Fellowships, Scholarships, and Awards 2022–2023

The deadline for the following fellowship applications is February 1, 2022.
Applications should be submitted online at https://orcfellowships.smapply.org/

Do note: NEH, CAORC, MacDonald and Sampson (residency option), and Bikai fellows must reside at the ACOR facility in Amman while conducting their research.

Covid-19, coronavirus variants, and similar matters should be taken into consideration by all applicants. ACOR’s covid-19 procedures (e.g., https://acorjordan.org/overview/) change from time-to-time depending on the caseload and regulations in Jordan, and as advised by the U.S. CDC and others. At this time, only fully vaccinated individuals may enter ACOR’s center or reside there. While ACOR makes diligent efforts in regard to covid-19, fellows and awardees must assume all the risks and liabilities inherent in taking up these fellowships (e.g., international travel, conducting research, working with subjects, etc.).


New Opportunity (effective November 2021): The S. Thomas Parker Memorial Fund
One award of $1,750 to an applicant seeking support for a fellowship, field project, or event. The fund has a preference for the support of archaeological fieldwork or publication efforts, but proposals in all areas of academic inquiry are welcome and encouraged. The most compelling proposal will receive the award. Undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers of all nationalities are eligible to apply.


NEH Fellowship: Maximum single award of ten and a half months for a scholar who has a PhD or has completed their professional training. In the place of a ten-and-a-half-month award, other awards may be made for a minimum period of four months. Fields of research include but are not limited to: modern and classical languages, linguistics, literature, history, jurisprudence, philosophy, archaeology, heritage studies, comparative religion, ethics, and the history, criticism, and theory of the arts. Social and political scientists are encouraged to apply. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or foreign nationals living in the U.S. three years immediately preceding the application deadline. An award for ten months is $50,000, of which $32,000 is for stipend and travel and the remainder is for ACOR room and board. Shorter award periods are prorated accordingly (i.e., an award of six months is $30,000 and includes $19,200 for stipend and travel); residency at ACOR is required. The award must be used between June 22, 2022, and April 30, 2023. Funding for this fellowship is provided by the National Endowment of the Humanities Fellowship Programs at Independent Research Institutes (FPIRI). 

ACOR-CAORC Post-Doctoral Fellowship: Two or more two- to six-month fellowships for postdoctoral scholars and scholars with another terminal degree in their field, pursuing research or publication projects in the natural and social sciences, humanities, and associated disciplines relating to the Middle East. U.S. citizenship required. Maximum award is $34,200. Awards must be used between June 20, 2022, and June 20, 2023, and fellows must reside at ACOR. Funding for this fellowship is provided by the U.S. Department of State.

ACOR-CAORC Fellowship: Two or more two- to six-month fellowships for master’s and doctoral students. Fields of study include all areas of the humanities and the natural and social sciences. Topics should contribute to scholarship in Middle East studies. U.S. citizenship required. Maximum award is $27,600. Awards must be used between June 20, 2022, and June 20, 2023, and fellows must reside at ACOR. Funding for this fellowship is provided by the U.S. Department of State.

Lawrence T. Geraty Travel Scholarship: One award of $1,250 for an undergraduate or graduate student from an accredited institution to conduct ASOR- or CAP-affiliated excavation and/or research in Jordan. The award is intended to assist in travel costs and/or ACOR accommodation, based on need. Funding may be combined with other fellowships and must be spent within a calendar year.

Jennifer C. Groot Memorial Fellowship: Up to four awards of $1,500 each to support beginners in archaeological fieldwork who have been accepted as team members on archaeological projects with ASOR CAP affiliation in Jordan. Open to undergraduate or graduate students of U.S. or Canadian citizenship, as well as individuals who graduated less than 12 months before February 1, 2022, and/or have been accepted to a graduate program for fall 2022.

Bert and Sally de Vries Fellowship: One award of $1,500 to support a student for participation on an archaeological project or research in Jordan. Senior project staff members whose expenses are being borne largely by the project are ineligible. Open to enrolled undergraduate or graduate students of any nationality except Jordanian citizens.

