How to Apply

The following instructions apply to all student grant applications except the Research Access and Mentoring Program. RAMP application instructions are available within the application form.

All proposals should be submitted through ISLA's online portal Submittable (access below). Please note: While complementary team projects will be considered, each applicant's application must stand alone and have an independent budget.  

Deadlines may be found on the specific grant program's webpage. 
 

Proposal Format and Requirements 

Proposals that do not conform to the page limits and formatting requirements described below will be rejected without review.

Title Page (1 page)

• project’s title 
• applicant’s name
• non-technical, 100-word abstract 

Example title page

Project Description (no more than 5 pages)

*Conference Presentation Grant proposals are 2-3 pages.

Content: 

For overviews of the proposal-writing process, see proposal writing guides for undergraduates and graduate students. To find out how your proposal will be evaluated, see proposal evaluation criteria.  

Each proposal needs to include:

• an introduction,
• a brief overview of previous research,
• a description of research methods,
• a schedule for project completion,
• a description of collaboration (if appropriate),
• and a statement of research/creative goals (incl. broader impacts).

See sample proposal structure. 

Required Formatting: 

• double-spaced
• one-inch margins
• 12-point Times New Roman font
• page numbers at bottom center
• figures or images (added only if they significantly aid in understanding the project) embedded within the project description with captions
• footnotes, endnotes, and in-text citations, using a discipline-appropriate citation style
• include bibliography, references on separate page following research plan (references not included in page limit). 

Example project description 

Budget (separate document)

Formatting, Content, Restrictions:

The budget document may be prepared by using the ISLA Budget Template.

• Itemize your expenses (see grant opportunity webpage for eligible costs). Justify the need for each expense. Include links to sites where cost information was obtained. Do not guess or estimate costs; provide clear sources and detailed reasoning for all expenses. 
• ISLA limits reimbursement for meals to $50/day. If an applicant's stay at a given location exceeds 10 days, it is recommended to budget $150/week (if you have access to a kitchen). 
• Audio-visual or computer equipment, room and board during quarantine periods, professional development activities, or software that is already provided through University site licenses are NOT permitted.
• If an item is denominated in a foreign currency, please provide the USD equivalent, including the exchange rate. 
• If you are driving your own vehicle, please use University guidelines to calculate your mileage.  Do not separately list mileage and fuel costs.

Example budget document

Additional Requirements

Letter of recommendation

A letter of recommendation from a supervising faculty member in the College of Arts and Letters is required of all student applicants. Once you have submitted your application through Submittable, ISLA's grant-making software, your designated faculty member will receive an email with instructions for submitting their recommendation. Letters of recommendations must be submitted within 72 hours of the application deadline or, for grants with a rolling deadline, within 72 hours of application submission. If we do not hear from your faculty advisor, we will contact them.

Special Requirements for Human Subjects Research 

• If your research involves interaction with people (e.g., interviews, surveys, or observing non-public behavior), you must submit an application for Internal Review Board (IRB) approval. Please use Notre Dame Research's online application form for Human Subjects (IRB) Approval.
• If IRB approval is required, grant funding will not be disbursed until Notre Dame Research approves your IRB application. IRB approval must be specifically given to you, the student. If you are working on a project for which your professor has IRB approval, please ask the professor to have your name added to the IRB protocol. Questions regarding IRB approval may be sent to compliance@nd.edu. Notre Dame requires all personnel listed on the IRB protocol to complete the online Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) module. Please refer to the Citi Training Selection Guide for directions. 

Special Requirements for International Travel

• If your project involves international travel, we MUST receive your application materials AT LEAST 6 weeks prior to your planned departure date. 
• All students are required to register University-related international travel with the Notre Dame International Travel Registry.
• Grant funds will not be disbursed until ALL components of the registry are completed. Failure to register may cause the loss of your grant.
• All high risk University-related international travel is subject to review. For University requirements and process for student and employee high risk travel, please visit the High Risk Travel page.
• UROP proposals involving travel to countries for which a State Department travel warning has been issued may not be funded.

Special Requirements for Undergraduate Applicants

• Projects involving domestic travel require a completed, hand-signed Domestic Travel Waiver Form. 
• Please be sure to review NDI's student and parent/guardian checklists. More information is available at NDI's student information and safety information pages. 
• Undergraduate students who wish to be considered to be permitted by the University of Notre Dame to conduct high risk travel internationally (for a definition of 'high risk' see here), MUST complete and submit a 2022-23 Undergraduate Safety Assessment & Travel Risk Management Plan (Word doc that downloads).

Special Requirements for Graduate Student Applicants

• Your advisor will be asked to complete an online form certifying that they have reviewed your grant proposal and indicating if you need IRB approval for your research.
• You will be asked to upload a Curriculum Vitae that describes your education, work experience, etc.