The Boston College Advanced Study Grants (ASGs) are awarded for student-designed summer skill acquisition or research projects that promise to advance dramatically the applicant’s progress in the major field of study, or to provide research assistance for Juniors who will be completing a thesis or Scholar of the College project in their Senior year.
To apply, a student must be nominated by a faculty member at the start of the spring semester. Nominees will be sent application materials at the beginning of February, and applications are due in mid-March (or early April for thesis applicants). Applications primarily consist of a three-page project proposal, a proposed budget, a transcript or course history, and a letter of recommendation. ASGs are available in any of the categories below.
These are awarded for student-designed summer research or skill development projects. The intent of this program is to encourage undergraduates to acquire skills that will make more sophisticated research and study possible during the Junior and Senior years. Therefore, preference is given to Freshmen and Sophomores. Applications from Juniors not wishing to pursue a thesis or Scholar of the College project may also apply and receive full consideration.
These are to encourage and support Freshmen, Sophomores, and Juniors who show initiative and imagination in the performing, literary, and visual arts. These grants are awarded for summer skill acquisition projects that promise to significantly accelerate the applicant’s progress in an artistic field of study.
These grants offer support for Freshmen and Sophomores who wish to acquire language skills deemed necessary for advanced academic work that students might not otherwise be able to acquire through normal coursework at Boston College. Students have used these grants to take intensive foreign language courses through other universities in the United States and abroad, or to participate in immersive foreign cultural programs of which language acquisition is a substantial part. Please note that many of these programs are expensive, and the typical ASG award amount may not cover the entire expense. It is intended to help defray costs as much as possible, and students are encouraged to seek additional funding from other sources if necessary.
These grants are funded by the Martin Luther King, Jr. Committee at Boston College and are offered to Freshmen, Sophomores, and Juniors for summer projects that embody the philosophy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and advance non-violent initiatives in civil rights, equal rights, and economic and social justice. Proposals should clearly note the relevance of the project to the works and goals pursued by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
These grants are awarded for skill acquisition or preliminary research conducted to make possible more creative and ambitious thesis or Scholar of the College projects in the applicant’s Senior year. Applicants should be recommended by their thesis advisor.
Thesis research funding is also available in the fall semester of a student’s Senior year, on a limited basis. Please contact Dr. Jason Cavallari, Administrative Director of University Fellowships at jason.cavallari@bc.edu for more information.
Boston College established the Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program (URF) for the purpose of enhancing the academic experience of undergraduates by cultivating their research skills and fostering mentor relationships between undergraduates and faculty. The Program provides funds to faculty to pay for a student’s research assistance with a faculty member’s research project. Students ordinarily do not receive academic credit for work done under an Undergraduate Research Fellowship.
Requests for funding must come from the faculty member whose research project the student will assist.
Faculty interested in guiding an Undergraduate Research Fellow are urged to discuss their project and prospective student assistants with the department sponsor and/or undergraduate program director. Applications are reviewed and funded three times a year--fall, spring, and summer terms.
Faculty interested in requesting URF funding may apply here.
The BC Undergraduate Conference Travel Grants provide funds to help defray the costs for undergraduate students to present original research at academic and professional conferences. These grants can provide up to 50% of estimated expenses, with a maximum award of $1500. Students receive the funding as a reimbursement upon return from the conference at which the student presented. Applicants may only receive one conference travel grant per academic year.
Due to the on-going COVID pandemic, travel grants have been suspended until further notice.
The Mizna Fellowship Fund was established through the generous gift of one of BC’s alumni to create new opportunities for BC undergraduates for international travel for research, language study, internships and service learning initiatives throughout the Islamic world. Grants in the range of $2,000 will be awarded on a competitive basis to Boston College students including freshmen, for whom travel may be an introduction to the world of Islamic scholarship and to seniors who seek to expand their understanding of Islamic cultures, history, language and societies in order to author a distinguished senior thesis. As an exception, projects taking place in Israel/Palestine will not be considered.
The Omar A. Aggad Travel and Research Fellowship was established through the generous gift of a Boston College family to inspire BC graduate and undergraduate students to expand their understanding of the Arab world, and of the relationships between Arab societies and the West.
Funds are available for international travel for research, language study, and skill acquisition throughout the Middle East. Freshman and Sophomore projects should be designed to deepen knowledge in a given field related to Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies. Junior and Senior proposals should be designed with a thesis project in mind, and can be used to gather data, conduct interviews, and for archival research. Proposals with a language component are preferred. The donors have a particular interest in helping students to understand the Palestine-Israel issue, and supporting research and activities designed to promote peace in the region.
Grants in the range of $2,000 will be awarded on a competitive basis. To apply, students submit a research project proposal, associated budget, one faculty recommendation, and transcript using the online application form. Funds may be used over the summer or during winter break. Some limited funds can be used for conference participation.
The Center aims to nurture a new generation of human rights scholars and practitioners, and to foster innovative and interdisciplinary scholarship about human rights work. The purpose of the grants is to help support Boston College students from various disciplines who are interested in pursuing research in the field of human rights and international justice. Grants are available to both graduate and undergraduate students at Boston College.
Boston College established the Amanda V. Houston Traveling Fellowship on 10 June 1993, in honor of the University’s first Black Director. The purpose of this award is to prepare Boston College students for leadership in the United States and the world at large by enriching their personal and educational development through travel. Consistent with the namesake’s lifelong role as a universal educator, community leader, and mentor, the Amanda V. Houston Traveling Fellowship underwrites travel/study experiences that contribute to the personal and intellectual growth of its recipients. Thanks to the financial support of the Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial Committee, as of 2011 there will be 2 AVH Traveling Fellowship issued each year.
The Amanda V. Houston Traveling Fellowship provides up to $3000 toward domestic or international travel, including transportation, lodging, meals and research-related expenses. The successful recipients can use the award for either an Independent Research Project under the supervision of a faculty member or a Research Paper attached to an approved course in a BC recognized study abroad program. If the applicant will be studying abroad, then the Research Paper can be the result of approved coursework. The content of either the Independent Research Project or the Research Paper must significantly focus on African or African Diaspora Communities. The award must be used during the summer or fall semester of the fellowship year.