AFFDU (French Association of University Women) - Dorothy Leet/AFFDU Grant

What the Dorothy Leet/AFFDU grant gives you

You will receive a one-off payment of up to 1,500 EUR for a research stay abroad lasting up to one year. This is a one-off grant, not a monthly payment. The stay must take place as part of a Franco-American exchange: a French woman conducting research in the United States, or an American woman conducting research in France. The funding will help you to complete a doctoral thesis (your final research project as part of your PhD) or to carry out postdoctoral research abroad. The scholarship is administered by the ‘Association Française des Femmes Diplômées des Universités’ (AFFDU), a French network of women with university degrees, in collaboration with Reid Hall in Paris, a centre affiliated with Columbia University. Two to three scholarships are awarded each year.

Who can apply

• Women only: The scholarship is reserved for women.
• Your level: You are a PhD student, ideally in the final stages of your thesis, or a postdoctoral researcher.
• Field of study: Open to all disciplines.
• Where you go: A French researcher travelling to the US, or an American researcher coming to France.
• Nationality: Applicants of any nationality are welcome to apply, provided their project is relevant to this Franco-American exchange.
• Age: You are under 40.
• Membership: You are a member of the AFFDU or a similar association of female university graduates in your home country.
• Admission: You have a letter of invitation or a certificate of admission from the institution where you will be carrying out your research.
• No repeat: You have not yet received an AFFDU grant.

How to apply

You must submit your application to the AFFDU by 31 May each year, either by post or online. You will be notified of the outcome by the end of June.

How realistic are your chances?

The eligibility criteria are strictly defined: a woman under the age of 40, a PhD student or postdoctoral researcher, a member of the AFFDU, with a confirmed research placement involving travel between France and the USA. This keeps the pool of applicants small. If you clearly meet these criteria and have already received acceptance from your host institution, your chances are good. As only two or three scholarships are awarded each year, a solid, well-documented research proposal is of paramount importance.