELIGIBILITY

  • International and Public Affairs Concentrators in good academic standing
  • Not available to graduating seniors

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

  • Personal Statement: 1-2-page personal statement explaining how learning this language will contribute to your education in International and Public Affairs and why you cannot learn this language at Brown (e.g., you would benefit from an immersive language experience at this point in your college experience, you have completed the highest-level course offerings in this language at Brown, or you need to study a language not offered at Brown).
  • Budget: Detailed budget including travel and living expenses plus the expense of the language program, if enrolling in one.
  • Transcript: Unofficial internal transcript is acceptable.
  • Resume
  • Faculty Recommendation: 1 letter of recommendation
  • Students receiving an award must:
    • Reply that they accept the award
    • If traveling abroad, register with Global TravelSafe.

POST-AWARD REQUIREMENTS

  • Students receiving awards drawing from named funds will be required to submit a 1–2-page reflective essay, including 1-2 photographs if applicable 
  • If the student is unable to travel, attend the program, complete the internship, or conduct research after the award has been distributed, they will be required to return the award money in full
  • If the original project was modified, an updated budget and travel expense accounting is required. Money not accounted for in the modified budget must be returned.

           Post-Award Report Due Dates:
           September 30 for Summer Term
           January 31 for Winter Break

CONTACT: For more information on applying, please contact Sandy Soares (allessandra_soares@brown.edu).

Apply in UFUNDs

IAPA Summer Independent Research and Internship Grants provide financial support for undergraduates concentrating in International and Public Affairs who are doing summer independent research or unpaid internships. Research and internships can be on any topic in international and public affairs, but priority will be given to students working on peace and conflict in an international setting and students doing an internship in the Providence area. 

Summer experiences must be 8-10 weeks long.

APPLICATION DEADLINES
For academic year 2024-25

  • March 31, 2025 - Round I
  • April 18, 2025 - Round II

AWARD AMOUNTS

  • Up to $4,000 for an 8-week experience
  • Up to $5,000 for a 10-week experience

ELIGIBILITY

  • International and Public Affairs Concentrators in good academic standing
  • Not available to graduating seniors

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

  • Proposal: A 1-3-page proposal for independent research or description of the internship, including the title and description of the work to be done and an explanation for how this research or internship complements your intellectual work in IAPA.
  • Faculty Supervisor: If you are doing independent research, identify the Watson faculty member who will be supervising your research and describe how you will stay in contact with them throughout the summer.
  • Travel Plans: If you are traveling, include an itinerary and description of what you will do in each location.
  • Budget: For summer research, provide a specific budget, including airline flight costs, hotel, estimated daily food and transportation, and specific additional expenses. You do not have to provide a specific budget for internship living expenses: just list $4,000 or $5,000 ($500 a week for 8-10 weeks).
  • Transcript: Unofficial internal transcript is acceptable.
  • Resume
  • Internship Statement: For an internship, include a supervisor statement or offer letter 
  • Faculty Recommendation: For independent research, 1 letter of recommendation from your faculty superviso
  • Students receiving an award must:
    • Reply that they accept the awarD
    • Apply for and receive permission to proceed from Brown’s IRB before conducting research involving human subjects
    • If traveling abroad, register with Global TravelSafe

POST-AWARD REQUIREMENTS

  • Students receiving awards drawing from named funds will be required to submit a 1–2-page reflective essay, including 1-2 photographs if applicable 
  • If the student is unable to travel, attend the program, complete the internship, or conduct research after the award has been distributed, they will be required to return the award money in full
  • If the original project was modified, an updated budget and travel expense accounting is required. Money not accounted for in the modified budget must be returned.

           Post-Award Report Due Dates:
           September 30 for Summer Term
 

CONTACT: For more information on applying, please contact Sandy Soares (allessandra_soares@brown.edu).

Apply in UFUNDs

Watson Research, Internship, and International Public Service Grants are available to all Brown students to fund independent research or unpaid summer internships connected with diplomacy, in Korea or Southeast Asia, and an unpaid summer international public service internship focusing on human rights or in a post-conflict area. 

Summer experiences must be 8-10 weeks long.

APPLICATION DEADLINES
For academic year 2024-25

  • March 31, 2025 - Round I
  • April 18, 2025 - Round II

AWARD AMOUNTS

  • Up to $4,000 for an 8-week experience
  • Up to $5,000 for a 10-week experience

ELIGIBILITY

  • Funding is available to Brown students in good academic standing
  • Not available to graduating seniors

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

  • Proposal: A 1-3-page proposal for independent research or description of the internship, including the title and description of the work to be done and an explanation for how this research or internship complements your intellectual work in IAPA.
  • Faculty Supervisor: If you are doing independent research, identify the Watson faculty member who will be supervising your research and describe how you will stay in contact with them throughout the summer.
  • Travel Plans: If you are traveling, include an itinerary and description of what you will do in each location.
  • Budget: For summer research, provide a specific budget, including airline flight costs, hotel, estimated daily food and transportation, and specific additional expenses. You do not have to provide a specific budget for internship living expenses: just list $4,000 or $5,000 ($500 a week for 8-10 weeks).
  • Transcript: Unofficial internal transcript is acceptable.
  • Resume
  • Internship Statement: For an internship, include a supervisor statement or offer letter 
  • Faculty Recommendation: For independent research, 1 letter of recommendation from your faculty superviso
  • Students receiving an award must:
    • Reply that they accept the awarD
    • Apply for and receive permission to proceed from Brown’s IRB before conducting research involving human subjects
    • If traveling abroad, register with Global TravelSafe

POST-AWARD REQUIREMENTS

  • Students receiving awards drawing from named funds will be required to submit a 1–2-page reflective essay, including 1-2 photographs if applicable 
  • If the student is unable to travel, attend the program, complete the internship, or conduct research after the award has been distributed, they will be required to return the award money in full
  • If the original project was modified, an updated budget and travel expense accounting is required. Money not accounted for in the modified budget must be returned.

