The funding of the East European Studies Program is appropriated by the U.S. Congress and administered by the U.S. Department of State under the Research and Training for Eastern Europe and the Independent States of the Former Soviet Union Act of 1983 as amended (Title VIII), whose purpose is the development of expertise in the United States needed for broad knowledge and analysis of developments in this critical world area. Every application for these fellowships should, therefore, state clearly how the proposed research will contribute to a better understanding of the region and policy related to it.
Priorities for fellowships include career commitment to the field and policy relevant research. Relevance may be interpreted narrowly as research pertinent to contemporary events or broadly as providing the historical and cultural background necessary for understanding this critical world area.
Support is available from Title VIII for research related to all East European countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Kosovo/a, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, and Slovenia.