These are funds to (partially) cover expenses associated with attendance to a conference to present a paper.

In order to apply for these funds, you must submit an Application for Graduate Student Travel Support and a copy of the formal invitation to present at the conference to the Director of Graduate Studies. The Graduate Studies Committee (GSC) reviews the applications throughout the year. In their evaluation, they base their decision on the following: a) relevance of the paper to the student's main field of concentration; b) prestige of the conference for which the funds are requested; c) estimated costs of travel (transportation, hotel, and food); and d) applicant's stage of advancement within the graduate program. The maximum amount of travel support is $750.00.

Applications must be submitted at least three weeks before the time of travel. However, you should begin the application process as soon as you receive official notification that you have been accepted for a conference. Moreover, you must complete the application process before you go to the conference. First, while the Department has every interest in monetarily supporting graduate student professionalization activities, our funds are limited. Second, the GSC does not meet every week and your application might not be reviewed right away. Finally, once your application is approved, you must submit a spend authorization in Workday. SPPO staff will do everything they can to help you process this in Workday; however, they need sufficient time to comply with the university's procedures. Please remember that according to university policy, you must have an approved spend authorization to be reimbursed.

Please go here for further information on the procedures for receiving support.

The Department of Spanish and Portuguese will offer one or more awards in memory of Professor Mario Iglesias, to recognize Graduate Teaching Associates for their excellence in classroom teaching or the study of Spanish or Portuguese languages, literature, and/or culture.  Individual awards may be to a maximum of $1,000 and support a variety of graduate associate needs, including educational materials and resources, costs to conduct research, or participation in professional conferences.

Eligibility

Applicants must be Graduate Teaching Associates in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese.

Application

• Candidates for awards recognizing excellence in their academic programs or for their teaching must be nominated by their advisors, professors, or teaching supervisors with at least two letters detailing the reasons for making the nomination.

Nominations webform

• Students seeking support to conduct scholarly research should submit a brief proposal (maximum three double-spaced pages) that includes a project outline, statement of its significance to the field, any progress to date, time to completion, and qualifications for completing the project; an itemized budget estimating the cost of the project and listing financial support already received or being requested; a current advising report; and (under separate cover) a letter of recommendation from their advisor or project director.

Application

• Students seeking support to participate in a professional conference should submit a maximum one-page statement on the nature of their participation and why it is important for their careers; full documentation verifying participation, cost, and other financial support; a note of endorsement from the student’s advisor that discusses the relevance of the topic and the prestige of the conference; and a current advising report.   

A letter of recommendation from the student’s advisor or project director should be sent under separate cover directly to Dr. Scott Schwenter. 

Submissions are due: March 13th, 2026

Selection

Criteria for selection include the quality of the student’s work, the significance of the activity for which the award is sought, and the recommendation of the student’s supervisor or advisor. Recipients will be selected by a committee of faculty from the Department of Spanish and Portuguese.

Mario Iglesias (1924-2002) came to the United States from his native Cuba in 1961. He joined the faculty of The Ohio State University in 1967 as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures, where he taught all levels of Spanish language while supervising and coordinating graduate teaching associates. He was later promoted to Associate Professor and became Director of the Spanish Language Program with responsibility for curriculum development and the training of graduate teaching associates. He was the author of several widely used textbooks as well as many articles on pedagogy. Mario was a born teacher with a wonderful sense of humor and great respect for his students. He was also immensely popular among students. The Mario Iglesias Award for Excellence in the Study and Teaching of Spanish has been established by his family in memory of his commitment to fostering excellence among graduate teaching associates of the Spanish and Portuguese languages.

Support the Mario Iglesias Endowed Fund

Alumni and friends of the Department of Spanish and Portuguese may contribute online to the Mario Iglesias Endowed Fund. 

The Josaphat Kubayanda Graduate Student Scholarship celebrates the life and work of the first Chairperson of the OSU Department of Spanish and Portuguese. The award of up to $1000 is given to a deserving Ohio State graduate student pursuing research, preferably on a dissertation, in Latin American, Caribbean, and/or African literatures and cultures.

Eligibility

Applicants must be OSU graduate students in good standing.

Application

Applicants should submit a brief proposal (maximum three double-spaced pages) that includes a project outline, statement of its significance to the field, any progress to date, time to completion, and qualifications for completing the project. A transcript or advising report should accompany the proposal. A letter of recommendation from the student’s advisor or project director should be sent under separate cover to Dr. Scott Schwenter.  

Submissions are due: March 13th, 2026

Application

Selection

Criteria for selection include the quality of the research project; the academic record and qualifications of the student; and the recommendation of the student’s referee. The recipient will be selected by a committee of faculty from the Department of Spanish and Portuguese and the Center for African Studies.

Department of Spanish and Portuguese and the Center for African Studies.

