International students, those students who do not have United States citizenship or permanent residence, may often have a more of a challenge in finding appropriate funding. We encourage you to take steps in creating thorough search, which will greatly increase your chances of locating financial research support.

Steps to Locating Funding

1. Educate yourself on the process
Know how the funding stages work by reading the ORS graduate funding timeline.

2. Do a funding search
Complete a comprehensive search on the Duke funding databases, using the funding search tutor.

3. See our key sponsors list
Review our list of potential key sponsors for international students to look for sources that you may not have found in your funding search.

4. Seek additional help
After completing steps #1-3, if you have still not located appropriate opportunities, consider a visit to our Funding Resource Center to meet with an ORS staff member and check with your department or school for additional help.

Key Sponsors for International Students

Duke University Graduate School
Guggenheim Foundation
National Science Foundation
Social Science Research Council
Smithsonian Institution
Subject-Based Funders *
United States Institute of Peace
Woodrow Wilson Foundation
World Bank

* subject based funding agencies may include such organizations as:

• professional associations wishing to support graduate students in their disciplines;
• state or national historic societies or humanities councils interested in scholarship focusing on their geographic region;
• local, state, national, or university archives or museums supporting students who wish to conduct research at their facility;
• centers or institutes funding researchers/fellows writing on a topic of interest with office space, supplies, and participation in forums or activities.