Call for Applications:

Dissertation Fieldwork Support Grants 2026

 

Dear colleagues,

 

We are pleased to share that we are now accepting applications for EISA's Dissertation Fieldwork Support Grants. These grants are designed for PhD candidates who lack the finances for fieldwork travel.

 

25% of EISA members and PEC/EWIS attendees are PhD candidates. Apart from the Mobility Fund and Early Career Workshops at PEC, EISA has also supported their academic work after the PhD through the Postdoctoral Bridge Grants. This grant scheme supporting dissertation fieldwork adds to our existing funding schemes to support early career researchers, especially those who face different forms of precarity and structural inequality and discrimination.

 

Grants will contribute up to 3,500 Euros for each of the 5 selected candidates. Applicants are required to prepare a preliminary budget with cost break-downs. The requested amount must be realistic, make good use of financial recources, and justified by the applicant in line with the specifics of the fieldwork (duration, travel from place of residence to place of fieldwork, living costs in the place of fieldwork, etc.). EISA has the discretion to approve/disapprove a lower/higher amount than requested. Read more about the scope and goals of Dissertation Fieldwork Support Grants here.

 

Eligibility

 

Eligible applicants are EISA members enrolled in PhD programs whose memberships are active at the time of the application and throughout the period of the duration of the travel that lack the finances for fieldwork travel.

 

What can be supported:

• Costs relating to physical travel to/stay in and beyond the place of residence; for example, a return train/flight ticket, internal travels in the place of fieldwork as long as justified by the work plan, and accommodation costs

   

What can not be supported:

• Remote fieldwork (online interviews, etc.)

• Purchase of digital materials and access to digital platforms (e.g. artistic work, archival documents)

• Compensation for participants involved in the fieldwork activities (interviews, focus groups...)

• Costs whose direct beneficiary is not the applicant (translators, courses, meals...)

• Hotels and accommodations with a classification superior to 3 stars

• Travel or health insurance

 

Applications

The application form is available on our membership portal, under the 'Funding' section. The application deadline is 13 May 2026.

 

Applicants must submit:

• A motivation letter (up to 2 pages, Times New Roman 12pt., margins of 3 cm each side and 1.5 space) briefly explaining their PhD project, work plan with a clear description of tasks and places of travel and the need for the funds

• A short CV (up to 2 pages)

• A declaration stating the existence or not of any other financial support and amount, as well as the need for the grant

• A preliminary budget with a breakdown of each expense item and an explanation of the rationale for each cost. Amounts can be estimative, though these must be realistic, the eligibility for the use of funds is bound to the verification of similar amounts requested per item (a table outlining each cost would be helpful)

• Proof of PhD Status