Thanks to the generous support of our donors, we are able to offer a number of fellowship, scholarship and funding opportunities to our students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.
Undergraduate Opportunities
Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs Undergraduate Research Fellowship
These awards offer undergraduate students the opportunity to conduct research with a faculty member on a human rights topic. The $2500 fellowships are competitive and awarded on a yearly basis. Applications are due April 1 each year for the following academic year.
Interested applicants should submit a cover letter, CV, and brief letter of support from their faculty research advisor to Dr. Courtney Hillebrecht at chillebrecht2@unl.edu. The cover letter should describe the project and its relationship to the applicant’s course of study and professional goals.
Jessica Lutton Bedient Study Abroad Scholarship
This scholarship honors the memory of Jessica Lutton Bedient and provides up to $2500 for students conducting human rights-related coursework, research and/or experiential learning while abroad. The scholarships are competitive and offered on a yearly basis. The application deadline for summer is March 1st, fall or academic year is April 1st and spring or winter break is October 1st. Virtual International Programs offered through the UNL Education Abroad office do qualify for this scholarship.
Learn more and apply:
Jessica Lutton Bedient Scholarship
Graduate Opportunities
Dr. Joseph Elston Fellowship
The Dr. Joseph Elston Fellowship recognizes excellence in graduate research in human rights and political science. The recipient receives a $2500 fellowship to support their research. In addition to advancing their research, the Elston Fellow is expected to contribute to and attend programs sponsored by the Department of Political Science and the Forsythe Family Program on Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs (HRHA) and serve on the HRHA Advisory Board during their fellowship year.
All applicants must:
- be currently enrolled in a graduate program in the Department of Political Science at UNL
- have a declared graduate specialization in Human Rights
Preference will be given to applicants who are working on their doctoral dissertations and near completion of the Ph.D. Previous recipients are not eligible to apply.
To apply
Please submit a current CV and a one- to two-page synopsis of your proposed research and an explanation of how this research will advance the scholarship on human rights. Please also indicate probable outlets for your research (e.g. scholarly articles, book manuscript).
Please submit your application materials to Dr. Courtney Hillebrecht at chillebrecht2@nebraska.edu.
Applications are due on September 15 and will be reviewed by the Director of the Forsythe Family Program on Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs and the Graduate Committee of the Department of Political Science.
Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs Research Grants
The HRHA program is pleased to be able to support our graduate students with $750 for research-related expenses. Awards are offered on a rolling, competitive basis.
To apply
Submit a cover letter, CV, and budget/budget justification to Dr. Courtney Hillebrecht at chillebrecht2@nebraska.edu.
- The cover letter should describe the project and its relationship to the applicant’s course of study and professional goals.
- The brief budget and budget justification should include an indication of how HRHA funding fits into your larger budget.
Mary McClymont Graduate Award for Research on Forced Migration
This award, of up to $1500, supports graduate students at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln conducting research on forced migration. Students with a graduate specialization in Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs will be prioritized in the application review process, but graduate students outside of the specialization are also invited to apply. Applications are due April 1 each year for the following academic year.
To apply
Submit a cover letter, CV, and budget/budget justification to Dr. Courtney Hillebrecht at chillebrecht2@unl.edu.
- The cover letter should describe the project and its relationship to the applicant’s course of study and professional goals.
- The brief budget and budget justification, including an indication of how this funding fits into your larger budget.