Apply for Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies Fellowship
Section
Deadline Date
July 25, 2025
Donor Agency
The New York Public Library
Grant Size
$10,000 to $100,000
The New York Public Library is pleased to offer the Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies Fellowship to support advanced research on The New York Public Library’s holdings of materials from the Arab world, Africa, Turkey, Iran, South Asia, Central Asia, and their diasporas in the United States.
Projects requiring access to original materials including manuscripts, archives, books, photographs, prints, maps, newspapers, and journals will be given preference, but all worthy projects will be considered.
Funding Information
- The Fellowship Program will support one fellow annually for three months with a stipend of $25,000.
Eligible Projects
- Successful project proposals will include a thorough explanation of how in-person access to collections accessible at The New York Public Library is essential to the progress and completion of the research project. Proposals should also include:
- Abstract of the project’s major themes, questions, and arguments
- Significance of the project
- Specific Library collections and holdings to be consulted during the fellowship
- Project plan, including a timeline of your work with the Library’s collections during the fellowship term and a description of the proposed methodological approach
- Expected project outcomes
- Suggested topic for public presentation
- Desired dates of residence
Eligibility Criteria
- Fellowships are open to Ph.D. candidates, post-doctoral scholars, and independent researchers with projects that would significantly benefit from research drawing on collections accessible at The New York Public Library.
- United States citizens, permanent residents, and international applicants with the legal right to work in the U.S. are welcome to apply.
Selection Criteria
- Applications will be reviewed by an external selection committee of expert scholars, librarians, curators, and creatives who will consider the following criteria:
- Need for research holdings of The New York Public Library
- Uniqueness of materials and innovative uses of material
- Quality of the project plan as it relates to the size and scope of materials to be accessed
- Impact this grant might have on the applicant’s project or career
Application Requirements
- A complete application must include the following:
- Profile and application completed in the NYPL Fellowship Portal
- An updated CV
- Project proposal of no more than five pages
- Two professional letters of recommendation
