2025-2026 Graduate Baltic Short-Term Travel and Research Grant (Spring Quarter)

This opportunity is made possible by Title VI funding. All grants are contingent upon final approval of the relevant program officer.

The Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies (CREEES) invites applications for travel grants for short-term study and research trips between mid-March 2026 and June 2026 to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and the Baltic Sea Region. (For trips between mid-June 2026 and August 14 2026, please apply for the Summer opportunity. Note: All travel activities, including return flights, must be completed by August 14, 2026.)

Since the break-up of the USSR, the Baltic states have been transformed into vibrant Western democracies and become member states of the European Union and NATO. The countries are well-known for  political and economic freedom, superior educational systems, minimal corruption, and technological innovation. Considering the current fragile state of relations between the Western world and Russia, the study of the Baltic region has become more topical and important than ever.

The grants will be awarded to Stanford University’s graduate students who are engaged in Russian and East European/Baltic studies and wish to travel to the Baltic region to attend conferences, conduct research, and participate in academic exchange with local faculty and students. Possible areas of research include the history, politics and culture of the Baltic states and region; international relations between Russia, the EU, and the USA; foreign and domestic policy and development of Estonia and the Baltic states; and e-governance, digital transformation, and (cyber) security.

The $5,000 travel grant can be used to cover travel and living expenses associated with a 1–3-week trip.

The student may be hosted by Tartu University’s Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies (Tartu), Tallinn University of Technology's FinEst Centre for Smart Cities (Tallinn), and/or Vabamu Museum of Occupations and Freedom (Tallinn). Other (co-)hosts will be considered, depending on the student’s interests and goals.

The student may wish to engage in the following activities during their trip:

1. Tartu University’s Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies (Tartu, Estonia) invites the student to engage in its academic programs and connect with its faculty and students. Potential topics may include regional security, foreign and domestic policy, e-governance, and the reindependence process of the Baltic region. The Skytte Institute is prepared to host a seminar/colloquium for the student to discuss their research/study project and facilitate contacts between the student and Tartu University’s faculty and students. The student is invited to attend the annual Tartu University’s Conference on East European and Eurasian Studies, which takes place from June 10-12, 2026 in Tartu, Estonia.

2. FinEst Centre for Smart Cities (Tallinn University of Technology) invites the student to join the continuous process of matching long-term city challenges (e.g., urbanization, climate change) with ideas on how to solve them in the urban environment via research and innovation actions (pilots). If successful, those pilots aim to transform cities all over the world of becoming climate-neutral and smart by 2030. The Centre invites the student to participate in its annual Smart City Exchange Forum, scheduled for the middle of March (exact date to be confirmed soon). This year, the Forum will focus on resilient cities, exploring how innovation, technology, and collaboration can strengthen urban resilience and adaptability. See the presentations and discussions from the previous Forum.

3. Visit Tartu University’s Narva College and immerse in the local Russian-speaking community and culture of the border city.

4. Visit Vilnius University’s Institute of International Relations and Political Science in order to immerse in the institute’s academic programming (including courses and events on international relations, security, authoritarian regimes, Ukraine studies, etc.) and connect with its faculty and students.
5. Complete a summer internship at a Lithuanian research institution in the summer of 2026, organized by the Research Council of Lithuania. The CFP for 2026 will be announced in the spring.
6. Attend the Vilnius University’s conference, Translation at the Crossroads of Ideologies and Cultures, which is taking place from June 18–20, 2026. The conference will discuss the multilevel role and complex positionality of translation and translators in changing historical, social, political, and communicational settings.
7. Carry out archival research at the archives, libraries, and museums of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

In order to apply, please submit the following documents:

• CV/resume and 1-page statement of purpose detailing the interests of the student and the goal of the trip;

• Timeline and travel budget.

Application deadline: January 15, 2026

For trips between Mid-June 2026 and August 14 2026, please apply for the Summer opportunity. (Note: All travel activities, including return flights, must be completed by August 14, 2026.)