This page provides a curated list of foundations and funding sources supporting Middle East studies.
| Agency/Foundation | Grant Program | Description | Link |
| Arab Council for the Social Sciences (ACSS) | Research Grants Program (RGP) | Funds social science research in the Arab region, encouraging interdisciplinary and cross-regional projects focused on core challenges. | https://theacss.org/about-grants-fellowships/research-grants-program/ |
| Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research | Doctoral Research Grants | Provides funding for doctoral students to conduct policy-applied research related to the UAE. | https://www.alqasimifoundation.com/ |
| The Barakat Trust | Barakat Trust Grants | Focuses on funding academic research, digitization projects, and conservation for Islamic art and architecture. | https://barakat.org/grants/ |
| Gerda Henkel Foundation | PhD Scholarships & Research Grants | Supports historical research, specifically prioritizing archaeology, Islamic history, and art history. | https://www.gerda-henkel-stiftung.de/en/grants |
| Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center (SQCC) | Research Fellowship Program | Funds academic research focused on Oman and the surrounding region. Grants up to $51,000 are available. | https://www.sqcc.org/scholarships/research-fellowship-program/ |
| Council for British Research in the Levant (CBRL) | Project and Workshop Grants | Provides project and workshop grants for humanities and social sciences research in the Levant region. | https://www.cbrl.ac.uk/grants/ |
| Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF) | Academic Research Programs | Supports high-impact research projects in Qatar and the broader Middle East across humanities, social sciences. | https://www.qnrf.org/ |
| Palestinian American Research Center (PARC) | PARC Fellowships | Funds doctoral students and scholars for research on Palestine, promoting academic exchange. | https://parc-us-pal.org/ |
| American Research Center in Egypt (ARCE) | ARCE Fellowships | Provides fieldwork research grants for PhD students and senior scholars studying Egyptian history and culture. | https://arce.org/fellowships/ |
| The Academic Research Institute in Iraq (TARII) | TARII Fellowship Program | Offers fellowships for scholars to conduct research in or on Iraq. | https://www.tarii.org/fellowships |
| American Center of Research (ACOR) | ACOR Fellowships | Supports archaeological, historical, and humanities research in Jordan and the broader Middle East. | https://acorjordan.org/fellowships/ |
| Roshan Cultural Heritage Institute | Roshan Institute Fellowships | Provides funding for Persian studies, including the culture, history, and literature of Iran. | https://roshan-institute.org/ |
| Middle East Studies Association (MESA) | Global Academy Awards | Supports displaced scholars from the Middle East and North Africa region. | https://mesana.org/ |
| Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development | Arab Fund Fellowships Program | Funds PhD-holders from Arab countries to conduct advanced research and training. | https://www.arabfund.org/ |
| Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture (AKPIA) | AKPIA Fellowships | Funds research on Islamic art, architecture, urbanism, and the history of the built environment in the Middle East. | https://akpia.mit.edu/ |
| Foundation for Middle East Peace (FMEP) | FMEP Grants | Supports research, advocacy, and educational projects focused on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. | https://fmep.org/ |
| Crown Center for Middle East Studies | Crown Center Fellowships | Offers fellowships for postdoctoral scholars conducting original research on the modern Middle East. | https://www.brandeis.edu/crown/ |
| Institute for Palestine Studies (IPS) | IPS Research Grants | Funds research related to Palestinian affairs, the Arab-Israeli conflict. | https://www.palestine-studies.org/ |
| Iran Heritage Foundation (IHF) | Academic Grants | Provides grants for academic research, publications, and fellowships relating to the history and culture of Iran. | https://www.iranheritage.org/ |
| American Institute for Maghrib Studies (AIMS) | AIMS Research Grants | Provides funding for scholars and students to conduct research in North Africa (Algeria, Mauritania, Morocco, Libya, Tunisia). | http://aimsnorthafrica.org/fellowships/ |
