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Application Submission Overview

Please read these guidelines carefully.  Applications that are not formatted correctly will be returned to the applicant.

No online application or form is available.  The application must be replicated as it appears within this website, include file format and style guidelines.

FORMATTING:

- Margins (1" all around)

- Font size (12 point, Times prefered)

- Remove ALL instructional text within brackets

- Portrait page orientation (Not Landscape)

- Parts I-IV should be saved as one continous document.  DO NOT save each part as a separate file.

- No footnotes

- Please include a FOOTER that contains your name and page # and total number of pages

- You may need to adjust the size of the tables when formatting - you may do so using the above guidelines.  If a table goes across pages, please add blank lines to create a page-break between sections of information to faciliate review.  (You will need to right-click the table and then resize to fit a 6.5" page - centered.)

SUBMISSION:

ALL application materials, including ALL Required Attachments, should be submitted via e-mail (to iafapplications@iie.org) whenever possible. Please be sure the applicant’s full name is referenced in the subject line of all e-mails AND within the document.  Files must be in one of the following formats:

• DOC (preferred)
• XML
• PDF
• DOCX

- Name your file: LastName, First Name 13-14 IAF Application (or Letter of Reference, Language Evaluation, Affiliation, etc.).  Please ensure you pass these requirements on to organizations and individuals that will be sending documents on your behalf.  Any e-mail sent should contain your name as it appears on the application.

- Attachments (Letters of affiliation, language proficiency reports, transcripts, university certification, and letters of reference) should be e-mailed by the individual university or organizational representative or reference writer to iafapplications@iie.org.  Please note that e-mail is the preferred method of submittion for all Required Attachments.    An auto-reply will be sent to the sender. 

- If it is not possible to e-mail a required document (university certification, transcripts, recommendations, language profeciency reports) they may be sent directly to the fellowship office by the writer or sent by the applicant to the program office. They may arrive before or after the main application.   (Do not send materials to the IAF.) Materials sent by the applicant must be in sealed envelopes with the letter writer's signature across the flap of the envelope.     Materials that arrive by express mail (UPS, FedEx, USPS Express Mail, DHL, etc.) will NOT receive an automatic confirmation and may take slightly longer to process.  Given that application pieces may arrive independently of one another, applicants should keep in mind that they are responsible for verifying ALL documents arrive by the deadline.  Please add iafapplications@iie.org to your safe list.

Confirmation of the receipt of application materials is sent to the e-mail address on the application about six weeks after the deadline. We are unable to provide any other information during the selection process.  All applicants can expect notification on their status by May 1 of the year of application.  Feedback is not provided on applications, and past applications are not available for review.

All communications and application materials should be directed to:

Institute of International Education

IAF Fellowship Program

1400 K Street, NW - 10th Floor

Washington, DC 20005

Phone: +1 202 326.7796
General Information Email Address: iaffellowships@iie.org

Application Checklist

Please DO NOT submit this checklist with your application

Application materials should be sent to: iafapplications@iie.org

A complete application consists of the following:

Parts I-IV should be submitted as ONE DOCUMENT.  Please be sure to apply all formatting guidelines to ALL pages/parts.

·         Part I: Application Statement

·         Part II: Fellowship Curriculum Vitae - not to exceed three pages

·         Part III: Personal Statement - 250 words or less, double-spaced

·         Part IV: Field Research Prospectus

·         Required Attachments:

            o   University Certification - must include applicant’s information and certifier’s contact information.

            o   Signed References - from the chair of the applicant’s dissertation committee and two other professors, preferably also members of the dissertation committee. Three ACADEMIC references are required. Additional references will be destroyed.

            o   Foreign Language Proficiency Report(s) - completed by a university specialist. (If applicable.)

            o   Letter(s) of Affiliation - on the organization’s letterhead, from the applicant’s contact at the organization.  Letter must include the applicant’s name and university.

            o   Transcripts of all graduate coursework only – undergraduate transcripts are not requested and will be destroyed if received.

            o   Institutional Review Board (IRB) statement of approval/exemption or statement that the research design is pending approval. All awards are conditioned on submission of an IRB approval or exemption.

