American Institute for Sri Lankan Studies (AISLS) Dissertation Planning Grant 2026 (With Funding Available)

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About AISLS Dissertation Planning Grant

AISLS dissertation planning grants are designed to enable graduate students intending to do doctoral research in Sri Lanka to make a pre-dissertation visit to Sri Lanka to investigate the feasibility of their topic, to sharpen their research design, or to make other practical arrangements for future research. Applicants must be enrolled at an American university, or they may be US citizens enrolled at a foreign university.

• Sponsor Organisation: American Institute for Sri Lankan Studies

Benefits of AISLS Dissertation Planning Grant

• A per diem of $560/week, for a period up to eight weeks.
• Reimbursement for roundtrip airfare between the United States and Colombo, for an amount up to $2,000. All travel for US citizens must be consistent with the Fly America Act.
• Reimbursement of any visa fees paid to the Sri Lankan government.

AISLS Dissertation Planning Grant Requirements

• Applicants who are enrolled at a US university need not be American citizens. US citizens enrolled at a foreign university are also eligible. Funds from the primary funder of the program, the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the US State Department, may only be used for awards for US citizens.
• Applicants should have completed most of their graduate coursework by the time they take up their grant. The grant is especially intended for students who are in the process of completing their dissertation proposals and preparing applications for funds to support their dissertation research, but other purposes may be proposed.

Application Date and Process

The completed application should contain the following items:

1. A one-page cover sheet giving name, mailing address, telephone, email address, citizenship, major field of study, institutional affiliation, foreign languages (including proficiency), length of proposed stay in Sri Lanka, tentative dates of project, project title, and a brief project description.

2. A curriculum vitae, not to exceed two pages, which should include the name and email address of the applicant’s dissertation supervisor.

3. A copy of the applicant’s graduate transcript. An unofficial copy is acceptable.

4. A project narrative, not to exceed two single-spaced pages. This is the most important part of the application. It should cover the following topics:

   • a summary of the proposed dissertation project, or, if the purpose of the planning grant is to define a dissertation project, a summary of the more general questions the applicant hopes to address in his or her dissertation

   • a description of what the applicant intends to do during the grant period

   • the applicant’s competence to carry out his or her proposed project, including language training

5. A one-page project bibliography, including a selected list of publications by other scholars or primary sources that have been or will be used in the project

6. A confidential letter of recommendation from the applicant’s dissertation supervisor. This letter should cover the applicant’s academic record and be specific about the applicant’s progress to date within the graduate program concerned. This letter should be sent by email directly to John Rogers.

Applications should be sent to:

John Rogers, US Director, AISLS: [email protected]

Application Deadline

01 December, 2026

Opportunity Application

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