Henry Hart Rice Foreign Residence Fellowship

The Henry Hart Rice Foreign Residence Fellowships, made possible by a generous gift from Mr. Rice, are designed to support students planning projects that would involve them deeply immersing in a foreign culture. Students in the humanities and social sciences planning work, research, or independent study in a country that has strained relations with the United States. Projects should involve a stay of 9-12 months and must be for purposes other than Yale academic credit.

This fellowship is administered by the Whitney and Betty MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies.

In his original gift letter, Mr. Rice expressed his intentions regarding these awards: “There are many worthy causes but none can prosper unless we can avoid nuclear war. Peace is therefore the overriding priority. In the firm belief that knowledge will bring understanding, I therefore propose to make it possible for the next generation of leadership to live and study in those countries where relations with the United States are tense and strained...” In pursuit of this larger goal, the fund enables opportunities for life-changing experiences that result from immersion in a foreign culture. Students in the humanities, including the social sciences, are the preferred recipients. Projects with purposes beyond purely academic study are encouraged but the fund also recognizes that links to an institution of higher education may be necessary for access or support in some countries or areas. Students whose purpose is solely language study would not qualify.

Eligible are countries of Africa, Central Asia, Eastern Europe that are not members of the European Union (EU), Turkey, the Caucasus, Russia, Latin America, the Middle East, South and Southeast Asia as well as the People's Republic of China. Excluded are most of the traditional friends and allies of the U.S., including Canada, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and countries that are members of the EU. The fellowship stipend will cover travel and living expenses in the host country at modest levels.

Application Information: It is the applicant’s responsibility to see that the complete application, including letter of recommendation and transcripts, reaches us by the deadline; applications cannot be considered without this information.

Application materials:

• Project Proposal (not to exceed two typewritten, single-space pages).
• CV.
• Budget
• Two letters of reference
• Transcript (unofficial transcripts are acceptable). In order to obtain one please go to http://www.yale.edu/sis/ and print it as a PDF file.
• Language Evaluation from your language instructor regarding level of proficiency in relevant language(s). Not required for travel to English speaking countries.

Notifications of awards will be made by late April.

Restrictions to Use of Award: International students are not normally given grants for projects conducted in their home countries. If there is a question, contact the McMC Fellowship Office.

Yale University policy requires that certain types of projects involving research with human subjects be reviewed by an institutional review board (IRB) prior to the start of the study to ensure that the project meets University requirements and any applicable regulations. Click here to see if your project needs to be reviewed, for advice on working with human subjects, and for more information about the process and requirements.

All interested undergraduate applicants must review the Yale University International Travel Policy. Projects in specific countries within approved regions listed below may not be eligible for funding based on current MedEx threat ratings, State Department Warnings, and the Yale University International Travel Policy.

Eligible are undergraduates who will have completed at least two years of course work, including graduating Seniors; graduate students at the conclusion of a terminal master's program; and other graduate and professional students who have permission of their Director of Graduate Studies to take a year's leave of absence for this purpose. There are no citizenship requirements. Undergraduates proposing a Junior Year Abroad program for Yale credit are not eligible.

The primary consideration for selecting Rice Fellows is the likelihood that the intended experience will make the recipient an effective force for serious public understanding of the society in which he or she spends the year--and thus, it is hoped, contribute to the promotion of international peace. The purpose of the Rice Fellowship is not to further academic research, no matter how valuable; rather, it is aimed at a nuts and bolts working relationship between people. Ideally, the recipient is someone who will have an impact on our own community after having spent a year living and working in a foreign country, not as an observer but as one who has shared fully the life of the local population. Criteria for selection include academic achievement, subject matter and approach of the proposed project, personal qualities, intended career, and feasibility of the proposed program. In addition, applicants must demonstrate sufficient linguistic ability to carry out the proposed project and to participate actively in the ordinary life of the host country.