Part I: Application Statement

[INSTRUCTIONS: This document should be formatted using a vertical layout with 1" margins and in a 12 point font (Times is preferred).  It should be saved and named as indicated in the Submission Guidelines. Carefully follow the instructions in brackets indicating the information to be provided. With the exception of text in brackets [ ], please replicate all text in this outline. Text in brackets that contains instructional information should be deleted prior to submission.  ]

A. Applicant’s Personal Information

 [Note: The applicant is responsible for updating contact information. All Fellowship correspondence is sent to E-Mail Address 1 and 2 unless other arrangements are made.]

 [Typed]                                                                                                        

Applicant’s signature                                         Date

Part II: Fellowship Curriculum Vitae

[INSTRUCTIONS: With the exception of instructions in brackets [ ], please replicate all text in the “Fellowship Curriculum Vitae” and provide the information requested.]

A. Personal information

B. Education

C. Field experience
[List any experience abroad (work, travel or extended residence) which might be relevant to your proposal. Insert more rows if necessary.]

D.  Language capability
[Each applicant also must submit a separate Foreign Language Proficiency Report completed by a university language specialist for any language(s) relevant to the proposed research.  The Foreign Language Proficiency Report is waived for NATIVE SPEAKERS of the language.  See Part V: Required Attachments.]

Language #1: [Language. Please replicate for each language.]

[Option 1: If you are a native speaker, complete the following statement and, if applicable, proceed to E. Honors and Publications.]

[Option 2: If you are a non-native speaker, complete the following statement, be sure to enclose the corresponding language evaluation (Foreign Language Proficiency Report) for EACH language, and proceed to E. Honors and Publications. Please replicate for EACH language used in the research and being evaluated.]

E. Honors and publications [Scholarships, assistantships, conferences (as a participant), panels, publications, awards or other recognition relevant to the proposed activity in reverse chronological order. Do not forward copies.]

F. Work and volunteer experience [List significant employment and volunteer experience in reverse chronological order. Do not include odd/occasional jobs unrelated to your future career or this proposal. Copy and paste as necessary.]

G. Career plans
I plan to pursue the following career goals:

Part III: Personal Statement 

[INSTRUCTIONS: The Personal Statement should address in 250 words or fewer, double-spaced:

• Your personal history
• Special interests and abilities
• Career plans
• Your interest in grassroots development in Latin America or the Caribbean]

Part IV: Field Research Prospectus

[INSTRUCTIONS: The Field Research Prospectus is a comprehensive summary of the proposed field research for the dissertation which explains its significance and its relevance to issues relating to poverty and grassroots development. It should be typed, single- or double-spaced as specified below, as one continuous document consisting of five sections, each preceded by the appropriate heading. It should be prepared by replicating all text below, with exception of that in brackets [ ] which provides instructions or indicates requested information. Carefully follow the bracketed instructions and replace or delete bracketed sections below with information as directed. Do not exceed the limits specified and do not use footnotes.  This is the final part of the SINGLE DOCUMENT submitted by applicants - submit in a vertical layout, using 1" margins, in a 12 point font.  You may adjust the depth of the lines and wrap text to accomodate information, but the margins must be 1".]

Section 1 - General Title [The following title should appear single-spaced at the top of the first page:]

A PROPOSAL FOR A FIELD RESEARCH STUDY LEADING TO THE COMPLETION OF A DISSERTATION FOR A PH.D. DEGREE.

Section 2 - Field Research Study Title and Applicant Information [should appear in a single-spaced format immediately below Section 1. This section should provide the following information:]

Section 3 - Basic Information [single-space the information]

1. The Applicant’s dissertation committee:

2.  The Applicant’s Academic References (Please see Part V: Required Attachments for guidelines for references.  Three are Required.  Additional References will be destroyed.):

3. Expected date for completion of all degree requirements except the dissertation:

[mm/yy]

4. Length, period and explanation of the field research period outside the United States. [Please note that we are looking for how many months of support you are seeking from the IAF program.  If the total field work is more than 12 months, please indicate as such under Rationale as you explain the period of support you are seeking from the IAF.  Grants will not be awarded for research lasting less than 4 months.]

5. Field Research Affiliate : [Indicate the development or applied research institution with which you expect to establish a substantive affiliation for each Latin American or Caribbean country where you will conduct field research under this grant. At least one affiliate, and letter of affiliation, is required. Only include affiliates which you can provide a letter from.]