| American Research Institute in Turkey (ARIT) | ARIT Fellowships | Supports research in humanities and social sciences in Turkey for US-affiliated scholars. | https://aritweb.org/fellowships/ |
| American Institute for Yemeni Studies (AIYS) | AIYS Fellowships | Offers fellowships for research regarding Yemen and Yemeni studies. | https://www.aiys.org/fellowships |
| American Institute of Iranian Studies (AIIrS) | Research Fellowships | Supports research in Iranian studies for scholars in the US. | https://www.simorgh-aiis.org/ |
| Council of American Overseas Research Centers (CAORC) | Multi-Country Research Fellowship | Supports advanced regional or trans-regional research in the humanities and social sciences, including the Middle East. | https://www.caorc.org/fellowships |
| British Institute of Persian Studies (BIPS) | Research Grants | Promotes scholarship and research in all aspects of Iranian studies. | https://www.bips.ac.uk/grants/ |
| Institut Français du Proche-Orient (IFPO) | Research Support | French research institute supporting studies on the Middle East across various locations like Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Iraq. | https://www.ifporient.org/ |
| Orient-Institut Beirut (OIB) | OIB Research Fellowships | Provides fellowships for visiting scholars conducting research on the Arab world. | https://www.orient-institut.org/ |
| Orient-Institut Istanbul | Istanbul Fellowships | Funds research on Ottoman and Turkish studies, as well as broader Middle Eastern connections. | https://www.oiist.org/ |
| British Society for Middle Eastern Studies (BRISMES) | BRISMES Awards | Offers various grants to support research and conferences related to Middle Eastern studies. | https://www.brismes.ac.uk/ |
| Association for Gulf and Arabian Peninsula Studies (AGAPS) | AGAPS Awards | Provides grants and awards for scholars studying the Gulf and Arabian Peninsula. | https://agaps.org/ |
| Al-Furqan Islamic Heritage Foundation | Research and Publication Grants | Funds research concerning the preservation and study of Islamic manuscripts and heritage. | https://al-furqan.com/ |
| Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program | MENA Regional Research Program | Provides grants for US scholars to conduct research in multiple countries within the MENA region. | https://fulbrightscholars.org/ |
| United States Institute of Peace (USIP) | MENA Grants | Funds peacebuilding and conflict resolution research and initiatives in the Middle East and North Africa. | https://www.usip.org/grants-fellowships |
| National Endowment for Democracy (NED) | MENA Grants Program | Provides grants to support democratic initiatives, human rights, and political research in the Middle East. | https://www.ned.org/ |
| Harvard University Center for Middle Eastern Studies (CMES) | Postdoctoral Fellowships | Provides fellowships for scholars researching any aspect of the Middle East. | https://cmes.fas.harvard.edu/ |
| Princeton University Near Eastern Studies | Postdoctoral Fellowships | Funds independent scholars to conduct research within the Near Eastern Studies department. | https://nes.princeton.edu/ |
| Columbia University Middle East Institute | MEI Visiting Fellowships | Provides support for visiting scholars conducting Middle East-related research. | https://mei.columbia.edu/ |
| Oxford University Middle East Centre | Research Fellowships | Funds research relating to the modern Middle East across various academic disciplines. | https://www.sant.ox.ac.uk/research-centres/middle-east-centre |
| Cambridge University Centre of Islamic Studies | Visiting Fellowships | Provides funding for scholars researching Islamic culture, history, and contemporary Muslim societies. | https://www.cis.cam.ac.uk/ |
| Georgetown University Center for Contemporary Arab Studies | Postdoctoral Fellowships | Funds academic research focused on the contemporary Arab world. | https://ccas.georgetown.edu/ |
| Yale University Council on Middle East Studies | CMES Fellowships | Supports scholars researching the languages, history, and cultures of the Middle East. | https://cmes.macmillan.yale.edu/ |
| Stanford University Abbasi Program in Islamic Studies | Research Grants | Provides funding for students and faculty conducting research related to Islamic societies. | https://islamicstudies.stanford.edu/ |
| UC Berkeley Center for Middle Eastern Studies | CMES Research Grants | Offers grants to support interdisciplinary research on the Middle East. | https://cmes.berkeley.edu/ |
