Retirement & Disability Research Funding Opportunities

For undergraduate students

• Undergraduate Fellowship Program

  Administered by The Center for Retirement Research at Boston College

  Full-time paid summer research assistantships in a variety of disciplines that combines hands-on research experience with one-on-one mentoring from senior Center researchers

  Annual application period: October–January

For graduate students (masters, doctoral, or post-doctoral)

• Analyzing Relationships Between Disability, Rehabilitation, and Work (ARDRAW)

  Administered by Policy Research, Inc.

  $10,000 graduate student stipend for research on rehabilitation and return to work for SSA disability beneficiaries

  Annual application period: November–February

For graduate students (masters, doctoral, or post-doctoral) through junior scholars

• Junior Scholar Intensive Training (JSIT)

  Held at and administered by University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Financial Security Retirement & Disability Research Center, partnering with Howard University's Center on Race and Wealth

  Provides training and mentoring to develop research ideas and write an initial research proposal of relevance to SSA. Workshop-completed proposals may be eligible for small grants or other support. Space is limited. Training, course materials, travel, lodging, meals and incidentals will be covered for successful applicants.

  Annual application period: January–February

For doctoral candidates

• Dissertation Fellowship Program in Retirement and Disability Research

  Administered by The Center for Retirement Research at Boston College

  $28,000 fellowship (up to 3) for doctoral candidates writing dissertations on retirement or disability topics

  Annual application period: October–January

• Pre-Doctoral Fellowship Program in Retirement and Disability Policy Research

  Administered by National Bureau of Economic Research

  $25,836 stipend (up to 2) for full-time PhD candidates to conduct retirement- and/or disability-relevant research; also provides limited funds for tuition, health insurance, research expenses, and travel

  Annual application period: October–December

For junior scholars (recent PhD recipients)

• Extramural Mentored Fellowship

  Administered by University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Financial Security Retirement & Disability Research Center

  $45,000 stipend for new PhDs and early career researchers in the field of retirement and disability research

  Annual application period: December–February

• Michigan Center for Urban African American Aging Research + Michigan Retirement and Disability Research Center (MRDRC) Junior Faculty Research Mentoring

  Administered by the MRDRC at the University of Michigan

  Up to $25,000 for junior faculty or researchers with interest in the well-being of older African Americans or disparities among racial/ethnic groups

  Annual application period: November–January

• Post-Doctoral Fellowship Program in Retirement and Disability Policy Research

  Administered by National Bureau of Economic Research

  $80,000 stipend (up to 2) for new PhDs and early career researchers to conduct retirement or disability research; also covers health insurance and provides limited funds for research expenses and travel

  Annual application period: October–December

• Small Grant Program on Poverty, Retirement, and Disability Research

  Administered by University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Financial Security Retirement & Disability Research Center, collaborating with the Institute for Research on Poverty

  Up to $45,000 grants to support poverty research related to retirement and disability policies and programs

  Annual application period: December–February

• Steven H. Sandell Grant Program

  Administered by The Center for Retirement Research at Boston College

  $45,000 grant (up to 3) to pursue cutting-edge projects on retirement or disability issues

  Annual application period: October–January