Harrell Family Fellowship: One award of $2,000 to support a graduate student for participation on an archaeological project or for research in Jordan. Senior project staff members whose expenses are being borne largely by the project are ineligible. Open to enrolled graduate students of any nationality except Jordanian citizens.

Pierre and Patricia Bikai Fellowship: Two awards for one month each or one two-month award for residency at ACOR in Amman. It is open to enrolled graduate students of any nationality, except Jordanian citizens, participating in an archaeological project or conducting archaeological work in Jordan. The fellowship includes room and board at ACOR and a monthly stipend of $600.

Burton MacDonald and Rosemarie Sampson Fellowship: One award either for an eight-week residency at ACOR for research in the fields of ancient Near Eastern languages and history, archaeology, biblical studies, or comparative religion, or for a travel grant to assist with participation in an archaeological field project in Jordan. The ACOR residency fellowship option includes room and board at ACOR and a monthly stipend of $400. The travel-grant option provides a single payment of $2,000 to help with any project-related expenses. Both options are open to enrolled undergraduate or graduate students of Canadian citizenship or landed immigrant status.

Kenneth W. Russell Fellowship: One award of $1,800 toward educational assistance for a Jordanian student enrolled in an archaeology or cultural heritage degree program in any country. For the 2022–2023 cycle, the Russell fellowship is open only to enrolled graduate students of Jordanian nationality.

James A. Sauer Fellowship:  One award of $1,250 to support a graduate student participating in an archaeological project or pursuing independent research in Jordan. For the 2022–2023 cycle, the Sauer fellowship is enrolled graduate students of non-Jordanian nationality.

Frederick-Wenger Memorial Jordanian Educational Fellowship: Two awards of $1,500 to assist a Jordanian student with the cost of their education. Eligibility is not limited to a specific field of study, but preference will be given to study related to Jordan’s cultural heritage. Candidates must be Jordanian citizens and currently enrolled as undergraduate or graduate students in a Jordanian university.

Jordanian Graduate Student Scholarship: Up to four awards of $3,000 each to assist Jordanian graduate students with the annual costs of their academic programs during the period May 1, 2022, through May 31, 2023. Candidates must be Jordanian citizens and currently enrolled in either a master’s or doctoral program in a Jordanian university. Eligibility is limited to students in programs related to Jordan’s cultural heritage (for example: archaeology, anthropology, linguistics/epigraphy, history, conservation, museum studies, and fields related to cultural resource management). Awardees who demonstrate excellent progress in their programs will be eligible to apply in consecutive years.

Please Note: NEH, CAORC, MacDonald and Sampson (residency option), and Bikai fellows will reside at the ACOR facility in Amman while conducting their research.

Applications for the above awards should be submitted online at https://orcfellowships.smapply.org/


Deadline for the following scholarship is February 15, 2022.
See the application instructions for this:



ACOR Fellow MESA Award:  One award of $1,000 to a former ACOR fellow of any nationality for participation in the Middle East Studies Association (MESA) annual meeting. Eligible applicants are anyone who had previously been awarded any ACOR fellowship (including the named fellowships and former CLS students) and whose abstract has been submitted for presentation at the 2022 MESA annual meeting. The awardee must mention the award and ACOR in the text of paper, in addition to including ACOR’s logo on the “Thank You” slide. A check for $1,000 will be mailed before the meeting takes place. To apply, please submit the abstract, CV, and cover letter to fellowships@acorjordan.org by February 15 annually. For more information about the MESA annual meeting, please check MESA’s website: https://mesana.org/annual-meeting/.

Deadline for the following scholarship is March 15, 2022.
See the application instructions for this:


Jordanian Travel Scholarship for ASOR Annual Meeting: Up to two travel scholarships of $3,500 each to assist Jordanians participating and delivering a paper at the ASOR annual meeting in mid-November in the United States. Academic papers should be submitted through the ASOR’s website (www.asor.org/am) by March 15 annually. Final award selection will be determined by the ASOR program committee.


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