Fellowships

Thomas H. Carpenter and Lynne C. Lancaster Traveling Fellowships

New

Archaeological Institute of America

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Deadline: November 1, 2026

Announced: By March 1

Amount: Up to $25,000

Purpose: The Thomas H. Carpenter and Lynne C. Lancaster Traveling Fellowships support extended travel abroad for graduate students and recent PhDs engaged in archaeological research and publication to be conducted between May 1 of the award year and September 30 of the following year. The fund is intended to address the growing need for travel support due to reductions in external funding sources, including federal agencies and university-based funding. Grants will support travel to sites, monuments, and museums that are essential to the development of archaeological scholarship. Eligible projects must fall geographically within the greatest extent of the Roman Empire and chronologically between approximately 1000 BCE and 1000 CE. Funding may be used for expenses directly related to research travel, including but not limited to transportation, lodging, visas, entrance fees, and travel-related insurance. AIA grant funds may not be used for institutional overhead, institutional administrative recovery costs, indirect costs, or to support excavation projects. Preference will be given to projects that require extended stays abroad (minimum of six weeks) and demonstrate strong potential to advance dissertation research or publication outcomes.

Requirements:

• Recipients must be graduate students enrolled at an American or Canadian university or scholars based in North America who have received their PhD within five years of application.
• Recipients must be citizens or permanent residents of either the US or Canada at the time the award is given. If you are not a citizen of the US or Canada you will be asked to provide proof of legal status in order to receive the funds.
• Applicants must be current AIA members at the Graduate or Professional level.
• At the conclusion of the fellowship tenure, the recipient is required to submit a report on the use of the stipend to the Chair of the AIA Fellowships Committee.
• After the tenure of their fellowship, recipient is expected to submit an abstract to the Program Committee within two years, in order be considered for participation in the AIA Annual Meeting.

Non-Discrimination Statement

The AIA welcomes applicants of all backgrounds and is committed to equal opportunity for all. Under no circumstances will the AIA discriminate against qualified individuals on the basis of race, color, religious creed, retaliation, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender, disability, mental illness, genetics, marital status, age, veteran status, or any other basis prohibited under applicable law.

Fieldwork And Families

As part of the Archaeological Institute of America’s ongoing commitment to fieldwork and families, reasonable line items for the care of dependent and elderly family members are allowable expenses for AIA grants, fellowships, and scholarships.

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Application Process

Please note that all application materials (including references and transcripts) must be received at the AIA by the November 1 deadline.

View the Fellowship Requirements and Application Guidelines.

Application Form