The IUFU Invisible Graduate School (IGS), launched in Fall 2024, is an academic program for advanced students who have already been involved in IUFU activities and would like to develop their research further. IGS offers an intellectually supportive environment for research development, seeking to foster individual academic growth and the spirit of cooperation and solidarity in a collective effort to navigate the intellectual challenges facing Ukraine and the world.
IGS members participate in research seminars, mentoring sessions, and should attend at least one IUFU course of their choice. They are expected to work on a research-based academic publication or project.
The IGS program participants receive support through:
- research scholarship of up to 1200 EUR per semester. Students who get international scholarships outside of Ukraine can also apply for IGS membership without the IUFU stipend
- one-on-one mentoring, small-group thematic consultations, and research seminars
- publication support
- opportunities to create research teams, organize workshops, etc.
To be eligible for IGS, applicants must:
- be doctoral students currently enrolled in a Ukrainian or foreign educational institution (in exceptional cases, advanced MA students with proven experience in conducting independent research and plans to pursue doctoral studies may apply)
- hold Ukrainian citizenship
- have completed at least one semester in the IUFU program and successfully passed at least one course.
Applicants should fill in the application form via the following link: Application Form | Invisible Graduate School | Fall Semester 2025. If you experience any difficulties with the form, please send all application materials to iufu@ceu.edu.
The application package should include:
1) a short CV including:
- name in Ukrainian and in the version used in an international passport
- e-mail address
- current location
- previous education, current university, student status, and program of study
- involvement in civil activities/volunteering or related experience
- estimated level of English language competence.
2) a short motivation letter (up to 1 page) indicating reasons (needs and expectations) for applying to the Invisible Graduate School and describing the applicant’s thematic interests (e.g., research topic or thesis topic).
3) a research project proposal (up to 1,500 words) including:
- a title and a thematic outline,
- an overview of empirical data or sources
- the planned timeline and a specified project outcome.
This project can be a part of the applicant’s regular PhD project or written specifically for the Graduate School.
4) an English writing sample (3,000–10,000 words): a term paper, an essay, or another piece of academic writing.
With questions about the IGS application, please turn to the IGS coordinator:
Nataliia Shuliakova, nataliiashuliakova@gmail.com
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS:
15 SEPTEMBER 2025, MIDNIGHT, 12 PM (CET). Admitted course participants will be notified by 30 September 2025.