Affiliate #1

Affiliate #2

  Affilate #3

Section 4 - Plan [The “Plan” must not exceed 1,500 words; should be double-spaced; should provide information which combines general theory and specific detail; and should address the following topics:] 

1. Summarize the problem to be investigated and explain its relationship to practical grassroots development efforts promoting benefits to poor and disadvantaged groups.
2. Clearly detail the project's direct link to grassroots development.
3. Provide a compelling reason for conducting the proposed field research in a Latin American or Caribbean country in order to complete the dissertation and indicate how much time is required for completion. If field work has already begun, indicate progress to date, and describe the plan for completing the project.
4. Discuss the specific research questions and, if applicable, hypotheses to be examined.
5. Explain the theoretical framework for the field research and dissertation. Define the body of literature or field of study to which the dissertation will contribute. Describe “gaps” in knowledge which will be addressed by the dissertation.
6. Specifically describe the methodology used to acquire data. If multiple methods are used, explain which methods apply to which aspects of the research study. For quantitative methods, define key variables (or clusters of variables), sampling methods, and the relationship between the study's methods and widely-accepted standards in the applicant's discipline. For qualitative methods, describe specific methodologies, techniques, participant sampling criteria, and the relationship between the study's methods and widely-accepted standards in the applicant's discipline. If the applicant has past experience with field work, indicate its applicability.
7. Demonstrate a substantive collaboration with an affiliated development or applied research institution during the field research period in the Latin American or Caribbean country. Identify the local organization, explain the rationale for its selection, and describe its role in the project. (This should take just a few sentences.)

Section 5 - Bibliography [Title a new separate page “Bibliography”. List the primary sources to be cited in the dissertation and any references cited in this Field Research Prospectus. This bibliography should be limited to two pages, single-spaced.]

Part V: Required Attachments 

PLEASE ENSURE ALL ATTACHMENTS ARE SAVED IN THE PROPER FILE FORMAT AND THAT THE CONTENT IS NOT IN THE BODY OF THE E-MAIL.  THE APPLICANT'S FIRST AND LAST NAME SHOULD APPEAR IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF THE E-MAIL AS WELL AS WITHIN THE DOCUMENT.

University Certification

The applicant should contact the appropriate university office to certify the Fellowship application. Fellowship applications have recently been certified by the graduate school staff, department chairperson or other designated university officials.

The document should:

• Name the applicant and certify that the applicant, if successful, plans to use the IAF Fellowship to conduct field research toward completion of the dissertation required by the university for the Ph.D.
• Clearly state the name, title and office of the university official authorized to draft this certification as well as his/her address, telephone number, fax number and e-mail address.
• Be signed and dated by the authorized university official.
• Be submitted via e-mail ( iafapplications@iie.org ) as a .doc or .pdf file by the university representative authorized to sign (referencing the Applicant’s Name in the subject line) or included in a sealed envelope with any other required attachments forwarded by the applicant.

Letter(s) of affiliation

Letter of affiliation from the host organization(s). This must include the complete contact information for the individual writing the letter, should be on letterhead, and may be in Spanish, English, French, or Portuguese (as appropriate). One letter should be submitted from each host organization.

• Letters should be submitted via e-mail (iafapplications@iie.org) as a .doc or .pdf file by the collaborator (referencing the Applicant’s Name in the subject line) or included in a sealed envelope with any other required attachments forwarded by the applicant.

IRB Approval or Exemption

Approval or declaration of exemption of the research design by university’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) or an official document that confirms that the IRB has the research design under consideration.  If the IRB process has not yet begun, a statement from the applicant indicating the applicant’s proposed timeline for the process and their understanding that IRB approval must be provided before beginning IAF-funded research if the application is selected for a grant should be included.

• IRB statements are to be submitted via e-mail (iafapplications@iie.org) as a .doc or .pdf file by the appropriate office (referencing the Applicant’s Name in the subject line) or included with any other required attachments being forwarded by the applicant.

