IREX
International Research & Exchanges Board

ECA

Individual Advanced Research Opportunities (IARO)

Program Overview

The Individual Advanced Research Opportunities (IARO) program seeks to attract, select, and support in-depth field research by US students, scholars and experts in policy-relevant subject areas related to Eastern Europe and Eurasia, as well as to disseminate knowledge about these regions to a wide network of constituents in the United States and abroad. Sponsored by the US Department of State’s Title VIII Program, IARO provides fellows with the means and support necessary to conduct in-country research on contemporary political, economic, historical, or cultural developments relevant to US foreign policy. The IARO program plays a vital role in supporting the emergence of a dedicated and knowledgeable cadre of US scholars and experts who can enrich the US understanding of developments in Eastern Europe and Eurasia.

PROGRAM RESULTS

For more information on IARO fellows, research projects and participant highlights, visit the IARO program results page.

GRANT PROVISIONS

  • International coach-class roundtrip transportation from the US to the host country(ies) for the period of grant awarded.
  • A monthly allowance for housing and living expenses, based on IREX’s pre-established country-specific rates (IREX will determine your housing amount at the time of your grant award, based on your city(ies) of placement).
  • Travel visas. IREX will pay for and assist with fellows’ visas for travel related to the fellowship.  Arrangement and costs associated with visas for dependents are the fellow’s responsibility.
  • Emergency evacuation insurance. Please note that IREX provides only emergency evacuation insurance -- not health insurance.


GRANT CATEGORIES

Grants will be awarded in each of the four categories:

  • Master’s Student IARO
    Eligibility: Must be enrolled in a master’s program during the grant period
    Grant Duration: one to three months

  • Predoctoral Student IARO
    Eligibility: Must be enrolled in a PhD program during the grant period
    Grant Duration: two to nine months

  • Professional IARO
    Eligibility: Must have one of the following degrees (MA, MS, MFA, MBA, MPA, MLIS, MPH, JD, MD) and must not be enrolled as a student during the grant period.
    Grant Duration: two to nine months

  • Postdoctoral Scholar IARO
    Eligibility: Must hold a PhD by the application deadline
    Grant Duration: two to nine months


ELIGIBLE COUNTRIES OF RESEARCH FOCUS

Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.

APPLICATION MATERIALS

The deadline to apply for 2009-2010 IARO is November 17, 2008. Application information and materials can be accessed at http://www.irex.org/programs/iaro/iaro_info.asp.

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