Graduate Fellowships and Grants

CMES Grants

Application deadline: January 31, 2027.

CMES-Morocco Program

In partnership with Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), Morocco's premier research hub, the Center for Middle Eastern Studies invites applications from graduate students for two fellowships to conduct research in Morocco between May and August, 2026.

The Al-Falah Program in Islamic Studies

Established in 1998 through a generous endowment from Xenel Industries Ltd. and the families of Sheikh Salahuddin Yusuf Hamza Abduljawad and Khalid Alireza, alumni and friends of UC Berkeley, the Al-Falah Program in Islamic Studies seeks to promote understanding of Islam and to encourage the reciprocal transfer of knowledge and technology between the United States and the Muslim World, particularly Saudi Arabia.

The Al-Falah Program awarded its first grants in 1998. In this cycle, the Al-Falah Program will support (I) a Research and Scholarship Program and (II) an Outreach Program....

NOTE: FOREIGN LANGUAGE AND AREA STUDIES (FLAS) AWARDS

As of 2025, the Department of Education has eliminated Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) fellowships.

The Afaf Kanafani Prize

Application deadline: May 5

The Afaf Kanafani Prize is a $500 award given for the best paper by a UC Berkeley student dealing with any topic related to the subject of women in the Arab world, with priority given to those dealing with MENA women’s struggles for rights and freedoms in the Arab world. The paper must have been produced in a UC Berkeley class during the current academic year. Chapters of dissertations are also accepted.

The Kanafani Prize is made possible through a generous donation by the late Fay Afaf Kanafani from the proceeds of...

Andrew Mellon Foundation Conference & Research Grants

Program Components and Eligibility

UC Berkeley faculty, lecturers, academic staff, and graduate students may apply for funding in the following categories:

1. Research Grants

Up to $2,000 to cover the cost of travel for modern Middle Eastern language study, dissertation research, or faculty projects.

2. Conference Grants

Up to $600 to cover the cost of travel to attend conferences in the U.S. and up to $1,500 for conferences abroad. Please note that this funding applies to airfare only.

Application Deadline...

The Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens Memorial Fund for Middle Eastern Studies

On September 11, 2013, the family and friends of Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens announced the creation of The Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens Memorial Fund for Middle Eastern Studies to honor the memory of Ambassador Stevens, who died in Libya on Sept. 11, 2012. The fund is dedicated to deepening and extending knowledge of the Middle East and North Africa, particularly in the areas of culture, language,...

The Sultan Program in Arab Studies

The Sultan Program in Arab Studies is made possible through a generous endowment from the Sultan bin AbdulAziz Al-Saud Charity Foundation. The Sultan Program supports teaching, research, and public outreach on topics related to the Arab and Arab-Islamic world, with the overarching goal of promoting a deeper understanding of this important region at UC Berkeley and beyond. The program encompasses the social sciences, humanities, and professional fields, with a special emphasis on anthropology, sociology, architecture, history, literature, political science, and urban studies.

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External Opportunities

American Institute for Maghrib Studies Grants Program

The American Institute for Maghrib Studies (AIMS) has placed its research programs on hold. For more information and updates, click here

American Institute for Yemeni Studies U.S. Scholars Research Fellowship

The American Institute for Yemeni Studies (AIYS) has placed its research programs on hold for 2026.

American Research Institute in Turkey

The American Research Institute in Turkey (ARIT) offers fellowships for research and language study in Turkey. 

For information, click here.

Center for Arabic Study Abroad (CASA)

The Center for Arabic Study Abroad (CASA), hosted at the American Center of Research in Jordan, has placed its language programs on hold. For details and updates, see the CASA website: https://acorjordan.org/casa/

Critical Language Scholarships (CLS) Program

The applications for the U. S. Department of State’s Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program are open to students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents to apply this year to learn a critical language on a funded overseas summer program.

Through the CLS Program, undergraduate and graduate students spend eight to ten weeks over the summer studying one of adozen critical languages: Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, Swahili, Turkish, and Urdu. The program is designed to promote rapid language gains through intensive language instruction, host community engagement, and structured cultural activities in a cohort-based setting.

To learn more about the eligibility for the CLS Program, please visit: https://clscholarship.org/applicants/eligibility