| University of Chicago Oriental Institute | Postdoctoral Scholar Program | Funds research in the ancient Near East, including archaeology, linguistics, and history. | https://oi.uchicago.edu/ |
| University of Pennsylvania Middle East Center | MEC Research Grants | Supports graduate and faculty research on the Middle East. | https://mec.sas.upenn.edu/ |
| University of Washington Middle East Center | Research Fellowships | Funds area studies and language research related to the Middle East and North Africa. | https://jsis.washington.edu/mideast/ |
| Aga Khan Foundation | International Scholarship Programme | Provides funding for outstanding students from developing countries (including MENA) to pursue postgraduate studies. | https://www.akdn.org/our-agencies/aga-khan-foundation/international-scholarship-programme |
| Doha Institute for Graduate Studies | Research Grants | Provides funding for scholars researching social sciences, humanities, and public administration in the Arab world. | https://www.dohainstitute.edu.qa/ |
| The Fares Center for Eastern Mediterranean Studies | Fares Center Fellowships | Supports research and academic exchange focusing on the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East. | https://farescenter.tufts.edu/ |
| Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) | School of Historical Studies Fellowships | Supports scholars researching various historical fields, with prominent tracks for Islamic and Middle Eastern history. | https://www.hs.ias.edu/ |
| Alexander von Humboldt Foundation | Humboldt Research Fellowship | Sponsors scholars from around the world (including MENA) to conduct research in Germany. | https://www.humboldt-foundation.de/ |
| Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD) | Research Grants for MENA | Offers specific funding schemes for academic exchange and research involving the Middle East and North Africa. | https://www.daad.de/ |
| Volkswagen Foundation | Knowledge for Tomorrow | Funds post-doctoral fellowships for researchers in Sub-Saharan Africa and the MENA region. | https://www.volkswagenstiftung.de/ |
| European Research Council (ERC) | ERC Grants | Provides substantial funding for top researchers, heavily utilized for large-scale Middle East studies projects. | https://erc.europa.eu/ |
| Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) | Postdoctoral Fellowships | Supports global researcher mobility, frequently funding scholars moving to or from the Middle East. | https://marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu/ |
| The Leverhulme Trust | Research Fellowships | Major UK funder across disciplines, frequently supporting extensive Middle Eastern history and area studies. | https://www.leverhulme.ac.uk/ |
| Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) | Research Grants | UK council providing funding for humanities research, including Islamic studies and Middle East history. | https://www.ukri.org/councils/ahrc/ |
| Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) | Research Grants | UK council funding social, economic, and political research, including significant MENA region projects. | https://www.ukri.org/councils/esrc/ |
| Wenner-Gren Foundation | Anthropological Research Grants | Funds global anthropological research, heavily used for ethnography and archaeology in the Middle East. | https://wennergren.org/ |
| National Geographic Society | Explorers Grants | Funds archaeology, anthropology, and storytelling, often supporting field projects in the Middle East. | https://www.nationalgeographic.org/society/grants-and-investments/ |
| Smithsonian Institution | Smithsonian Fellowships | Offers fellowships for research using Smithsonian collections, including Islamic art and Middle East artifacts. | https://fellowships.si.edu/ |
| Metropolitan Museum of Art | Art History Fellowships | Supports scholars researching Islamic art and ancient Near Eastern antiquities. | https://www.metmuseum.org/about-the-met/fellowships |
| Getty Foundation | Getty Scholar Grants | Funds art history and conservation research, actively supporting projects related to Middle Eastern heritage. | https://www.getty.edu/foundation/ |
| Kress Foundation | History of Art Grants | Supports European and connected art histories, including interactions with the Islamic and Middle Eastern world. | https://www.kressfoundation.org/ |
| Leakey Foundation | Research Grants | Funds human origins research, heavily supporting paleoanthropology and archaeology in the Levant and Middle East. | https://leakeyfoundation.org/ |
