Arabic Studies Scholarships
Gain Valuable Knowledge of Arabic Language and Culture
Studying the Arabic language and culture can open up doors to several interesting and currently in-demand career choices. Business and industry is increasingly hiring high-level professionals with multi-lingual abilities as the world becomes more globalized. It would be an asset to students looking forward to careers in government, teaching, law, communications, international finance, and industry.
Scholarship Programs
The American University in CairoThe Center for Arabic Study Abroad (CASA) offers a number of fellowships to qualified students for either a summer program or full year of language and culture study. The fellowships provide funds to cover the cost of round-trip transportation, tuition, and an allowance for living expenses, 2,100 Egyptian pounds/month, or approximately $360. Fellowship recipients are required to pay a program fee after accepting this award.
To be considered, applicants must be citizens of the United States, planning on a career in Middle Eastern Studies, and have taken Arabic-language courses at the post-secondary level for two or three years. Successful applicants will also have passed the CASA Selection Exam. Applicants will have the opportunity to take the exam at a school in their area.
In addition to the foregoing, the Simpson Scholarship through UCLA provides $2,500 per semester for a maximum of two semesters. Students of any nationality currently studying at a university outside of Egypt are eligible to apply for funding from this program.
Portland State University, Middle East Studies CenterU.S. students studying Arabic, Turkish, or Persian languages with a GPA of 3.25 or higher are eligible to apply for a Gary and Patricia Leiser Scholarship, which provides $500 in renewable funding. A completed application form, current transcripts, and a personal essay must be submitted in order to be considered.
The Elizabeth Ducey Scholarship is offered to students studying any Middle Eastern language at PSU, either at the undergraduate or graduate level. Up to $600 in funding will be given to successful applicants; the average amount awarded is $200. Once awarded, the monies can be used to pay for study abroad.
Yet another scholarship offered by PSU is the Noury and Lamia al-Khaledy Scholarship for Arabic Studies. Three or four such scholarships are awarded each year. Both undergraduate and graduate students with a GPA of 3.4 or higher and who have studied Arabic for two years or more are eligible to apply. Both academic performance and financial need are taken into account when selecting recipients of these renewable scholarships.
The University of Texas at Austin, Department of Middle Eastern StudiesThe Ann Grabhorn Friday Endowed Presidential Fellowship in Middle Eastern Studies provides a stipend of $5,000 to students pursuing a Master's Degree in Middle Eastern Studies at UT. Preference is given to female students interested in studying Arabic. The funds can be used either toward studying at the UT campus or to study abroad.
The University of Pennsylvania, Middle East CenterThe Janet Lee Stevens Graduate Fellowship is awarded each year to an exceptional graduate student who has distinguished him/herself academically and has taken steps to improve the understanding of and relations with people from the Arab World. A stipend of up to $4,100 is paid and the recipient can choose to use these funds for tuition, books, travel expenses, conducting research, etc.
