Office of International Programs

Firestone Library holds dozens of reference works to assist you in selecting graduate programs, whether in the United States or abroad, and in identifying financial support of all sorts. What follows is only a partial list of tools available in the Trustee Reading Room on the first floor of Firestone, with emphasis on those that concern the United Kingdom. Do not hesitate to discuss your interests with reference librarians who will help you find additional information on particular institutions, degree programs, and funding possibilities.

Reference librarians are on duty at the times indicated under Hours on the Library home page, library.princeton.edu; use the menu of posted hours and choose Firestone Library – Reference Assistance in Trustee Reading Room. You can also reach a reference librarian by calling (609) 258-5964, or by clicking the TXT/SMS, CHAT, E-MAIL, or APPOINTMENT buttons on that same page.

A note about locations: The symbol “(DR)” precedes the call number for cataloged items located in the Trustee Reading Room. “Ready Reference” refers to the area just inside and to the right of the door.

General Information on Universities Abroad

Europa World of Learning (London: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group), is an annual international directory covering major cultural organizations. For each country it lists national academies and their members; learned societies, arranged by general subject; major research centers; libraries and archives; museums and art galleries; universities (usually listing full-time faculty members); and other postsecondary institutions.

• Call number: (DR) AS2.W6 in Ready Reference
• Electronic version at www.worldoflearning.com.

Note: Princeton pays for access to this database. If you are not on campus, you must use the VPN or proxy service so you will be authenticated to search this resource. See library.princeton.edu/help/remoteaccess.php for step-by-step directions.

The International Handbook of Universities, 21st edition (Houndsmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan, 2010), is a country-by-country directory of postsecondary education, appearing in two very large volumes. For each country this work gives an overview of the structure of higher education, followed by lists of public and private institutions. For each institution the handbook supplies mail, e-mail, and Web addresses, central telephone and fax numbers, the names of chief academic officers, a brief history of the school, areas of instruction, what degrees are offered, and other basic information. The final volume has indexes of institutions by name and by fields of study.

• Call number: (DR) L900.I58q in Ready Reference

Peterson’s Study Abroad 2008 (Lawrenceville, NJ: Peterson’s, 2008), is organized by country with indexes by field of study, program sponsor, and host institutions. There is also an index to internships abroad. Preliminary essays cover practical advice for anyone planning to attend a university in another country.

• Call number: (DR) LB2375.S882 in Ready Reference

IIEPassport: Academic Year Abroad, 38th edition 2009–2010 (New York: Institute of International Education, 2009), lists opportunities for foreign study, first by continent, then by country. Indexes provide approaches by sponsoring institutions, consortia, fields of study, special options (such as study tours or internships), and cost ranges.

• Call number: (DR) LB2376.U46 in Ready Reference

Where to Study What in the United Kingdom

Commonwealth Universities Yearbook 2008, 82nd edition (London: Association of Commonwealth Universities, 2008), is a good place to start exploring institutions in Great Britain or any other Commonwealth nation. It is arranged by country, with British universities appearing in volume 2 under “United Kingdom,” and gives basic directory information for each school plus an invaluable list of departments and programs, including faculty members, their degrees, and often their alma maters. At the start of each country section is a map showing the location of each institution and an extremely helpful table that charts what disciplines can be studied at which institutions and for which degrees. Also in volume 2 are four indexes: to institutions, subjects of study, research interests, and personal names. See also that association’s Course Finder site.

• Call number: (DR) LB2310.Y5 in Ready Reference

Prospects Postgraduate Directory 2009/10 (Manchester: CSU Ltd., 2009) appears in four volumes, the first three of which are organized by broad discipline groups. Volume 4 answers the questions of people considering postgraduate programs in the UK and includes display ads from lesser-known institutions. This work identifies both taught courses and research opportunities and provides a short paragraph about the distinctive features of each program. There is a very helpful "Course Finder" section at the end of each volume, serving as a discipline index to the set.

• Call number: (DR) L915.P767q in Ready Reference

Tools for Identifying Funding Sources

Annual Register of Grant Support: A Directory of Funding Sources 2010, 43rd edition (Medford, NJ: Information Today, 2009) is organized by broad categories, for example, "International Studies and Research Abroad," and identifies groups that support such interests and their criteria for eligibility. There are also several more specific subject indexes. As a tool that describes prizes and awards as well as fellowships and grants, it is an excellent place to start any funding investigation.

• Call number: (DR) AS911.A2A67 in Ready Reference

Directory of Financial Aids for _________ (El Dorado Hills, CA: Reference Service Press) is a set of five volumes, each of which describes scholarships, fellowships, loans, grants, awards, and internships available to members of the group in question. Each volume also has a bibliography of other directories and several indexes, including ones to residency qualifications, tenability requirements, plus a calendar of deadlines. The different titles and their call numbers are:

• Women (DR) LB2338.D564 in Ready Reference
• African Americans (DR) LB2338.F5643 in Ready Reference
• Asian Americans (DR) LB2338.F5644 in Ready Reference
• Hispanic Americans (DR) LB2338.F5645 in Ready Reference
• Native Americans (DR) LB2338.F5646 in Ready Reference

The Grants Register 2011: The Complete Guide to Postgraduate Funding Worldwide, 29th edition (Houndsmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan, 2010), is intended "for students at or above the postgraduate level, or those who require further professional or advanced vocational training" (preface) to assist them in identifying all sorts of financial support. Main arrangement is by sponsoring body. Use the subject and eligibility approaches in the back to get entry numbers for the full descriptions of each grant.

• Call number: (DR) LB2338.G7 in Ready Reference

Foundation Grants to Individuals, 18th edition (New York: Foundation Center, 2009), has a large section on sources of educational support, complemented by indexes to types of support and interests of foundations, among others.

• Call number: (DR) LB2336.F599 in Ready Reference

Encyclopedia of Associations, 48th edition (Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, 2009) is a directory of organizations devoted to almost every conceivable field or endeavor. Separate sets of volumes exist for U.S. associations; regional, state, and local associations; and international associations. Each set is arranged by broad subject—for instance, broadcasting—and has an index of association names and keywords. Entries provide contact information, Web address, number of members, and a description of the organization’s purpose. If you have a highly specific research interest or career goal, you should consider contacting relevant associations to see if they provide money to help underwrite your pursuits after Princeton. Call numbers, all in Ready Reference:

• (DR) AS22.E5 [national associations in the U.S.]
• (DR) AS22.E52 [regional, state, and local associations]
• (DR) AS22.E54 [international organizations]
• Electronic version is part of the Gale Directory Library

Note. Princeton pays for access to this database. If you are not on campus, you must use the VPN or proxy service so you will be authenticated to search this resource. See library.princeton.edu/help/remoteaccess.php for step-by-step directions.

Library information compiled in September 2010 by Mary George, senior reference librarian, mwgeorge@princeton.edu.