| American Philosophical Society (APS) | Franklin Research Grants | Funds field research across disciplines, widely used by scholars for archival work in the Middle East. | https://www.amphilsoc.org/ |
| Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation | Research Grants | Funds research on violence and aggression, frequently supporting projects on Middle Eastern conflicts and peace. | https://www.hfg.org/ |
| Carnegie Corporation of New York | Transnational Movements Grants | Supports research on global peace, security, and Arab region policy. | https://www.carnegie.org/ |
| Open Society Foundations | MENA Regional Grants | Funds civil society, governance, and human rights research initiatives in the MENA region. | https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/ |
| Ford Foundation | Middle East and North Africa Program | Supports research and projects promoting social justice, inequality reduction, and civic engagement in MENA. | https://www.fordfoundation.org/regions/middle-east-and-north-africa/ |
| MacArthur Foundation | International Peace and Security | Funds research and policy work addressing global security issues, including Middle East geopolitics. | https://www.macfound.org/ |
| Rockefeller Foundation | Bellagio Center Residency | Provides residencies for scholars and policy makers working on global issues, including Middle East stability. | https://www.rockefellerfoundation.org/ |
| Mellon Foundation | Higher Learning Grants | Supports humanities research, frequently funding university initiatives and area studies in Middle Eastern history. | https://www.mellon.org/ |
| The British Academy | International Fellowships | Funds humanities and social science research, providing targeted support for Middle Eastern collaborations. | https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/ |
| Zayed Award for Human Fraternity | Global Grants | Recognizes and supports initiatives and academic work promoting global peace and coexistence. | https://zayedaward.org/ |
| King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID) | KAICIID Fellowships | Funds research and training on interreligious dialogue, specifically focused on the Arab region and globally. | https://www.kaiciid.org/ |
| Institute of Ismaili Studies (IIS) | Research and Publications | Funds research exploring Ismaili studies, Islamic history, and contemporary Muslim societies. | https://www.iis.ac.uk/ |
| The Muslim Institute | Fellowships and Grants | Supports free thinking and research on issues impacting Muslim societies worldwide. | https://musliminstitute.org/ |
| Alwaleed Philanthropies | Academic Grants | Funds global academic centers and research initiatives focused on Islamic studies and cross-cultural understanding. | https://alwaleedphilanthropies.org/ |
| Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington (AGSIW) | Resident Scholars | Supports policy-relevant research focusing on the social, economic, and political dimensions of the Gulf. | https://agsiw.org/ |
| Washington Institute for Near East Policy | Visiting Fellowships | Funds policy-oriented research on US relations with the Middle East. | https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/ |
| Chatham House | MENA Programme Fellowships | Supports international affairs and policy research focused on the Middle East and North Africa. | https://www.chathamhouse.org/ |
| International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | Middle East Fellowships | Funds research on regional security, defense, and geopolitics in the Middle East. | https://www.iiss.org/ |
| Brookings Institution | Center for Middle East Policy Fellowships | Provides fellowships for research on political and economic challenges in the Middle East. | https://www.brookings.edu/ |
| Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) | International Affairs Fellowships | Funds research for scholars and professionals working on US foreign policy, including Middle East relations. | https://www.cfr.org/ |
| Arab Reform Initiative | Research Fellowships | Supports independent research on democratization and social justice in the Arab world. | https://www.arab-reform.net/ |
| Project on Middle East Political Science (POMEPS) | POMEPS Travel and Research Grants | Provides grants to support political science research concerning the Middle East. | https://pomeps.org/ |
