Several internal avenues of support for research and professional travel are available to graduate students in this department.  Some of these are program-specific, and others are open to all.  Each has separate application requirements and deadlines, as outlined below.

  • Early Christian Studies Professional Development Fund (all Catholic University graduate students)

    Graduate students at The Catholic University of America studying topics in early Christianity may use this form to apply for funding from Early Christian Studies to present at academic conferences, travel for specific research purposes, or participate actively in excavations or special courses.
    Students may receive up to $500 for individual domestic activities and $1000 for individual international ones. Funding is normally competitively available for one activity per academic year (starting August 1). Students may apply for a second funding opportunity, but support is not guaranteed for either. Priority will be given to applications that are also seeking other sources of funding.
    The deadline for applications is 5:00pm on September 1, November 1, February 1, and April 1 to be considered at the next Board meeting. No applications are considered between the months of May and August. 
    Please note that conference attendance without a confirmed presentation (even if chairing a panel or running a roundtable) is specifically excluded from this source of funding.

  • Najib and Rejina Talia Memorial Research Grant (all Catholic University graduate students)

    Students in any graduate program at the Catholic University of America may apply for a research grant of up to $500 in support of graduate student research on Oriental Christian languages and literature (Syriac, Arabic, Coptic, Armenian, Georgian, Persian, Ge’ez, etc.). Uses might include, for example, travel to view manuscripts or presenting research at conferences.

    If the funds are to be used for an academic conference, the application should include details of the conference and the paper title and abstract. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis by the ICOR Director and Secretary.

    **Any presentations or publications in connection with this funding should mention and/or display the name of the Institute of Oriental Christian Research.**

    The Najib and Rejina Talia Memorial Research Grant was established in 2026 through the generosity of an anonymous donor. The donation was made in honor of Najib and Rejina Talia, parents of Dr. Shawqi Talia, a long-time faculty member in the Department of Ancient and Medieval Languages and Cultures and the former Department of Semitic and Egyptian Languages and Literatures.

  • Cella Award (all Catholic University graduate students)

    The Lorraine Elisabeth Cella Memorial Scholarship Fund was established in 1983 in memory of a former student in medieval studies. Its purpose is to provide financial assistance in the form of research support, conference and travel grants, tuition payments, or supplemental stipends for living expenses to students pursuing a graduate degree in the field of medieval studies.

    Graduate students affiliated with medieval studies at Catholic University are invited to apply for the Cella Award.

    Applications must include: 

    • a one-page project proposal or rationale
    • a budget proposal with supporting documents (receipts, invoices, etc.)
    • a curriculum vitae
    • an unofficial transcript of graduate studies at Catholic University

    Complete applications must be submitted in PDF format (one file), via email, no later than November 1 and March 1 of each year (two possible deadlines), to the Director of Graduate Studies for Medieval Studies.

  • Graduate Student Travel Fund (all departmental graduate students)

    The Graduate Student Travel Fund offers partial travel and conference reimbursement grants to qualifying departmental graduate students.  Because this resource derives from graduate-student activity fees, decisions about the use of the Fund are made by a student committee, and procedures for accessing the Fund mirror some of the procedures of the Graduate Student Association (GSA).

    This departmental assistance is intended to supplement support already available from the GSA and from other sources. Funding is granted on a first-come, first-served basis as it becomes available, and so advance application is strongly encouraged.

    Applications use the forms linked below and should be submitted to cua-ancient-medieval@cua.edu. The Academic Coordinator will share completed applications with the Graduate Student Travel Fund Committee. The Committee itself is constituted exclusively of graduate students: the department chair is a member ex officio and can advise, but has no vote.

    Students who receive conference funding are expected to present a version of their paper at a session of a graduate student colloquium or other suitable departmental forum.

    Questions before or during the application process may be directed to the departmental GSA Senator and Alternate.

    Graduate Travel Fund Resources and Forms

  • Hyvernat Fellowship (all full-time graduate students in Semitics)

    The Hyvernat Fellowship is open to all full-time graduate students currently enrolled in degree programs in Semitics. The funds are meant to encourage travel for any sort of project that would contribute to the recipient's academic development, broadly conceived.

    The Faculty of Semitics will select one of its graduate students each year to receive a $2000 travel grant that may be used for various academic activities, including language study and research.

    Applications must include:

    • a one-page project proposal
    • a rough budget covering the entire trip and demonstrating the use of the total amount being requested.

    Complete applications must be submitted in PDF format, via email, no later than January 31 of each year, to the Director of Graduate Studies for Semitics. The recipient of the fellowship will be announced the day before the annual Hyvernat Lecture.

    Grant funds must be used within one year of their being awarded. The recipient must submit a one-page report by March 1 that details the use of the funds and the overall impact of the project on the recipient's academic development. In addition, the recipient will make a short presentation on their experience the day before the following year's Hyvernat Lecture.