American Academy of Religion (AAR) Dissertation Research Grants

There are two fellowships offered by AAR to graduate students undertaking dissertation research: the Dissertation Research Grant and the Selva J. Raj Endowed International Dissertation Research Fellowship.

Dissertation Research Grant

The Dissertation Research Grants program is designed to support AAR student members who are working on completing their dissertation. Grants are intended to help candidates complete their doctoral degrees by offsetting dissertation research-related expenses. The Dissertation Research Grant is for a student working in any sub-discipline within religious studies.

Awards are for up to $5,000 each.

Selva J. Raj Endowed International Dissertation Research Fellowship

The Selva J. Raj Endowed International Dissertation Research Fellowship is designed to support AAR student members whose dissertation research requires them to travel outside of the country in which their university is located, and whose research is focused in areas associated with Prof. Raj’s research areas.

The fellowship comes with a grant of $5,000 USD and is intended to help candidates complete their doctoral degrees by offsetting costs of travel, lodging, and other dissertation research-related expenses.

Research areas include:

• Indian Christianity
• Hindu-Christian Studies
• religious syncretism in India
• popular religiosity in India
• as well as ritual studies, inter-religious dialogue, and religious pluralism

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply to either grant program, applicants must have:

• Current AAR Membership. Applicants must be AAR student members in good standing at the time of application and throughout the grant period.
• Current status as a graduate student.
• Completed all requirements for the doctoral degree except the dissertation by the time of application.