Thesis Grants

HOW TO APPLY

Apply using the College of Liberal Arts Online Scholarship Portal. 

• Plan II uses the LASSO Scholarship System. You will complete your application using this system.
• Submit your application by 11:59 PM on November 1, 2024.

ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES (please read before submitting an application)

 In your thesis grant application:

• Be as specific, concrete, and as detailed as possible.
• Give us a clear idea of what you are going to do and how the money will contribute to the success of your project in a measurable way.
  • For example: If you need to go to a specific library abroad, let us know which materials or sources you will examine, which archive or collection holds them, and how they are vital to your project. If you need money to produce a video or follow through with a laboratory project, give us a clear indication of costs. If you are traveling to various places to conduct interviews, help us understand why in-person interviews are necessary or ideal.
• Be clear about what you can actually accomplish. If you are thinking of going to a specific collection, for example, consider what you can reasonably expect to get done in the time you have. 

Requests over $500 require a statement of support from your primary thesis supervisor. The statement should verify that your proposed research/travel plans are vital to your thesis project. An emailed statement of support from your supervisor should be sent to planiischolarships@austin.utexas.edu. A hard copy can also be submitted to the Plan II Office. Faculty statements of support must be received by the thesis grant application deadline. 

Our aim is to help you succeed in the project while supporting as many Plan II students on their research as possible. Your application should show us how we can make a concrete difference for you. 

Thesis grants are intended to support students currently completing thesis research. Grants can support research-related travel, materials (e.g., for a creative or laboratory project), and other costs directly related to the completion of your thesis project. 

If you are seeking financial assistance for academic travel NOT related to your senior thesis, please apply for a Plan II Travel Grant instead. Any travel that IS directly related to your thesis project should be submitted as a Thesis Grant application. Please do not submit both applications for the same travel proposal. 

NOTE: Thesis Grants are not intended to cover the entire cost of your proposed travel or project. Only one type of grant will be awarded per student, travel program, or project.

WHEN TO APPLY:

Students should apply when they have registered for or are enrolled in the first or second semester of the Plan II Honors or departmental honors thesis sequence. Please note: grants can be awarded for thesis research or thesis-related travel to be completed the summer or winter before beginning a thesis course sequence. Please reach out to planiischolarships@austin.utexas.edu for any questions.

AMOUNT: 

Awards typically range from $250 to $1,000, depending on financial need and total research costs.

In most cases, Plan II will pay only part of the costs of your research, but your Plan II application should outline all of your expenses for the project. Be sure to seek funds from other sources as well.

RESTRICTED TRAVEL:

The University of Texas System requires all travel to countries with U.S. Department of State Travel Warnings to be reviewed and approved by the University's International Oversight Committee (IOC). Students wanting to travel to restricted regions must obtain Restricted Region Travel Approval to receive funding. We strongly advise students to complete this form during the program application process. Waiting to complete the petition process could result in a student not receiving a travel clearance or denial in time for departure. 

INDEPENDENT TRAVEL:

Students who are traveling abroad independently will be required to register their travel with the International Office to receive funding.