** Students who may have intended to apply to the Smithsonian competition have a higher probability of success if put forward by the University of Michigan through this competition process.
Students must have completed all course work for their programs, and must have been admitted into doctoral candidacy and satisfied all requirements except completion of the dissertation in order to qualify.
Applicants must propose to conduct research at the Smithsonian in one of its areas of research as outlined in the publication, Smithsonian Opportunities for Research and Study, for a period of nine to twelve months Past or current fellowship recipients are eligible to apply for another award. Possible areas of research can be found at http://www.si.edu/ofg/infotoapply.htm .
Applicants whose native language is not English are expected to have the ability to write and converse fluently in English. All application materials must be presented in English (foreign transcripts may be translated, see below).
Determination of the fellowship category for which to apply should be based on the anticipated academic level at the time the fellowship would begin:
Predoctoral Fellowships: Students enrolled in a university as candidates for the Ph.D. or equivalent are eligible for predoctoral fellowships. By the time the appointment begins, the university must approve the undertaking of dissertation research at the Smithsonian Institution and certify that requirements for the doctorate, other than the dissertation, have been met.
The Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC) and the Smithsonian Institution (SI) invite fellowship applications for one-year fellowships to support research in residence at Smithsonian Institution facilities. Fellowships carry a stipend of $30,000. All fields of study that are actively pursued by the museums and research organizations of the Smithsonian Institution are eligible.
General Application Instructions:
Combine Parts 1, 2, & 3 and Submit Two Application Sets (Original and Electronic copy):
1. Completed cover sheet.
2. Research proposal.
3. Curriculum vitae.
4. Transcripts (A copy will be provided by the Rackham Fellowships Office and attached to the application upon receipt).
Include Parts 5 & 6 with the Original Application Set:
5. Letters of reference from two appropriate persons selected by you.
6. Self‑addressed, stamped envelope, if you cannot receive e-mail notification.
No employee or contractor of the Smithsonian Institution may hold a Smithsonian fellowship during the time of his/her employment or contract, nor may an award be offered to any person who has been employed by or under contract to the Institution in the previous year, without the prior approval of the Office of Fellowships.
Financial support, in addition to a Smithsonian fellowship, for such purposes as research travel and equipment may be received from other sources provided that no special demands are made upon the fellow's time. Permission to receive additional stipend support must be requested in writing from the Office of Fellowships.
All funds provided under Smithsonian fellowships, including stipends and research and travel allowances, are subject to tax.
Funding is available as follows:
· Research and Internship support in Africa – Up to $3,000
· Conference Travel Grants – Up to $500 domestic and $1,000 international travel to support participation as presenters at conferences
· Support for Campus Events – Up to $1,000 to support Africa-related student events on campus
· Support for the study of African languages not offered at the University of Michigan