Questions about Eligibility

Q: Who is eligible to receive a AY Dissertation Research Abroad FLAS Fellowship? UCLA graduate students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents and are enrolled in a Ph.D. program that requires a dissertation. Students must have passed their departmental exams and be at the advanced level in all proficiency skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing) of a Southeast Asian language to have the skills necessary to conduct their research during the fellowship award period.

Q: Who is eligible to receive a AY Dissertation Writing FLAS Fellowship? UCLA graduate students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents and are enrolled in a Ph.D. program that requires a dissertation. Students must have already passed their departmental exams, attained advanced level in all proficiency skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing) of a Southeast Asian language, and completed their dissertation fieldwork research prior to the start of the fellowship award period. Students must spend the academic year finishing their dissertation.

Q: My graduate program is not a Ph.D. program. Am I eligible? No. Only Ph.D. students who are writing a dissertation to complete their degree are eligible.

Q: Am I required to conduct my dissertation fieldwork aboard? Yes, students with AY Dissertation Research Abroad FLAS must conduct their fieldwork abroad for at least two quarters of the year. Students planning to conduct dissertation research abroad during the fellowship period should specify the research plans in their personal statement and FLAS application form. Currently, FLAS recipients who plan to conduct research abroad must obtain advanced approvals for their research and travel plans. Travel to countries with a State Department “Level 3: Reconsider Travel” will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and those with a “Level 4: Do Not Travel” advisory in place might not be approved.

Students with AY Dissertation Writing FLAS do not need to conduct fieldwork abroad. They are expected to spend the academic year writing their dissertation.

Q: I have previously received or currently have a FLAS fellowship for coursework. Can I re-apply for the AY Dissertation Research Abroad FLAS? Yes. In the application, please indicate at what stage you are in your Ph.D. program, and indicate in your statement of purpose what your intended research abroad plans are during the fellowship award period. You can only receive the AY Dissertation Research Abroad FLAS once.

Q: I have previously received or currently have a AY Dissertation Research Abroad FLAS Fellowship. Can I apply for the Dissertation Writing FLAS? Yes, you can apply for the AY Dissertation Writing FLAS Fellowship. The Dissertation Writing FLAS must be used for finishing up the dissertation. Students should already completed all their required coursework and dissertation fieldwork. The Dissertation Writing FLAS is intended to support students as they complete this last step of their doctoral program. Students will be expected to graduate at the end of the fellowship period.

Questions about Application

Q: How should I indicate that I am applying for AY Dissertation Research Abroad FLAS? On the Academic Year FLAS application, check the box for "Conduct dissertation research / fieldwork abroad." Indicate the target country or countries where you will be conducting your research. 

Q: How should I indicate that I am applying for AY Dissertation Writing FLAS? On the Academic Year FLAS application, check the box for "Enroll in dissertation writing independent study at UCLA to finish the dissertation."

Q: What do I need to include in my statement of purpose? Your statement of purpose should still outline your primary research interests, relevant coursework, dissertation project and career goals. For AY Dissertation Research Abroad FLAS, it should outline detailed plans for dissertation research aboard for the academic year. You need to describe your research sites and methodologies and provide a chapter overview of your dissertation. For AY Dissertation Writing FLAS, you should provide a chapter outline, a summary of resources, data, and methodologies, and describe the timeline plan to finish the dissertation during the fellowship period.

Q: When do I need to get my dissertation fieldwork proposal or dissertation writing plan approved? You do not need any further documentation or approval for dissertation fieldwork or writing at the FLAS application stage. 

If you are selected for the AY Dissertation Research Abroad FLAS, you will need to get approval from your committee to conduct your fieldwork. You will also need to submit a detailed proposal for the entire academic year to the Center over the summer months before the start of the fellowship. Your proposal needs to include affiliations to universities and institutions in the target country, a methodologies section about research sources and materials, and a quarterly plan listing your research goals and tasks. The Center will provide a template for the dissertation fieldwork proposal specific to the FLAS Fellowship.

Questions about Enrollment

Q: If I receive the AY Dissertation Research Abroad or AY Dissertation Writing FLAS, what will my enrollment status be? Students should have already completed their required coursework and must be cleared by their department and committee chair to conduct their dissertation fieldwork research abroad for the entire academic year. Students will need to file a request with their department to declare in-absentia status for the entire academic year.

Q: If I will have in absentia status, am I eligible for the full FLAS Fellowship award? Yes. The AY Dissertation Research Abroad and AY Dissertation Writing FLAS Fellowship covers your in absentia tuition and fees and UC SHIP for the year and includes the $20,000 stipend.

Q: What are the required coursework? Students must be enrolled full-time (at least 12 units per quarter) at UCLA only in 599 Dissertation Research courses for the whole year with their committee chair or another faculty in their department. No other coursework or language study are required.

Q: Can I conduct my fieldwork abroad for part of the year and enroll in regular coursework at UCLA for the remainder? No. Dissertation Research Abroad FLAS is only intended for students to conduct their fieldwork while on in-absentia status during the award period.

Questions about Reporting

Q: What are the reporting requirements? There are several. FLAS recipients are required to submit a post-Fellowship report with letter grades for all courses taken during the award period through the online reporting system of the U.S. Department of Education. In addition, students must arrange to take a language proficiency evaluation with an instructor at the beginning and end of the fellowship period. Students are also required to submit brief quarterly reports to the center administering their FLAS award. Finally, FLAS recipients are required to provide information every two years following graduation about their ongoing use of the target language and employment for 8 years following graduation from UCLA. FLAS recipients must provide their current contact information to the UCLA center awarding their FLAS in compliance with this requirement.