Grants for Political Science Students
College Costing Too Much?
Political Science students are often engaged across a spectrum of specialties including law, business, economics, social issues, electoral politics, health, science, campaign management and funding, and journalism.
Undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students often have the opportunity to travel for studies related to international study and research.
Federal Grants
The National Science Foundation's (NSF) department of Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences funds grants for doctoral level students working on completing their dissertations in related studies.
College University Grants
Some of the more notable universities in the United States have world-renowned political science departments, most of which heavily focus on supporting the work of their students in an array of disciplines related to political science both national and international.
- Yale University's Leitner Program in International and Comparative Political Economy funds the efforts of undergraduate and graduate students who are actively pursuing studies and research focused on international politics. Doctoral students may apply for various grant programs through the Leitner Program that help defray the cost of dissertation work. Also the Yale program features unique travel grants for eligible Political Science students. Candidates wishing to fund travel must be focused on a specific area of international politics that especially leads to core research or is an international internship.
- Cornell University's political science department includes grants and fellowships that support language studies, travel and research grants, conference grants and graduate school grants.
- University of Minnesota's Department of political science extends grants to graduate students with associated stipends. Grant awards are typically $15,000 per year. A number of fellowships are also awarded. These programs are generally available to Ph.D. students at work on dissertation papers that are directly related to political science.
Private Organizations
- Amnesty International's Ralph Bunche Human Rights Fellowship is offered to political science candidates involved in international human rights projects, especially in "communities of color."
- National Endowment for Democracy (NED) provides a variety of grants that make it possible for political activists and students to pursue projects within international realms, including Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
- American Political Science Association (APSA) was established in 1903. The organization effectively links all areas of political science including recent advances, studies and current research in national and international areas. Grants and fellowships include: Congressional Fellowship Program, Minority Fellows program and Small Research Grants, among others.
- John F. Kennedy Library Research Fellowship extends a research stipend up to $2500 to help graduate students defray the cost of research and dissertation costs.
Careers in Political Science
Political Science covers such a broad range of disciplines, but associated careers include:
- Attorney
- Journalist
- Campaign Advisor
- Pu7blic Administrator
- Political Science Educator
- Foreign Service Representative