As a nonprofit organization, one of our goals is to promote equity, diversity and accessibility in field school education by using economies of scale and focusing intensive effort in raising funds for scholarships. In the past, we have offered upwards of 11 IFR funded scholarships. These scholarships covered the tuition costs of attending a program and were generously funded by donations from our Board of Governors and Academic Board. In 2019, we awarded over $100,000 in student scholarships.
The pandemic forced the IFR to change course dramatically, and we were not able to offer many of our usual scholarships in 2021. Through the generous support and donation of Vera Campbell, however, we were able to award six California State University Los Angeles (CSULA) students the Vera Campbell Promise Scholarship in 2021. We are delighted to announce that the Vera Campbell Promise Scholarship program has grown in funding and reach! We are offering more scholarship awards this year and are extending the eligibility criteria of the scholarship so that more students have access to these valuable, experientially immersive field schools. Please read the scholarship description below. In addition, we provide links to funding search engines and to grants and scholarships available to students from external organizations.
Despite these uncertain times, IFR continues our work in expanding access to field research opportunities and promoting equity and diversity in the field sciences through scholarships and mentorship.


Vera Campbell Promise Scholarship
The Vera R. Campbell Promise Scholarship is dedicated to the support undergraduate students in the US with economically challenged backgrounds. Several past Vera R. Campbell Promise Scholarship awardees were the first in their families to attend a college or university and had never traveled outside their home state, let alone the US. This scholarship provides significant funding for selected students who preferably have not yet attended a field program and who otherwise would not have the financial means to participate in a field school. IFR’s field programs take place throughout the world and across disciplines. This scholarship provides the following benefits:
- Direct financial support of up to $5,000 to offset the cost of attending an IFR field school.
- Two one-on-one personalized mentorship sessions (via video conferencing) with an IFR Academic Board member prior to the field program so that you gain insight from an expert archeologist about getting the most from this field school.
- Access to online asynchronous materials to help you get ready for and succeed in your field experience, the new location, and as a member of a group working to discover the past.
- Post field school mentorship sessions to help you leverage this field school experience for work careers, both inside and outside academia.
Upon completion of their field programs, all scholarship awardees will be supported and mentored in preparing a short (10-15 minute) presentation about the field experience to a group of business leaders. The goal is to provide students with the ability to reflect, articulate and present their field experience, to get feedback from leaders in a range of businesses, and to start forming relationships and networking with these prominent individuals.
Awardees of each annual scholarship cycle will be given the opportunity to serve as mentors for students who will come after them in future years. Our goal is to create a broad system of support for all awardees that will leverage financial, intellectual, academic and community gains to support and advance your long-term life and careers goals.
- These scholarships are valid only for IFR field programs. To be considered for this scholarship, students must submit at least one application for a Summer 2022 IFR field school by the April 13th deadline. If a student is awarded a scholarship, in order to receive the award, the student must be admitted to an IFR Summer 2022 program.
- Scholarship awardees are not guaranteed participation in the IFR program of their choice. Placement in an IFR field school is first-come, first-served and programs are filling up quickly for summer 2022. Students are highly encouraged to apply to more than one field school well before the April 13th deadline for this scholarship. If you apply for the Vera Campbell scholarship, IFR will waive the application fee for up to two Summer 2022 programs. After you have started an application, please contact IFR staff at admissions@ifrglobal.org for assistance in waiving this application fee before you submit your application.
- Students may apply for and be admitted to more than one IFR field school.
- Students may apply to all other IFR scholarships. Applying to this scholarship does not prevent students from applying to any other IFR scholarship.
- Late or incomplete applications by the designated deadline will not be accepted or considered. No exceptions.
Applicants must:
- complete Vera Campbell Promise Scholarship application online and answer all essay questions.
- provide the contact information of one recommender, preferably a faculty member at a university or community college, who will write a recommendation letter for them through the online scholarship application. Another mentor who knows the capabilities and resilience of the applicant may supply a letter if no faculty member is able to write one. Recommendations need to be submitted on or before the April 13th deadline. You may invite the same recommender to provide a reference for both your program application and scholarship application; however, they will need to fill out a separate form for each application.
- upload an unofficial copy of transcripts showing GPA.
