Three major avenues of support for research and professional travel are available to graduate students in this department: the Graduate Student Travel Fund (for all students), the Hyvernat Fellowship Program (for full-time students pursuing graduate degrees in Semitics), and the Lorraine Elisabeth Cella Memorial Scholarship Award (for students pursuing programs in Medieval Studies).

The Graduate Student Travel Fund

The Graduate Student Travel Fund offers partial travel and conference reimbursement grants to qualifying departmental graduate students.

Departmental assistance is intended to supplement support already available from the Graduate Student Association (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 departmental 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.

The Hyvernat Fellowship Program

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.

The Lorraine Elisabeth Cella Memorial Scholarship Award

The Lorraine Elisabeth Cella Memorial Scholarship Fund was established in 1983 in memory of a former student of medieval studies, Ms. Lorraine Elisabeth Cella. 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 and Byzantine 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.