Press Release

Applications Now Open for Dissertation Fellowship Program

Issued by Center for Retirement Research at Boston College

Nov. 6, 2024

The Center for Retirement Research at Boston College sponsors the annual Dissertation Fellowship Program in the field of retirement or disability research.  The program is funded by the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) and provides funding opportunities for doctoral candidates to pursue cutting-edge research on retirement or disability issues.  Individuals from historically underserved or underrepresented communities are encouraged to apply.

Applicants must demonstrate that their proposal focuses on at least one of SSA’s research focal areas:

• Understanding service needs and improving service delivery;
• Studying causes and inequities of overpayment and underpayment;
• Addressing barriers to disability and SSI programs participation and processes;
• Understanding and improving communication;
• Identifying disparities by race, ethnicity, and sex;
• Examining economic security of program applicants and beneficiaries; and
• Addressing employment barriers for people with disabilities.

Fellowship Awards

Two $28,000 fellowships will be awarded to doctoral candidates enrolled in an accredited program at a U.S. university.  Recipients may be required to present their work to SSA in Washington, DC or Baltimore, MD.

“Virtual Office Hours” Service

The CRR offers the opportunity for potential applicants to ask questions about topics, datasets, and research design.  The goal of this service is strengthen the quality of the applications and ensure that proposals closely align with SSA’s research focal areas.  Please contact CRR Economist Gal Wettstein during the month of November to take advantage of this service.

Submission

The deadline for the 2025 Dissertation Fellowship Program is January 31, 2025.

Download the proposal guidelines and the dissertation committee chair form. 

Review sample proposals that received awards: Sample 1, Sample 2.

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