Alvarez Grant Program

Alvarez Grant Program

Alvarez Access Fund

The Alvarez Access Fund provides financial support to international students seeking assistance with cost-of-living expenses associated with career and curricular pursuits (e.g., unpaid/low-paying internships or research experiences, conferences, job shadowing, university/college campus visits, interviews, etc.), or needs related to academic success (e.g., class & material fees, etc.). Access grant amounts will rarely exceed $1000 and never exceed $2000.

Alvarez Guarantee Fund

The Alvarez Guarantee Fund provides funding for two ($4,000) career experiences or programs that complement academic coursework for international students receiving financial aid from Davidson College.

What are examples of the types of expenses for which I can use the Alvarez Grant Program?

The Alvarez Grant Program funds must be used for curricular or career related experiences. Funds may support activities such as:

  • Costs associated with a campus visit of a prospective graduate school;
  • Housing, meals, and living costs during an unpaid internship in the student’s field of interest;
  • Support for a Davidson summer academic program, either domestically or abroad;
  • Travel to a job shadowing experience or interview;
  • Housing and living costs to live on campus while performing summer research in a laboratory;
  • Expenses (travel, lodging, food, registration) to attend an academic conference or job fair;
  • Course-related expenses which a student is not able to pay for (computers and other electronic devices generally excluded).
  • Application fees for graduate school and/or post-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT).

Eligibility

The Alvarez Grant Program is only for non-U.S. resident students on F-1 visas and will not be offered to dual citizens (U.S. and another country) or U.S. citizens who are living abroad when they enroll at Davidson. Nor will it be made available to students on visa-types other than F-1.

Eligible international students may apply for funding through the Alvarez Access Fund, but students demonstrating significant financial need may receive priority. This grant seeks to fill funding gaps in applied curricular or career related experiences for international students.

Only students who receive financial aid from Davidson may apply for the Alvarez Guarantee Fund grant.

Both grants follow strict deadlines and a firm application process. Grant administration is always based on availability of funding for a given fiscal year.

Requirements

All students interested in applying for the Alvarez Guarantee Fund are required to attend a one-time information/grant planning session during the school year before submitting a grant application in order to be considered. Students applying for the Alvarez Access fund are not required to attend an information session, but are invited to do so if they desire. All students are also required to complete a timely application (in its entirety), as well as submit items following their experience. Applications missing any documents and/or Statement of Support by the deadlines will not be considered.

Information & Grant Planning Sessions

Learn more about the Alvarez Grant Program through a self-paced info session in WildcatSync (estimated 20 minutes). An info session is required for all applications for an Alvarez Guarantee. Students are encouraged to bring their pre-formed ideas to planning workshops to work with Sara Nobles to refine their proposals. Upcoming workshop dates will be:

  • February 2, 2023 | 12-2 p.m. | Library fishbowl
  • March 24, 2023 | 1:30-4 p.m. | International Lounge, Duke Hall

Meeting with Dr. Raquel Dailey, the Assistant Director of International Career Development, who is an excellent resource for you when creating your grant proposal (radailey@davidson.edu) is strongly encouraged. Additional follow up questions can be directed to Sara Nobles (sanobles@davidson.edu).

Application Process

If you plan to apply for both the Access and Guarantee grants, you must submit the form twice, once for each grant. Both the Alvarez Access Fund and the Alvarez Guarantee require the following components to be submitted in their entirety prior to listed deadlines. Note that students applying for the Alvarez Guarantee must attend a one-time information/grant planning session during the school year before submitting a grant application in order to be considered:

  • Application Form in WildcatSync
  • Resume/CV
  • Projected Budget Form
  • Statement of Support from Academic/Holistic Advisor

All Alvarez Grant applications are submitted through the International Student Program’s portal in WildcatSync. Applications missing any documents listed above by the deadlines will not be considered.

Deadlines

The grant application portal will be open from August 26, 2022 through May 1, 2023, but there will be specific deadlines for students requesting funds to be used during fall semester (inclusive of Fall Break), Winter Break, Spring Break and Summer 2023.

