About the Award
Purpose:
The purpose of these awards is to support graduate students at the UW-Madison planning to conduct a minimum of 6 weeks of summer fieldwork outside of the United States.
Eligibility:
Any continuing graduate student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison may apply for these awards.
Award Details:
These are one-time awards of $4,000 to be used in support of 6 or more weeks of summer fieldwork conducted outside the United States. Time abroad outside the summer months will be considered though applicants should address these circumstances in their statement and should have their advisor address this in their letter of recommendation as well.
Notes on awarding:
- Awards are considered taxable income.
- Awardees who have non-resident alien status will have taxes deducted from their award prior to payout.
- All other recipients will receive their awards through the Bursar’s scholarship system: if you have an outstanding balance on your student account all or part of your award may be used to pay that balance before being disbursed to you.
- Changing your proposed travel dates after receiving an offer is allowable. If, however, changing those travel dates reduces your time abroad, the award amount will be reduced proportionally; any change that results in less than 6 weeks abroad will result in forfeiture of the award.
BLAC Foundation Supplemental Award
In collaboration with the Black Languages, Arts, and Culture Foundation (BLAC Foundation), IRIS is pleased to offer a $1,000 supplemental grant to students pursuing international field research in the global south on topics related to art, language, or culture. After reading the BLAC Foundation’s mission statement on its website – www.blacfoundation.org – those interested should indicate that they wish to be considered for this additional funding. Note that awardees will be required to submit a 3-page paper detailing their activities and accomplishments abroad no later than 30 days after their return to the US for posting on the BLAC Foundation website. Applicants for research on musical traditions in Equatorial Guinea will receive priority consideration.
Please Note:
The Summer 2026 application cycle is now open! The application deadline is February 15, 2026. Please scroll down to find information about how to apply.
Please address any questions to the IRIS Awards Office at awards@iris.wisc.edu.
Application
Application Deadline:
The Summer 2026 application cycle is now open! The deadline to apply is February 15, 2026.
Please address any questions to the IRIS Awards Office at awards@iris.wisc.edu.
Application Procedure:
Complete the online application form and upload an application packet as a single pdf. Your application packet should include the following:
- a project statement (1,000-word maximum): statements should clearly address the specific work applicants intend to undertake during their time abroad as well as how the proposed fieldwork fits an applicant’s overall research plan and prior experience in the country/region;
- brief curriculum vitae (2 pages maximum)
- advisor approval form (submitted by advisor)
- a copy of your UW-Madison student record/transcript and, if appropriate, graduate transcript/s for courses taken at other institutions. Unofficial transcripts are fine.
- proposed budget: please format the budget like the example below. If total costs exceed $3,000, please describe other funding or your plan to secure funding. Students with existing funding are eligible to apply and will be given full consideration. Briefly explain why additional funding is needed.
Example budget for travel:
| Flight | $1,800 (MSN-ACC, roundtrip) |
| Accommodation | N/A (staying with family) |
| Meals & incidentals | $50/day X 60 days = $3,000 |
| Local transport | $10/day X 60 days = $600 |
| *CISI travel insurance ($42.84/mo) | 2 mos X $42.84/mo = $86 |
| Other (supplies, writing support, etc.) | Translation services = $1,000 Portable recorder = $500 Editing software = $200 |
| TOTAL BUDGET | $7,186 |
| Grad. Summer Fieldwork Award | $4,000 |
| Other support | $3,000 travel award from History Department |
Students should seek input from their advisors prior to submission. The advisor must submit an approval form* before the deadline.
*About the Advisor Approval Form
This form replaces the need for a formal letter of recommendation and is designed to:
- Encourage students to discuss their proposals with their advisors prior to submission;
- Ensure that student proposals are evaluated on their merit instead of on the merits of the accompanying recommendation letters; and
- Reduce administrative burdens
Important Travel Guidance
The International Division requires that graduate students doing fieldwork abroad enroll in the UW Graduate Fellowships Research Program through International Academic Programs (IAP). The deadline to apply for summer is March 20, 2026. Enrollment will allow students to earn directed study credit, obtain international travel and health insurance for the duration of their stay, and receive 24/7 emergency support from IAP. Students with questions about this requirement can reach out to awards@iris.wisc.edu.
The IAP Graduate and Professional Student Study Abroad Scholarship can help offset IAP fees. The application deadline is March 2, 2026. APPLY HERE.
UW-Madison Travel Policy precludes university-affiliated student travel to locations that are under a current U.S. Department of State (DoS) Level 3 or Level 4 advisory designation, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Warning Level 3 notice, and locations specifically designated as a “Travel Warning” location by the Provost. To read this policy and potentially request a waiver, see information on UW-Madison International Safety and Security website. Students hoping to travel to a location currently under a travel advisory are allowed to apply for a IRIS Fieldwork Award but it is the responsibility of awardees to secure any necessary waivers via the UW-Madison’s international travel policy. Notice that the above information applies to your planned travel if any part of your itinerary takes you through an area that is under a travel advisory. Also, please note that health insurance is required per UW policy and proof of coverage will be required of awardees. Questions regarding the UW-Madison travel policy should be directed to Ron Machoian, the UW-Madison ISSD, who can be contacted at ronald.machoian@wisc.edu, or at 608.890.2446.