 

Josaphat Bekunru Kubayanda (1944-1991) became the first chairperson of the newly created Department of Spanish and Portuguese at The Ohio State University in 1989. An associate professor of Spanish and Portuguese, he was the author of The Poet’s Africa: Africanness in the Poetry of Nicolás Guillén and Aimé Césaire, as well as numerous articles on Latin American literature, Afro-Hispanic literary relations, and issues of minority discourse, gender and orality. He also served as the associate editor of Research in African Literatures. In addition, Joe was a superb teacher who won every possible award for distinguished teaching at Ohio State and was the recipient of the American Association for Higher Education’s Jaime Escalante Award for Extraordinary Teaching.

Funds for The Josaphat Kubayanda Graduate Student Scholarship are provided from a permanent endowment created with gifts from family, friends and colleagues of Joe Kubayanda and established by the Board of Trustees of The Ohio State University in May 2000 and September 2009.  The Josaphat Kubayanda Fund stands as a permanent memorial to a much admired and loved husband, father, friend and colleague who left us far too soon and who is fondly remembered.

Support the Josaphat Kubayanda Fund

Alumni and friends of the Department of Spanish and Portuguese may contribute online to the Josaphat Kubayanda Fund. 

View past recipients here.

The purpose of The Susan Pratt Munthe Fund for Latin American Studies is to support the research and/or travel of an eligible graduate student whose research interest is in Latin America. This award (no more than $2000) may be used to help cover research/travel or living expenses while abroad.

Eligibility

Applicants must be OSU graduate students in good standing.

Application

Applicants should submit a brief proposal (maximum three double-spaced pages) that includes a description of the project and/or course of study, and a statement explaining how the award will enable the candidate to achieve his/her academic goals. An itemized budget of estimated expenses and an Advising Report should accompany the proposal.  A letter of recommendation from the student’s advisor or project director should be sent under separate cover.  Students who plan to enroll in an approved study abroad program should also submit the program’s official brochure (or a link to the online description) along with their application.

Submissions are due: March 13th, 2026

Application

A letter of recommendation from the student’s advisor or project director should be sent under separate cover directly to Dr. Scott Schwenter. 

Selection

Recipients will be selected by a committee of faculty from the Department of Spanish and Portuguese, in consultation with the Center for Latin American Studies.

Support The Susan Pratt Munthe Fund for Latin American Studies

The Munthe Awards for Latin American Studies are supported by a generous gift from Susan Pratt Munthe (B.A. 1974). Alumni and friends of the Department of Spanish and Portuguese may contribute online to The Munthe Fund for Latin American Studies.

*Please note this award is not available for the AY26-27

The purpose of the Rymer Award, in the amount of $1000, is to provide financial support to undergraduate or graduate students for Global Study fees and travel expenses. 

Details and Eligibility

The Department of French and Italian and the Department of Spanish and Portuguese will alternate the disbursement of this award from year to year (SPPO will disburse the award in 2024, in 2026, etc.). The recipient must be enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences (undergraduate or graduate) and major in Spanish, Portuguese, French, or Italian. The recipient must be making good progress toward their degree, and priority will be given to non-native Spanish or Portuguese (or French or Italian during odd years) speakers who have not had many opportunities to do Global Study.  

Application

Applications must include a brief letter describing the Global Study program or travel in which the applicant plans to participate and the reasons for which they have chosen it, a current cv, a letter of support from their advisor sent directly to Dr. Scott Schwenter, and a list of other funding for which they are also applying. 

Submissions are due: N/A

Application

Selection

Recipients will be selected by a committee of faculty from the Department of Spanish and Portuguese. 

The annual Donna M. Alvarado Graduate Award supports an eligible graduate student to work in service to the Central Ohio immigrant community during the summer following the award of the grant (for 20 hours/week over 8 weeks carrying out activities in-person in Columbus).  The grant will provide financial support similar to that of a GTA-ship during the same period.

Eligibility

To be eligible, applicants must be graduate students in good standing in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese. 

Application

Applicants should submit the following:

• A brief cover letter (maximum two double-spaced pages) describing their knowledge and/or experience with the Spanish and Portuguese community partnerships and community-based learning opportunities; or their desire to engage in such community-based learning.
• A CV that highlights any previous engagement with immigrant communities.
• Teaching evaluations from the last 2 years.

A letter of recommendation from the student’s advisor or project director should be sent under separate cover directly to Dr. Scott Schwenter. 

Application

Submissions are due: March 13th, 2026

More information on funding for research and study abroad can be found in the following selected links:

• Funding Opportunities for Arts and Humanities Graduate Students
• Council of Graduate Students Funding Opportunities
• Office of International Affairs Grants and Scholarships for Graduate Students
• The Graduate School's Alumni Grants for Graduate Research and Scholarship (AGGRS) Program provides small grants up to $5,000 to support the research and scholarship of doctoral and other terminal research degree candidates for their dissertations or theses
• Fulbright US Student Program
• Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad
• Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies - Nicholas Howe Research Grants
• Tinker OSU
• Foreign Language and Area Studies Program (FLAS): Discontinued until further notice.
• Fundação Luso-Americana para o Desenvolvimento (FLAD) Summer Research Grants at the Biblioteca Nacional de Lisboa