Dissertation Research Fellowships

2026-27 Call for Applications

The Graduate School in partnership with Notre Dame Global 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.

The goal of this residential fellowship is to facilitate dissertation research for students who demonstrate the need to conduct substantial work in Rome and its vicinity and to create a cohort of scholars engaged in the academic communities of ND Rome and of the city. This fellowship is designed to support only those students who are in the advanced stages of doctoral work.

Benefits:

Fellows will receive housing and 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:

· 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.

· Have completed all coursework and examinations.

· Have their dissertation proposal/project approved by the applicant's doctoral committee by the time the fellowship begins.

Program Dates:

· Fall semester: arrivals from Sept 2, 2026, with a start date of Sept 9, 2026. End of the program on Dec 22, 2026.

· Spring semester: arrivals from Jan 20, 2027, with a start date of Jan 27, 2027. End of the program on May 23, 2027.

· Year-long: arrivals from Sept 2, 2026, with a start date of Sept 9, 2026. End of the program on May 23, 2027.

Evaluation Criteria:

A multidisciplinary review committee will be charged to evaluate the applications based on the quality and clarity of the proposal, the need for conducting research in Rome and its vicinity, and the professional benefits of this fellowship for the researcher.