Over the course of six decades, The American Research Center in Egypt’s fellowship program has benefited more than 700 scholars, whose research interests span the diversity of Egypt’s periods and cultures. ARCE offers funded fellowships and a research associate program for a wide range of scholars looking to conduct research in Egypt. Previous fellows have represented the fields of anthropology, archaeology, architecture, fine art, art history, Coptic studies, economics, Egyptology, history, humanistic social sciences, Islamic studies, literature, political science, religious studies and even music. Program alumni include directors and faculty of Middle Eastern studies and history departments at leading universities in the United States and abroad, and curators of Egyptian and Near Eastern art at major museums and research institutions. Collectively, the publications resulting from ARCE fellowships constitute a substantial collection of all scholarly output on Egypt by Americans since 1957.

Decades of close collaboration with the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities (MoA) and Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) enable ARCE to provide fellows with solid administrative support and advice that eases access to Egyptian museums, monuments, archaeological sites, research libraries, archives and Egyptian institutions of higher education.

ARCE-CAORC Research Fellowships: This fellowship is open to U.S. citizen pre-doctoral candidates (ABD), postdoctoral scholars, faculty and senior scholars at museums, universities and institutions worldwide for a minimum stay of three months and a maximum stay of 12 months. The U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs funds the fellowship through a grant to the Council of American Overseas Research Centers (CAORC).  

Egyptian Ph.D. Dissertation Research Fellowship: The dissertation research fellowship will be open to Egyptian citizens currently enrolled in a doctoral program at an Egyptian public university, whose dissertation research project has already been approved by their advisor. Research projects focusing on humanities and related disciplines covering Egyptian historical periods from prehistory to the 21st century are eligible. The fellowships are for an entire 12-month academic year beginning October 1, 2022. The U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs funds the fellowship through a grant of the Council of American Overseas Research Centers (CAORC).

Egyptian Research Associate Scholars: The fellowship is open to Egyptian candidates with demonstrated post-doctoral research experience who have completed their PhD prior to 2019. Research projects focusing on humanities and related disciplines covering Egyptian historical periods from prehistory to the 21st century are eligible. The fellowships are for an entire 12-month academic year. The U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs funds the fellowship through a grant of the Council of American Overseas Research Centers (CAORC). Fellows are permitted to maintain their current employment while they hold this fellowship.

Pre-Dissertation Travel Grant: This fellowship is open to U.S. citizen pre-doctoral candidates who have completed all coursework prior to arriving in Egypt. S/he may have passed his or her comprehensive exams and/or been granted approval for the dissertation proposal. It is not necessary to have advanced to ABD status. The grantee will conduct exploratory research to identify sources, build professional networks and visit heritage sites, research libraries and archives in Egypt. The U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs funds the fellowship through a grant to the Council of American Overseas Research Centers (CAORC). Minimum one month, maximum two months stay.

Research Associates: This unfunded research status enables independent scholars with funding from private sources to affiliate with ARCE. Research associates receive the same administrative support in terms of clearances, permissions and mentoring as ARCE Fellows, but do not receive ARCE funding. U.S. citizens and foreign nationals at U.S. universities are eligible to apply.

Short-Term Research Grant for Postdoctoral, Adjunct Faculty and Independent Scholars: This grant is open to U.S. citizen postdoctoral, adjunct, community college, HBCU/MSI faculty, and visiting or independent scholars whose access to institutional funding for research travel may be limited. For these scholars, ARCE will offer a short-term travel grant designed to support research travel to Egypt. Minimum stay is three weeks; maximum stay is six weeks. During this period the grantee will conduct research pertaining to a new or ongoing research project. Eligibility, field of study, application and selection processes mirror those of the ARCE fellowships already on offer. The U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs funds the fellowship through a grant to the Council of American Overseas Research Centers (CAORC).

Theodore N. Romanoff Prize: The Theodore N. Romanoff Prize is open to doctoral candidates (ABD) and recent Ph.D. recipients (degree granted between 2016-2020) conducting research on the language or historical texts of ancient Egypt, including the Coptic language. American scholars worldwide and non-American scholars studying or teaching at an American university in the United States are eligible to apply. Research must be conducted in Egypt. Applicants may apply for this funding as a stand-alone fellowship or combine it with other funding sources.