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Travel Grants

NOTE (6/2023): Travel grant applications are currently closed. Future application opening updates will be posted here when they become available.

The Eck Institute for Global Health (EIGH) seeks to support undergraduate participation in global health research and training projects in low- and middle-income countries or resource-limited domestic sites. The purpose of this funding is to enable researchers to contribute to the global health enterprise through research and training activities, and to build global partnerships. 

Undergraduate students are invited to apply for grants to cover the costs travel, lodging, and per diem. All student research and training must be integral to the research of an EIGH faculty member who will act as a mentor and assume all responsibility for assisting the student with preparation for the travel, activities to be performed at the site, follow-up, and safety.

These grants can also support the travel of students from low- and middle-income countries or resource-limited domestic sites to the University of Notre Dame to work with an EIGH faculty member.

Eligibility

The following categories are eligible to apply for this program:

  1. Undergraduates advised by full-time regular faculty (i.e. Tenure / Tenure-track, Research, and Special Professional faculty) who are eligible to submit research grants at the University of Notre Dame or the Indiana University School of Medicine – South Bend. Research and Special Professional faculty must document their independence as described in Section 1 of the proposal form.
  2. Undergraduates advised by an active member of the Eck Institute for Global Health (please contact the EIGH Assistant Director, Nydia Morales-Soto for information on how to become a member). An active member consistently affiliates themselves with the Institute on their grant proposals.

Funding

Awards of up to $5,000 are available for eligible applicants. 

Deadline

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis but must be received a minimum of 45 days before the planned travel.

Please note, all awards are subject to the availability of funds and discretion of the EIGH Director.

Application Format and Submission

Interested applicants should complete the application form and submit it electronically to the EIGH Assistant Director, Nydia Morales-Soto with the subject line “Your Name - Travel Grant Proposal.”

Application must include:

  1. Cover Page: Contact and other basic information
  2. Description of Project (maximum five pages), including:
    • Project goals
    • Project description
    • Description of outside institutions/organizations that you will be partnering with, communication with that organization, and specific commitment of the organization to your project; describe your history and/or plans to develop a partnership with this institution/organization
    • Significance to global health
    • Describe in detail the social and cultural environment (e.g., social/cultural awareness, language, safety, living and working conditions, technical/infrastructure of laboratories or other work areas) in which you plan to undertake your project and how you have prepared yourself to work in that particular environment; demonstrate your knowledge of the country you plan to travel in, your awareness of potential social/cultural sensitivities, and your plan to successfully navigate those issues
    • Background and experience that demonstrate ability to carry out the project
    • Timeline
  3. Budget: Itemization of airfare and other transportation, housing, meals, etc.
  4. Budget justification: Details about items on the budget (how estimated costs were calculated, etc.)
  5. Letter of support from EIGH faculty member advisor: Undergraduate students must provide a letter of support from their EIGH faculty member advisor. The faculty advisor should discuss your potential and preparedness to undertake the proposed project. The faculty advisor should explicitly describe the support he/she will provide and the responsibilities that he/she is committing to.
  6. Letter of support from institution/organization that you are partnering with: If the applicant will be working with an institution/organization outside of the University of Notre Dame, a letter of support from that organization should be submitted with the application. The letter should explicitly describe the support the organization will provide for the proposed project and the person in the organization who is the main point of contact for the project.
  7. Human subjects research: Projects engaged in human subjects research (interaction with a living person or obtaining private information from existing data, documents, records, or diagnostic specimens) must have their projects approved by the Human Subjects Institutional Review Board (IRB) and documentation of approval must be included in the application package. Review deadlines and submission process on the Notre Dame Research website.

DOWNLOAD APPLICATION 

Review

Proposals are reviewed by the EIGH Assistant Director, subject to final approval by the EIGH Director. Review criteria include:

  • Overall significance of the project to global health and support of the EIGH mission
  • Preparedness of the applicant to undertake the project as proposed
  • Commitment of the EIGH faculty member 
  • Commitment of the partnering institution/organization
  • Potential of the project to promote a long-term partnership with the partnering organization/institution

Receiving an Award

When receiving an award, Notre Dame undergraduate students will need to complete the following required paperwork:

  1. Students who will travel abroad to conduct their project must comply with all guidelines as set out by Notre Dame International. 
  2. Liability waivers using a form approved by the University’s Office of General Counsel must be obtained before the proposed trip. Students will receive these once their application has been processed.

Please note that the EIGH adheres to all policies and procedures as set forth by Notre Dame International for undergraduate students.

Final Report

All grantees are required to submit a final report within three months of the completion of the travel.

Need more information?

To discuss the eligibility of your project or address additional questions, please contact EIGH Assistant Director, Nydia Morales-Soto.