           Post-Award Report Due Dates:
           September 30 for Summer Term
 

CONTACT: For more information on applying, please contact Sandy Soares (allessandra_soares@brown.edu).

Apply in UFUNDs

IAPA CONFERENCE TRAVEL GRANTS

IAPA Conference Travel Grants provide financial support for undergraduates concentrating in International and Public Affairs who would like to travel to attend a. Conference related to their track and focus area. Preference will be given to students who have not already received an IAPA Conference Travel Grant.

APPLICATION DEADLINES
For academic year 2024-25

  • September 16, 2024 - fall conferences
  • December 2, 2024 - winter conferences
  • March 31, 2025 - spring and summer conferences

AWARD AMOUNT

  • Up to $500

ELIGIBILITY

  • International and Public Affairs Concentrators in good academic standing
  • Summer conference travel grants not available to graduating seniors

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

  • Personal Statement: A 1-2-page personal statement explaining how attending this conference will contribute to your education in International and Public Affairs, focusing specifically on your track and focus area within your track.
  • Budget: provide a detailed budget including the conference registration fee and your travel expenses.
  • Transcript: Unofficial internal transcript is acceptable.
  • Resume
  • Faculty Recommendation: 1 letter of recommendation
  • Students receiving an award must:
    • Reply that they accept the award
    • If traveling abroad, register with Global TravelSafe

POST-AWARD REQUIREMENTS

  • Students receiving awards drawing from named funds will be required to submit a 1–2-page reflective essay, including 1-2 photographs if applicable 
  • If the student is unable to travel, attend the program, complete the internship, or conduct research after the award has been distributed, they will be required to return the award money in full
  • If the original project was modified, an updated budget and travel expense accounting is required. Money not accounted for in the modified budget must be returned.

           Post-Award Report Due Dates:
           September 30 for Summer Term
           January 31 for Winter Break

CONTACT: For more information on applying, please contact Sandy Soares (allessandra_soares@brown.edu).

Apply in UFUNDs

 


 

Student Conference on United States Affairs (SCUSA)

The Student Conference on US Affairs is an annual four-day conference hosted at The United States Military Academy at West Point. The purpose of the conference is to facilitate interaction and constructive discussion between civillian student delegates and West Point cadets in order to better understand the challenges that the United States faces in an increasingly global society. SCUSA delegates attend panel discussions, hear from high-profile keynotes speakers, and develop policy recommendations during roundtable sessions.
 

ELIGIBILITY

  • International and Public Affairs Concentrators in good academic standing

AWARD AMOUNT

  • Award covers conference registration fees and travel costs

APPLICATION DEADLINE
For fall 2024 Conference

  • September 6, 2024 for Fall Term 


 

Naval Academy Foreign Affairs Conference (NAFAC)

The Naval Academy Foreign Affairs Conference has become a way of bringing together the nation's future Navy and Marine Corps officers with their peers from other colleges and universities, both civilian and military, from across the country and around the world. Participants include prominent politicians, leading academics and public intellectuals, government officials, and foreign dignitaries—providing a unique forum for scholarly discourse.
 

Eligibility: All Brown Undergraduates
Amount of Award: Award covers conference registration fees and travel costs

Application Deadlines

TBD for SpringTerm conference dates

Funding Sources

Some International and Public Affairs and Watson Grants will be awarded using funds given in honor or memory of people associated with The Watson Institute or Brown University or who exemplify the spirit of Watson and Brown. Students whose grants draw from these funds will be informed of their funding source and will be asked to provide a reflective essay about their experience for the funder. Fund recipients may list the name of their grant on their resume.

The Michael Bhatia Fund for Peacekeeping and Conflict Studies was established in memory of Michael Vinay Bhatia '99, who died in May 2008 in Afghanistan, where he was working as a social scientist in consultation with the U.S. military. The Bhatia fund underwrites thesis or independent research for IAPA concentrators working on peacekeeping and conflict studies. It will be awarded to a student who, like Michael Bhatia ’99, hopes to deepen their understanding of a region or culture by traveling and studying there, with the goal of helping to promote cross-cultural understanding that might end or avert violence or military conflict. 

The Richard C. Barker Award provides financial support to IAPA undergraduates for thesis and independent research, internships, and conference participation.  

The Birkelund Fund provides financial support to Brown undergraduates for independent research and internships related to foreign policy and diplomacy.

The Kochon Fund provides financial support to Brown undergraduates for independent research and academic activities related to Korea.

The Jack Ringer Fellowship provides financial support to Brown undergraduates for thesis and independent research in Southeast Asia, through the generosity of Jack Ringer '52, who served in Burma after graduating from Brown. 

The Marla Ruzicka International Public Service Fellowship provides financial support to one Brown student doing international public service during the summer. The fund is named for Marla Ruzicka, whose compassion, determination, and selflessness in pursuit of international human rights, post-conflict rehabilitation, and international public service exemplify the values of the Watson Institute.  

 A dedicated human rights activist, Marla Ruzicka arrived in Afghanistan shortly after the fall of the Taliban to record the effects of conflict on civilian communities. She lobbied diligently and effectively to seek compensation for those families whose homes had been destroyed in the Afghan conflict. From Afghanistan, Marla went to Iraq. She founded the Campaign for Innocent Victims in Conflict (CIVIC), which was dedicated to assisting civilian victims of the conflict in Iraq. Marla's compassion and dedication touched all who met her, and her tragic death in April 2005 was deeply felt by those who had benefited from her selfless work. This fellowship has been made possible through the generosity of Lucinda B. Watson.