2027-28 Call for Applications
The Graduate School, in partnership with Notre Dame Rome and the Center for Italian Studies, is offering semester- and year-long dissertation research fellowships at Notre Dame Rome to advanced PhD candidates enrolled in any department of Notre Dame’s College of Arts & Letters or the Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering.
L'obiettivo di questa borsa di studio residenziale è quello di agevolare la ricerca di dottorato per gli studenti che dimostrano la necessità di svolgere un lavoro significativo a Roma e dintorni, nonché di creare un gruppo di studiosi impegnati nelle comunità accademiche di ND Rome e della città. Questa borsa di studio è pensata per supportare esclusivamente gli studenti che si trovano nelle fasi avanzate del percorso di dottorato.
Benefits:
Fellows will receive housing and an airfare allowance (one semester - $9,000; one year - $12,000), guidance on identifying housing in Rome, support with the immigration process (costs borne by the fellow), additional international health insurance coverage, and office space at the facility on Via Ostilia, just steps from the Colosseum.
ND Rome will support the fellows in networking with local experts and students at other institutions. The fellows will be expected to participate in the academic events and activities organized by ND Rome and to present their work in progress in internal seminars and/or seminars organized with partner institutions.
Eligibility Requirements:
Applicants must:
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Be current PhD students at the University of Notre Dame enrolled in any program of the College of Arts & Letters or in the Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering in the College of Engineering.
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Have completed all coursework and examinations by the time of their residence in Rome.
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Have their dissertation proposal/project approved by the applicant's doctoral committee by the time the fellowship begins.
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Commit to spending at least 50% of their time in residence in Rome.
Program Dates:
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Fall semester: arrivals from Sept 2, 2027, with a start date of Sept 9, 2027. End of the program on Dec 22, 2027.
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Spring semester: arrivals from Jan 20, 2028, with a start date of Jan 27, 2028. End of the program on May 14, 2028.
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Year-long: arrivals from Sept 2, 2027, with a start date of Sept 9, 2027. End of the program on May 14, 2028.
Evaluation Criteria:
A multidisciplinary review committee will be charged with evaluating the applications based on the quality and clarity of the proposal, the level of detail with which the research plan is presented and justified - including the need for conducting research in Rome and its vicinity, the archives and institutions of interest, the research timeline, and the professional benefits of this fellowship for the researcher.
Application:
To apply, please complete the application form and upload the following documents as a single PDF by January 16, 2027:
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Curriculum vitae
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Statement of Purpose (1,000 word limit, double-spaced) that explains the parameters of your dissertation and how it will benefit from your research in Rome and its vicinity.
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Work Plan for the fellowship (up to 2 pages, tabular format): provide a detailed plan for your fellowship activities in Rome. In particular, specify which local institutions, organizations, research centers, or scholars and experts you wish to engage with. Use whatever time intervals are the most appropriate for your planned activities (daily/weekly/monthly).
Additionally, a letter of reference from your advisor must be sent separately to gradgrants@nd.edu.
Applicants will be notified about the outcome approximately three weeks after the deadline. The organizers anticipate awarding up to ten (10) fellowships for the 2027-2028 cycle.
Questions?
Please contact Michael Skalski (mskalski@nd.edu) at the Office of Grants & Fellowships with any questions. Questions about scholarly opportunities in Rome may also be directed to Prof. Luca Grillo, Rome Global Humanities College Professor (lgrillo@nd.edu) and Prof. Hirotaka Sakaue, Associate Professor, Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering (hsakaue@nd.edu).
Join us for an informational webinar on November 19, 2026, from 12:00 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. Register here.