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Undergraduate Research & Fellowships Division of Student Success

ONSF Exploration Grant Application

Step 1 of 4

25%

Personal Information
Name*
First Last
Email*
Citizenship (for Fulbright eligibility purposes)*
College(s)*
- Architecture & Design
- Arts & Sciences
- Communication & Information
- Education, Health & Human Sciences
- Haslam College of Business
- Herbert College of Agriculture
- Nursing
- Social Work
- Tickle College of Engineering
Anticipated Graduation Date (Month, Year)*
Major(s), Minor(s)*
Current Resume or CV (3-page maximum)*
Accepted file types: pdf.
Please exclude non-directory information (i.e., social security number, student ID number, grades, GPA -- term or cumulative, course schedule, academic history, academic standing). Upload as a PDF file.
Briefly describe your current postgraduate goals, including graduate programs of interest. (1 short paragraph)*
References
Name and Title of Reference Letter Writer*
You will need to have one academic reference letter submitted to onsf@utk.edu for the Exploration Grant -- within one week of the application deadline. This letter should be no more than 2 single-spaced pages and should reflect the recommender’s understanding of your academic background, as well as of your preparation for exploratory travel and for the specific project/fellowship for which this Exploration Grant will ultimately support you (e.g., Fulbright study/research project). Please provide the name and title of your reference letter writer, who will need to e-mail the reference letter to onsf@utk.edu within one week of the application deadline.
Additional Potential References
You must also provide the names and titles of two additional potential references for the program/project/application (e.g., Fulbright) for which you will eventually apply. We will not at this stage contact your additional references.
Name and Title of Additional Potential Reference*
Name and Title of Additional Potential Reference*

Exploration Grant Plans
Target Country(-ies) for Exploration Grant*
Is there a U.S. Department of State travel warning and/or a travel health warning (level 3) or alert (level 2) issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the target country(-ies)?*
Find more information here: U.S. Department of State travel warnings: https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/alertswarnings.html CDC travel health warnings and alerts: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices
Summarize what you understand the top four risks to be for your target country that is under a U.S. Department of State travel warning or CDC level 3 warning or level 2 alert.*
Please indicate in 1-2 short paragraphs what institutional and faculty affiliations you intend to pursue, as well as any contacts you may have already made with these institutions/faculty. Briefly, how will making these connections enhance your subsequent fellowship application(s)?*
Please summarize in 1-2 paragraphs the purpose and itinerary (i.e., where you will go and when) for your Exploration Grant. Indicate the length of stay (typically 3-4 weeks). Please note: Exploration Grants are designed to develop on-the-ground contacts (i.e., it is akin to an academic business trip). Exploration Grant applications to support and/or offset study abroad program costs will not be considered.*
If applicable, please indicate other sources of potential funding. This may include departmental support, other travel grants for which you have applied, etc.

Budget
Now, please provide a detailed and itemized budget accounting for the costs associated with your exploratory travel. Include airfare, all ground transportation, accommodation, and other field costs up to $5000. Include as many details as possible -- airline carrier, accommodation providers, meals, incidentals, etc.
Airfare
Total airfare costs*
If not applicable, type N/A
Airline(s) and dates*
Accomodation
Total accommodation costs*
Hotel(s), location(s), and dates*
Break down hotel costs on a per-night basis
In-Country Transportation
Total in-country transportation costs*
Including bus, taxi, train, etc.
Please describe any anticipated in-country transportation costs*
Food Costs
Total food costs*
Please describe how you arrived at your total food costs figure*
Other costs
Total other costs, if applicable*
Including entry fees, passport, etc.
Please describe any of your "other costs" here*
Total Costs
Total trip costs*
Airfare + accommodation + transportation + food + other costs

Scholarship/Fellowship Application Plans
Exploration Grants support subsequent competitive fellowship proposals/applications. Please list the fellowship(s) you will apply for following your Exploration Grant (e.g., Fulbright, Marshall, etc.). Preference will be given to those applicants planning to use their Exploration Grant to develop in-country affiliation/contacts for a Fulbright application.*
Anticipated Field of Study*
Exploration Grants support efforts to apply for competitive scholarships to do advanced study/research/teaching. In what field(s) of study will this be?
Brief Project/Program Description*
This should describe, briefly, the research project, teaching project, or graduate program you intend to pursue through a competitive fellowship (e.g., describe the research you will do in Argentina through a Fulbright). (1 or 2 sentences)
Now please describe your project plans (study/teaching/research) in greater detail. What is your main focus? How does it connect to its larger field? What research methodologies will you use to pursue it? Why is it important to pursue it in your host country—are there special resources or other considerations? (No more than 2 paragraphs)*
Which of your scholarly pursuits to date (coursework, research, and so forth) have best prepared you for your proposed exploration grant experience and subsequent candidacy for a competitive fellowship? Please be specific, but succinct. (1-2 paragraphs)*
Language Qualifications and Ambassadorial Potential
If it is other than English, what is the main local language in your destination, and what is your level of proficiency in this language? (If English, type N/A.) How did you come to attain this level of proficiency? (If your study or research will involve additional languages, please list those and your level of proficiency in each.) Please be brief. (No more than 1 short paragraph)*
If you need additional language training to ensure the success of your project, what are your plans to pursue this training? Please be brief. (No more than 1 short paragraph)*
If applicable, please briefly note any extended travel experience (more than two weeks) outside the U.S., its duration, and its purpose.*
Beyond reasons relating specifically to your project, why do you hope to pursue study/research/teaching in your target country? (1 - 2 paragraphs)*
Signature
Name*
First Last
Date*
Date Format: MM slash DD slash YYYY
*
- I affirm that the foregoing statements are my own work and that my provided materials are true and accurate representations. Furthermore, I have reviewed the relevant materials on the ONSF and relevant fellowship website.

Undergraduate Research & Fellowships
Division of Student Success

317 Greve Hall
821 Volunteer Blvd
Knoxville, TN 37996-3393
Phone: 865-974-3518
Email: onsf@utk.edu

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Knoxville, Tennessee 37996
865-974-1000

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