| Palestinian American Research Center (PARC) | US Scholars Fellowship | Funds post-doctoral and doctoral research in Palestine. | https://parc-us-pal.org/ |
| Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Lund University | Visiting Scholar Program | Supports research on the contemporary Middle East in Sweden. | https://www.cmes.lu.se/ |
| Danish Institute in Damascus | Research Scholarships | Funds humanities and social science research related to Syria and the Arab world. | https://damaskus.dk/ |
| Swedish Research Institute in Istanbul (SRII) | SRII Scholarships | Supports research in Turkey, the Middle East, and Central Asia. | https://srii.org/ |
| Netherlands-Flemish Institute in Cairo (NVIC) | Research Support | Facilitates research in Arabic, Islamic studies, and Egyptology. | https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/nvic |
| German Archaeological Institute (DAI) - Cairo | Research Fellowships | Supports archaeological and historical research in Egypt and the Middle East. | https://www.dainst.org/ |
| French Institute of Oriental Archaeology (IFAO) | Fellowships | Funds archaeological, philological, and historical research in Egypt. | https://www.ifao.egnet.net/ |
| American Society of Overseas Research (ASOR) | Excavation Fellowships | Funds archaeological fieldwork and research in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East. | https://www.asor.org/ |
| Biblical Archaeology Society | Dig Scholarships | Provides funding for volunteers and scholars to participate in archaeological digs in the Middle East. | https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/ |
| Palestine Exploration Fund (PEF) | PEF Grants | Funds research relating to the history, archaeology, and geography of the Levant. | https://www.pef.org.uk/ |
| Israel Science Foundation (ISF) | Research Grants | Funds basic research across disciplines, frequently supporting Middle East studies and archaeology. | https://www.isf.org.il/ |
| Bilateral US-Arab Chamber of Commerce | Educational Exchanges | Funds educational programs and research fostering US-Arab economic and educational ties. | https://bilateralchamber.org/ |
| The World Bank | MENA Research Fellowships | Supports research on economic development, policy, and poverty reduction in the MENA region. | https://www.worldbank.org/ |
| Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) | IsDB Scholarship Programme | Funds research and doctoral studies for scholars from IsDB member countries. | https://www.isdb.org/ |
| Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies | Research Funding | Funds independent research in the social sciences and humanities relevant to the Arab world. | https://www.dohainstitute.org/ |
| EUME (Europe in the Middle East—The Middle East in Europe) | Postdoctoral Fellowships | Berlin-based program supporting research addressing the interconnectedness of Europe and the Middle East. | https://www.eume-berlin.de/ |
| Koc University Research Center for Anatolian Civilizations (ANAMED) | ANAMED Fellowships | Supports research in art history, archaeology, and history concerning Turkey and the Middle East. | https://anamed.ku.edu.tr/ |
| Hrant Dink Foundation | Research Grants | Funds research on Turkish-Armenian relations, minority rights, and regional history. | https://hrantdink.org/ |
| Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation | Armenian Communities Grant | Funds research related to Armenian studies, history, and diaspora in the Middle East. | https://gulbenkian.pt/ |
| Sharjah Art Foundation | Research Grants | Supports research focusing on the art and visual culture of the MENA region. | https://sharjahart.org/ |
| The Arab Fund for Arts and Culture (AFAC) | AFAC Grants | Funds arts, culture, and humanities research projects in the Arab world. | https://www.arabculturefund.org/ |
| Culture Resource (Al-Mawred Al-Thaqafy) | Research Grants | Supports cultural and artistic research across the Arab region. | https://mawred.org/ |
| Mophradat | Grants for Artists and Researchers | Funds contemporary art and cultural research from the Arab world. | https://mophradat.org/ |
| The Thyssen Foundation | Research Funding | Supports humanities and social sciences, frequently funding projects related to Middle Eastern studies. | https://www.fritz-thyssen-stiftung.de/ |
| Global Development Network (GDN) | Global Research Competition | Funds researchers in developing countries, including robust MENA region tracks. | https://www.gdn.int/ |