Description and Purpose
This fellowship program provides one-year grants to graduate students at North American universities in order to support them in their pursuit of dissertation research focused specifically on Tibetan Buddhism. Dissertation work must include significant textual work on Tibetan Buddhist primary sources and include translation into English. Two grants of $35,000 are available each year.
The purpose of the grant is not only to encourage more research in the area of Tibetan Buddhism, but also to encourage the sharing of academic research with the larger world. Within one year of finishing the grant term, recipients will be required to submit an essay to the Foundation aimed at sharing their dissertation work with a non-academic audience, with the purpose of advancing Buddhist literacy in North America and connecting educated readers with the research of academics on topics in Tibetan Buddhist studies. This work may be published in a magazine or online publication by the recipient, or if no suitable venue is available, it will be published online on the Tsadra Foundation website. Recipients with exceptional research that is ready to be presented at academic venues may also apply for a small stipend to travel and present at conferences, meetings, or workshops.
Eligibility
Graduate students in doctoral programs in North America who are engaged in study of Tibetan Buddhist texts, practices, and related topics.
A student is eligible to receive a fellowship if he or she:
Is a graduate student in good standing at an institution of higher education in North America who, when the fellowship begins, is admitted to candidacy in a doctoral program at that institution–applicants need not be currently ABD, but must have achieved candidacy by the time the grant period begins;
Possesses adequate skills in the language(s) necessary to carry out the dissertation project (i.e., Tibetan and possibly also Sanskrit, Chinese, Pali, or Mongolian.)
Duration of the Grant:
12 Months. The fellowship may not be renewed.
Terms and Conditions
A fellow shall:
Send a written report after six months and a final report to Tsadra Foundation detailing their progress;
Devote full time to research or writing on the approved dissertation topic;
Remain a student in good standing at his or her institution; and
Maintain satisfactory progress in the conduct of his or her research.
Grant recipients will also be expected to present their dissertation research in public at least once, as part of a workshop, conference, or event organized or supported by Tsadra Foundation. Additional funds will be made available for this, as needed.
Finally, as described above, recipients will be required to submit an essay aimed at sharing their dissertation work with a non-academic audience, with the purpose of advancing Buddhist literacy in North America and connecting educated readers with the research of academics on topics in Tibetan Buddhist studies. This work may be published in a magazine or online publication by the recipient, or if no suitable venue is available, it will be published online on the Tsadra Foundation website.
Applicant Information
Current Grant Applications for summer/fall 2022:
Application deadline: September 1st, 2021 – Notices will be sent by February 1st, 2022.
To receive this grant, applicants must complete requirements for candidacy in their PhD program by August 31st, 2022, or the start of their grant period, whichever is earlier.
The application review committee is composed of scholars in the field of Tibetan Buddhist studies with positions at major universities in North America.
Application Instructions
Interested persons should email the following items to the committee (buddhiststudiesgrant@tsadra.org):
- A cover letter of no more than 1000 words explaining their dissertation research and the state of their dissertation work
- Academic writing sample
- Curriculum vitae
- One letter of reference
No funding may be used for overhead at university institutions and programs. This grant may be held concurrently with other fellowships and grants and any academic appointments. There is no additional financial support for dependents. Tsadra Foundation is in no way obligated to award any of the candidates who apply for this grant and a decision will be made by the members of the search committee after a thorough review of the submitted documents.
Selection Criteria
- Significance of the topic and its potential contribution to Tibetan Buddhist studies
- Potential for advancing the objective of public Buddhist literacy
- Feasibility and clarity of work plan and likelihood of completing dissertation
- Academic track record
- Writing Quality
ABOUT TSADRA FOUNDATION
Tsadra Foundation is a nonprofit trust established in 2000 in New York City to provide vital funding for the advanced study and practice of Tibetan Buddhism in the west. Over the past 21 years, the Foundation has supported translation and publication of essential Tibetan Buddhist texts (over 118 English and French publications to date), scholarships for long-term retreat practice and advanced Buddhist studies, development of digital resources for translators and advanced study of Tibetan texts, publications from Tibetan Buddhist publishers in India, Tibet, and Nepal, and hosting conferences and workshops for translators of Tibetan texts in the west. To learn more about the Foundation’s activities before applying, visit tsadra.org and conferences.tsadra.org
Application Contact
Email your complete application to buddhiststudiesgrant@tsadra.org
Please remember to label your application materials with your last name and the content of the file, such as Perman-CV.pdf or Perman-CoverLetter.pdf. Please send PDFs whenever possible.
Sincerely,
Marcus Perman
Executive Director
Tsadra Foundation
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