Applications for the 2022/2023 academic year are accepted at five points during the academic year. All deadlines are firm and all components of the application must be submitted by the deadline. Applications missing any documents and/or the Statement of Support or not submitted through the application portal by this deadline will not be considered.

  • Applications for the first round of funding is due by September 19
  • To request funding by Winter Break 2022-2023, applications due by October 17
  • To request funding by Spring Break 2023, applications due by February 6
  • To request funding for Summer Break 2023, applications due by April 3
  • To request funds needed for Fall 2023 before fall break, applications must be submitted by May 1, 2023

Grant applications should be submitted as early as possible. Funding will not be allocated on a rolling basis but rather only subsequent to the above deadlines.

Frequently Asked Questions

If I have already been awarded an Alvarez Grant in the past and I am now preparing to apply for an Alvarez Guarantee Grant, am I required to attend a mandatory information/grant planning session?

Anyone applying for the Alvarez Guarantee must have completed an Alvarez Info Session.  

If I am awarded a grant from another department on campus, can I still use funds from the Alvarez Grant Program?

Yes, we encourage all international students to take advantage of the many student funding opportunities which exist on campus (Dean Rusk International Studies Program, Center for Civic Engagement, Betty and B. Frank Matthews II ’49 Center for Career Development (Matthews Center) and Davidson Research Initiative). If funds given through one of these programs are not sufficient to fund a specific experience, then the student may apply for the Alvarez Grant Program if the expense is still connected to the student’s curricular or career goals.

Does the additional programming and/or advising cost my family more in tuition and fees?

The Alvarez Grant Program is made possible through generous support from Malú and Carlos Alvarez. Mr. Alvarez is a former member of the Davidson College Board of Trustees. Thus, it does not increase tuition or fees. Grants offered to international students may be subject to tax withholding and students should consult with the office of financial aid to confirm if an Alvarez Grant will have any impact.

Can I apply for Alvarez Grant Program funding for work/research outside the United States?

Yes, you can apply to use these funds for work or research in your home country or elsewhere, if you can make clear how the work or research opportunity is connected to the field of your curricular or career goals.

I’m a senior. Can I apply for Alvarez Grant Funds to support an activity or cost that occurs after I graduate?

No. Alvarez Grant Funds will only be awarded to support activities or costs that occur (are incurred) before graduation. The only exception would be in the case that an Alvarez grant is pursued in support of a post-completion Optional Practical Training application. The final grant deadline for graduating seniors is the March deadline of each academic year.

What do I do if I find out about an opportunity at the last minute?

Grant applications are not reviewed before one of the five deadlines throughout the year – they are not reviewed on a rolling basis. Students must plan ahead if they hope to receive either the Alvarez Access or Alvarez Guarantee grants. 

Can I be reimbursed for my experience(s)?

No. Funding for experiences must be pre-approved. A completed application must be submitted by the listed deadlines. The only exception would be in the case that an Alvarez Access grant is pursued in support of a post-completion Optional Practical Training application. The March deadline strictly applies to any activity taking place over the summer.

How many times can I be awarded funding?

Students receiving financial aid from Davidson College are eligible for two grants of up to $4000 each. Eligible students will only be awarded  a maximum of two Alvarez Guarantee Awards – even if they request less than the full $4000 for each grant. This grant is of such an amount that students are encouraged and expected to “think big.” Students can “bundle” experiences and propose multiple, relevant activities in the same grant application in order to make maximum use of the award, but the activities all must fall within the current academic year (and/or subsequent summer). Depending on availability of funding, students can supplement the $4000 using Alvarez Access funds.

There is no limit on the number of times a student can apply for the Alvarez Access grant, but unless there is funding available at the end of the year, no more than one Access Grant and one Guarantee would be awarded to a student in a single academic year.

Applications for the Alvarez Access and Guarantee grants all require timely, complete applications. If a student does not follow the application procedures, funds will go to other applicants

What do I do once I’ve received funding and completed my experience?

Once the student has received funding and completed the experience, they must submit a completed Budget Reconciliation form; submit a reflection essay along with photos from the experience; and provide a “thank you” card/note/letter/photos to the Alvarez Family.

Unused funds greater than 10% of the original award amount must be returned to Business Services.