Schallek Fellowship Instructions

Instructions

The Schallek Fellowship is funded by a gift to the Richard III Society-American Branch, from William B. and Maryloo Spooner Schallek. The fellowship supports an advanced graduate student who is writing a Ph.D. dissertation in any relevant discipline dealing with late-medieval Britain (ca. 1350-1500). The $30,000 fellowship helps defray research and living expenses for the equivalent of an academic year of study. The fellowship recipient must devote full time to the dissertation project and may not hold any job or teaching position or work on another project during the term of the fellowship.

Eligibility

Applicants must be graduate students whose dissertation proposals have been approved by their dissertation committees. They must be members of the Medieval Academy as of 15 September of the year in which they apply. In accordance with the terms of the gift to the Richard III Society, applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States or Canada.

Applications

Applications must be received at the Academy office by 15 October.

Along with the completed application form, applicants must submit the following:

1. A dissertation proposal that has been approved by the applicant's dissertation committee.

2. A letter of recommendation from the applicant's dissertation director certifying that the applicant has passed qualifying exams and received approval for the dissertation project and discussing the merits of the project and the applicant's preparation to complete it successfully.

3. A second letter of recommendation from a graduate professor discussing the merits of the dissertation project and the applicant's preparation to complete it successfully.

A completed application consists of six copies of the application form and of the dissertation proposal and the two letters of recommendation. The letters of recommendation may be submitted by the applicant in a sealed envelope that has been signed by the authors of the letters on the back across the seal; or the letters may be mailed directly by their authors to the Medieval Academy office. Letters must be received no later than 15 October. Please note that e-mail letters are not acceptable.

Submit all materials to:
Schallek Fellowship
Medieval Academy of America
104 Mt. Auburn St., 5th Floor
Cambridge, MA 02138

Applications will be evaluated using the following criteria:

1. The originality of the dissertation project, the clarity of its methodology, and its likelihood to contribute to medieval studies.

2. The cogency of the writing and organization of the dissertation proposal.

3. The letters of recommendation from the dissertation director and graduate professor regarding the excellence of the project and the applicant's preparation to complete the project.

4. The applicant's need for the fellowship to complete the dissertation successfully.