FundingSources.knit

 

Non-GA funding for LIN graduate students

This page is intended to be a resource about non-GAship funding for Linguistics graduate students. There are three main sections: (a) Regular sources of funding for research and travel, (b) Awards, summer funding and DCF, and (c) Other financial sources that you should check out regularly to see if you can apply independently.

Section 1. Regular sources of funding for research and travel

In most regular cases, these are the sources that you are likely to access:

Source Amount Deadline Notes
LIN lab you are affiliated to Up to $100 Rolling Depends on the lab.
Funding from the DGS up to $300 (regional travel), up to $500 (domestic travel), up to $750 (international travel) Rolling Numbers might vary depending on availability.
The Graduate School travel fellowship $600 Rolling Total limit over course of a student’s graduate student career. Important note: International travel requests should then be routed through International Studies and Programs (ISP) for additional funding beyond what the Graduate School chips in. Note, there is also a per request limit they aren’t clear about.
The Graduate School Research Enhancement Award $500-$1000 Rolling Only one request per student during tenure in degree program. Note, there is also a per request limit they aren’t clear about.
CAL travel fellowship $250 (domestic travel), $350 (international travel) Rolling Per budget year (Note, budget year starts Oct. 1).
International Studies and Programs $250-$500 Rolling This is for International travel.

Make sure you keep track of your annual/lifetime limits and let the DGS/Academic Program Co-ordinator know when you apply. The following is the procedure for applying to the above funds:

  1. If you are requesting money for travel, you should fill out this Travel Form, and then

    1. Apply as soon as your get an acceptance from the conference/workshop. If you delay the application, there is always a chance that there is no money in the coffers.
    2. Ask your lab director (“Major professor”) to see if the lab will chip in money.
    3. Send the signed document to the DGS (Karthik Durvasula) and Academic Program Co-ordinator (Ben Lampe). The DGS will add the LIN amount; Ben will process it and send it forward to CAL and the graduate school. If everything goes correctly and if it is processed as a Fellowship, it should take 5-7 business days to get the money.
    4. \(\color{red}{\text{Important note}}\): if this is processed as a Fellowship, and you are an international student, make sure to \(\underline{add\ 20\%\ to\ your\ ask}\) to adjust for the taxes that are withheld at source.
    5. Finally, if it is international travel, then you can get $250-$500 from the International Studies and Programs (ISP), and it is best to take the travel form yourself to ISP and get the amount after the DGS has put in the money from the program and before it is forwarded to CAL.

  2. If you are requesting money for other research, then fill out this Research Enhancement Award form, and then follow the same procedure as before.

  3. It is important to note some of the sources are fellowships, but others like the lab and LIN funds can be requested as a fellowship or a cash advance or a re-imbursement if you need the money for research (e.g., participant pay). What’s the difference between these different options?

    • Fellowship: Students get the money when they request it (in about 5-7 business days), so before the expense itself. However, international students are taxed on this amount (see Important note above about adding 20% to your request if you are an international student). The good news is that you don’t have to worry about anything else once you get the money. The source can be used for either travel or research (e.g., participant pay).
    • Research Cash advance: Students get the money when they request it, so again before the expense/trip itself. There won’t be any taxes on the amount (either at source or when you file taxes); however, the trade-off is that the student will have to remember to submit their receipts after the event/travel and ``reconcile’’ any differences. So, they will have to pay back any unspent money. If you’d like this option, you can fill the Research participant Cash advancement form and then forward it to me (Karthik Durvasula) and Ben Lampe. Note, this option cannot be used for travel.
    • Research Re-imbursement: Students get the money after the expense/trip itself. There won’t be any taxes on the amount (either at source or when you file taxes); however, the student will have to remember to file their receipts after the event/travel and they request the amount after the trip. In general, this is the worst option for a student as far as I can see, but it is a possibility if you see any advantanges. Note, this option cannot be used for travel.

  4. Finally, if your travel is funded through a (professor’s) grant, then you will need to go through the SAP Concur Travel system (see this document for help with the process). That is beyond what I can help you with; you will have to talk to the relevant professor and/or reach out to Ben Lampe (the Academic Program Co-ordinator) about this.

Section 2. Awards, summer funding and DCF

Source Amount Deadline Notes
Summer Support Fellowships (SSF) up to $4500 early March Submit to DGS in Feb typically. A student can get it at least twice (and maybe more if there are funds). Note, both MAs and PhDs are eligible for this, but the latter are prioritised by the college.
Special College Research Abroad Monies (SCRAM) up to $3000 late February Submit to DGS in Feb typically
Dissertation Completion Fellowships (DCF) typically, $10000 late February Submit to DGS in Feb typically. It only covers 1 credit of tuition in the semester it is taken.
Summer Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) $5,000 in tuition and a $2,500 stipend late August Only for US citizens. It is offered by 3 departments at MSU: Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Asian Studies Center, African Studies Center. See this write up by Jason Smith (LIN PhD Student).
Varg-Sullivan Award (no idea) mid February Nominated by faculty.
Emergency funds up to $3000 Rolling For unusual or unforeseen emergency situations that are of a sudden and temporary nature.

Note: Suzanne, as the previous DGS, has super kindly setup Sharepoint pages for some of the above. You can access the ones for SSF, and DCF, and there are others that you can access by clicking on “Funding” on the left of the page. I don’t plan to update the links, so some of the information about deadlines and required documents might get obsolete. I recommend that you use the Sharepoint pages if you need additional help, but I think accessing the actual sites that list the awards and funding sources as I have done in the tables above is the best way to get the most up-to-date information going forward.

Section 3. Other financial sources that you should check out regularly to see if you can apply independently

Source Amount Deadline Notes
Council of Graduate Students (COGS) $300 Fall/Spring deadlines This is awarded only once during a graduate lifetime.
COGS Professional Development Award up to $500 Fall/Spring deadlines This is awarded only once during a graduate lifetime, and meant for students who are just attending (not presenting at) a conference or another event for professional development.
Asian Studies multiple sources Rolling
Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) for graduate students - tuition payments up to $18,000 per academic year and a stipend up to a total of $20,000 for the same period. Fall/Spring deadlines Only for US citizens. It is offered by 3 departments at MSU: Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Asian Studies Center, African Studies Center. Students can get it more than once and can have it simultaneously with a GAship. See this write up by Jason Smith (LIN PhD Student).
List of Grad school fellowships
List of Grad school resources
Other external funding sources