Support for student term-time thesis research is available for Amherst College seniors for up to $1,000 in the form of grants from the Gregory S. Call Student Research Program; the Nicholas Curtis Heaney Memorial Fund, which provides support for honors thesis research that is intended to broaden the student's personal and cultural horizons; the Doelling Undergraduate Research Fund, which supports undergraduates engaged in performing scientific research in biological/life sciences under the guidance of a faculty member; the Linden Family Fund, which provides support for students engaged in research projects, with a preference for thesis work in History; and the Wolansky Family Research Fund, which provides support for students engaged in thesis research, with a preference for projects in American studies, history, political science, or English. Due to the high volume of requests, please know that students who request funds to attend a conference will be considered only if they are presenting their research at the conference.
This program supports summer research awards for rising seniors who are engaged in thesis work on campus and includes a stipend equivalent to $15.25 per hour for up to eight weeks of work (or up to $4,880), as well as on campus room and board. The application must briefly outline a clearly defined project and have the strong support of an Amherst College faculty member with whom the student will work directly.
The majority of the students who participate in the program are rising seniors doing preliminary research for their senior honors theses. The fellowships are available to students in all disciplines.
The portal for applications for summer funding will open on February 1, 2023, and close on April 21, 2023.
Please note that if a student receives funding to conduct summer research, the student is not eligible for other Amherst College employment during that time period, including summer internship funding.
The Harold Varmus 1961 Fund supports Amherst College students pursuing independent scholarly work, approved by an Amherst college faculty sponsor, in any field outside of the United States for a period of 10 weeks. Preference is given to rising seniors whose scholarly work will be used to support a thesis. Varmus Fellows must remain abroad at their place(s) of study for the duration of the fellowship. International students may not return to their home countries.
For more information, please contact Nancy Ratner. For information about international travel, please contact Janna Behrens in the Global Education Office.