Transcripts

• Transcripts of all graduate course work must be submitted. Do not send undergraduate transcripts. Web transcripts are not acceptable (Screen shots or printouts from a student's record accessed by them). Student copies issued by the registrar’s office (subject to verification) or official copies (which include the most recent grading period) are acceptable.
• Transcripts are to be submitted via e-mail (iafapplications@iie.org) as a .doc or .pdf file by the registrar’s office (referencing the Applicant’s Name in the subject line) or included with other required attachments forwarded by the applicant. Transcripts sent by the Registrar's Office that use a link/password combination for the program to access and download the transcript ARE accepted.

Three Academic References

• Three letters of reference are required from professors whose personal knowledge permits them to provide a full assessment of the applicant’s proposed field research study, academic qualifications and personal abilities. One reference is required from the chair of the applicant’s dissertation committee or student's advisor. The two additional references should preferably be from other members of the applicant’s dissertation committee. The applicant should provide each individual reference with a copy of the “Field Research Prospectus” (Part IV) and with the guidance in the remainder of Part V.
• Requested Information: The academic reference should comment on the applicant's ability to complete the proposed field research project and to conduct independent scholarly research. The reference should specifically provide the following:

·        An assessment of the applicant’s proposed field research: Each reference writer is requested to evaluate the potential contribution of the proposed field research study to grassroots development approaches that promote significant benefits to the poor in Latin American and Caribbean. The document should address how the proposed research will advance practical development theory and approaches.

·        An evaluation of the applicant’s academic qualifications: These include the applicant’s ability to conduct independent scholarly research in the region, to successfully complete the proposed dissertation project, and to contribute to the academic and development professions as well as to literature on social change.

·        An assessment of the applicant’s integrity, interpersonal skills, adaptability to other cultures and countries, and the applicant’s foreign language competency as related to the proposed research on site.

• The reference writer may prepare a letter or use any standard form. If using a form, the writer may provide commentary on one attached page.  The entire reference should not exceed two pages, single-spaced, and should be e-mailed to the IAF Fellowship Program at iafapplications@iie.org .  Letters of reference should be in .doc or .pdf format.  Letters of reference being sent directly by the reference writer via e-mail should reference the Applicant’s Name in the subject line.  Please do not include the reference letter in the body of the e-mail. Letters of Reference forwarded by applicants should be in sealed envelopes with the reference writer's signature across the flap.  Please ensure the letter includes the writer's full contact information - letterhead is preferred.  NOTE : No member of the IAF Academic Review Committee in the current competition of the IAF Field Research Fellowship Program at the Doctoral Level is permitted to write a reference for any applicant in the current competition. If the chair or a member of the applicant’s dissertation committee serves on the committee, he or she shall assist the applicant in obtaining an alternate reference from another professor, which should state that the IAF committee member, although on the applicant’s dissertation committee, cannot submit a reference because of IAF policy on potential conflicts of interest.

Foreign Language Proficiency Report

Fellowship applicants must demonstrate proficiency in the language(s) of the site selected for their field research. A comprehensive report on the language proficiency of non-native speakers is required. It must be completed pursuant to a thorough examination, including an oral examination, by a specialist in the language tested, preferably on the faculty of the applicant’s university. Applicants located outside the United States at the time of application may obtain a report from a recognized specialist in the relevant language(s) in a university abroad. (Native speakers of the language(s) of the site for the field research are exempt from this requirement.)

• Each applicant should provide the foreign language specialist with the Language Proficiency Report and the scheduled initiation date of the applicant’s field research period. Submit only one report per language.
• Completed reports are to be submitted via e-mail (iafapplications@iie.org) as a .doc or .pdf file by the evaluator (referencing the Applicant’s Name in the subject line or included with other required attachments forwarded by the applicant.  If sent by the Applicant, this report should be in a signed, sealed envelope.

Language Proficiency Report

[To the foreign language specialist: Each applicant for the IAF Grassroots Development Fellowship must be professionally evaluated with respect to proficiency in the language(s) of the site(s) of the applicant’s proposed field research. Please save this to your computer and complete it with the information requested. Print and sign the form before either 1) e-mailing it directly to the program office at iafapplications@iie.org in either .doc or .pdf format.  Please include the applicant's full name in the subject line, or 2) mailing it directly to the program office: Institute of International Education, Attn: IAF Fellowship Program, 1400 K St., NW, 7th Floor; Washington, DC 20005, or 3) returning it to the student in a sealed envelope with your signature across the flap so they may forward it directly to the program.]