2025 Dissertation Grant Program

The National Institute of Social Sciences (NISS) invites nominations for its 2025 Dissertation Grants Program. NISS Dissertation Grants are designed to support outstanding Ph.D. students who need resources to complete doctoral work that promises to significantly advance their fields of study. Any accredited U.S. university that awards doctoral degrees in the social sciences is eligible to nominate a graduate student for an NISS Dissertation Grant.

preferred Disciplines

Eligibility

Any accredited U.S. university that grants doctoral degrees in the social science disciplines above is eligible to nominate a graduate student to receive an NISS Dissertation Grant. Each university may nominate up to two (2) candidates per grant period. If a university nominates more than one candidate, they may come from one or more of the disciplines listed above.

Number & Size
of Grants

For 2025, NISS anticipates making several grants up to $5,000 each.

Covered Expenses

Grants may be used to cover any necessary expenses related to completing a dissertation, including but not limited to travel to a library or archive, photography or photocopying, field research, and conference support. 

Nomination Requirements

Each nomination must include the following information, emailed with an attached single PDF file named as LASTNAME.pdf as instructed below (with numbered pages that include your name and university name in the footer):

• Completion of the NISS 2025 Dissertation Grant Application Cover Sheet (click to open fillable pdf for downloading and printing)

• The nominee’s CV

• The nominee’s personal statement of no more than 750 words describing the project and the planned uses for money requested

• A one-page project budget

• A letter of support from the nominee’s academic sponsor that addresses the nominee’s academic qualifications and the merits of the nominee’s research

Incomplete applications will not be accepted.