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Chateaubriand for Humanities and Social Sciences

Introduction

The Chateaubriand Fellowship is a grant offered by the Office for Science and Technology of the Embassy of France in the United States.

Every year, it allows students enrolled in American universities - PhD Candidates or Post docs - to conduct research in a French research institution (public or private) for a 6 to 10 month period of time.
This program has two main goals:

1. To allow American researchers to benefit from an experience in one of the best research groups in France
2. To develop scientific cooperation between France and the United States.

Chateaubriand recipients receive:

· allowances of 1300 Euro a month for fellows, a round-trip ticket to France and health insurance abroad

Detailed information about the program is available on the Chateaubriand website: http://www.frenchculture.org/spip.php?article405.

Applications will be open on line during the months of November 2007 and December 2007, for internship beginning from September 2008 to March 2009.

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Quick Facts
Chateaubriand Humanities and Social Sciences Scholarship
Field of Study Humanities or social sciences
Type Doctoral
Place of Study France
Award amount Stipend 1300 €/month, plus health insurance, round trip ticket to France, 30 days per diem fees for traveling in France for research purposes
MIT Deadline November 17
National Deadline December 15

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Eligibility

To be eligible you must:

  • US citizen
  • Have established contact with a professor at a French university or research center.
  • Have research interests that require travel to France.
  • Be able to speak French.

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Selection Criteria

Applicants are chosen on the basis of:

  • Dissertation proposal
  • Letters of support/recommendation from a professor at a French research institution and from your dissertation advisor
  • Academic transcript

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Application (see official site for details and forms)

Applications must be submitted to the French Embassy. Complete applications consist of one original and nine copies of the following materials:

  • Completed application form (in French if possible)
  • 3-5 page dissertation proposal, double-spaced in 10-12 point font
  • Letter of recommendation from your dissertation advisor
  • Letter of recommendation/support of your research from a professor in a French university or a researcher associated with an institution in France
  • Your official transcript
  • Institutional endorsement (provided by MIT)

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Timeline
MIT Process
Spring
  • Meet with a foreign scholarship advisor. Appointments can be made by sending mail to scholarships@mit.edu or by visiting the Foreign Scholarships Office in 12-189.
  • Send mail to scholarships@mit.edu to be added to the mailing list to receive information about upcoming workshops, fellowship deadlines, etc.
  • Attend a workshop on foreign scholarships.
  • Fill out pre-application form and submit to Foreign Scholarships Office, 12-189. On receipt of this form, the office will open a file for you.
  • Develop your study or research plan.
Summer
  • Research your choices of French host institution and intended program.
  • Establish and/or maintain contact with a professor or researcher who will host you at a French university or research institution.
  • Download and begin working on your application.
Fall
  • Draft your dissertation proposal.
  • Line up faculty who will write your recommendations and provide them with all the information they need to supply letters of recommendation by December.
  • Sign up for campus interview by emailing scholarships@mit.edu.
  • Review and revise your application.
  • Seek the advice of faculty, staff and fellow students to increase the strength of your application. Staff in the Foreign Scholarships Office are available to critique your essays.
December 8
  • Letters of recommendation due.
  • Copy of application due to MIT, 12-189; required so that MIT may write you an institutional endorsement.
 
National Process
December 15
January - April
  • Selection committee reviews applications and notifies recipients.

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Winners

Deborah Kully 2004-2005

Jennifer Ferng 2007-2008

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Contact Information
MIT Representative General Information

Professor Linn Hobbs
Chairman, Foreign Scholarships Committee
MIT Room 13-4054
Tel: 617-253-6835

Kimberly L Benard
Program Advisor for DIstinguished Fellowships
MIT Room 12-189
Tel: 617-253-4378

 French Embassy
Ms. Rim Rouached
Tel: 202-944-6438
Tel: 202-944-6268

Official site:

http://www.frenchculture.org/spip.php?article405

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