Deadline: June 1, 2026
Applications are open for the APSA Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants 2026. The Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grant (DDRIG) project provides support to enhance and improve the conduct of doctoral dissertation research in political science. Awards support basic research which is theoretically derived and empirically oriented.
The American Political Science Association (APSA) Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grant has made 139 awards to doctoral candidates from 53 PhD-granting institutions since 2020.
Grant
- The APSA DDRIG program intends to award between twenty and twenty-five grants yearly of between $10,000 and $20,000 to support doctoral dissertation research that advances knowledge and understanding of citizenship, government, and politics.
Eligibility
The APSA Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants are available to all US-based graduate students who are at the point of initiating or are already conducting empirical dissertation research focused on advancing knowledge and understanding of citizenship, government, and politics.
- Applicants must be enrolled at a doctoral degree granting university at the time of application.
- Applicants must be enrolled at a university accredited in and having a campus physically located in the United States.
- Applicants must have completed all preliminary degree requirements at the time of their application, including having successfully completed comprehensive exams and a dissertation prospectus defense.
- Applicants must be sponsored by their dissertation adviser.
- Applicants must be endorsed by their graduate institution. If the grant application is successful, grant funds will be distributed through the student’s host institution.
Application
The application closes on June 1, 2026, at 11:59pm Eastern Time.
For more information, visit APSA Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants.