- upload a summary of your Student Aid Report (SAR) for your 2021-2022 Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application. If you did not complete a FAFSA application this year, we require you to submit a Student Aid Report (SAR) for your most recent FAFSA application.
- submit scholarship application on or before the April 13, 2022 deadline at 11:59 PM (PST).
- submit at least one application for an IFR field school by the April 13th deadline and be admitted to a program in order to receive the scholarship.
- schedule and participate in two mentorship sessions with an IFR Academic Board member.
- review and complete all asynchronous materials online.
- schedule and participate in the post field school mentorship session(s).
- prepare and publicly present a 10-15 minute presentation about their field school experience and its impact to a group of business leaders in Los Angeles.
Each Vera Campbell Promise Scholarship awardee will receive up to $5,000 to help cover the cost of an IFR field school and travel expenses. This scholarship may not be applied to any field school outside those offered by the IFR. If the program tuition is under $5,000, the remaining balance will have a cash value that may be credited towards travel expenses. To receive and to retain any funds awarded, awardees must participate in and complete the entire field school program and all scholarship requirements.
To be eligible for this scholarship, you must:
- be an undergraduate student at an institution in the US.*
- have a minimum GPA of 2.7
- be at least 18 years old by the first day of the field school program
- applicants who have not yet attended a study away field program will be given priority consideration
- have completed a 2021-2022 FAFSA application. If you did not complete a FAFSA application this year, you need to submit a Student Aid Report (SAR) for your most recent FAFSA application.
*Note: To be eligible, you do not need to be actively enrolled in an academic institution. Consideration will be given to applicants who started their undergraduate career and are taking a break before resuming their studies or who graduated in 2021 or later. Students of any major may apply. Previous Vera Campbell Scholarship awardees are not eligible, but may apply to other IFR scholarship programs, if available.
Deadline is extended further to: April 13, 2022 at 11:59 PM (Pacific Standard Time).
Vera Campbell Promise Scholarship Application Checklist
Follow these steps to apply to the Vera Campbell Scholarship:
Request a recommendation letter from a faculty member or mentor.
Apply online for the Vera Campbell Promise Scholarship. For your application you will need:
Contact information for your recommender.
Unofficial copy of your transcripts.
Summary of your Student Aid Report (SAR) for your 2021-2022 Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application.
Funding Search Engines & Directories
NAFSA Financial Aid for Study Abroad Students
NAFSA, the Association of International Educators, has put together an extensive page with federal, state and private grants that support a variety of study abroad program types.
Institute for International Education Study Abroad Funding Directory
The Institute for International Education created a searchable directory that features detailed descriptions of hundreds of study abroad scholarships, fellowships, grants, and paid internships for U.S. undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate students, and professionals.
Maryville University: Scholarships and College Guide for Native American Students
Maryville University has written a blog compiling information on various scholarships for Native Americans, specifically for educational opportunities.
Society for Classical Studies (SCS)/American Philological Association (APA)
Comprehensive listing with multiple scholarships/fellowships available for students pursuing education in Classical studies. Many opportunities for funding travel and excavation for both graduate and undergraduate students.
External Scholarships
The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program
Application deadline: March 1, 2022 at 11:59pm PT (advisor certification deadline is Tuesday, March 8, 2022) for programs that start between May 1, 2022 to April 30, 2023.
The Gilman McCain
Application deadline: March 1, 2022 at 11:59pm PT (advisor certification deadline is Tuesday, March 8, 2022) for programs that start between May 1, 2022 to April 30, 2023.
Jane C. Waldbaum Archaeological Field School Scholarship
Application deadline: March 1, 2022.
Sacramento Archaeological Society, Inc. Student Scholarship Site
Application deadline: March 15, 2022.
American Schools for Oriental Research (ASOR) Scholarships
Application deadline: February 18, 2022.
Fulbright-National Geographic Digital Storytelling Fellowship
The 2022-2023 Competition is now closed. The 2023-2024 competition will open in April 2022.
American Center for Oriental Research Jordan
The American Center for Oriental Research in Jordan (ACOR) offers a number of modest fellowships, including the de Vries Fellowship, Groot Memorial Fellowship, Harrell Fellowship, MacDonald & Sampson Fellowship and the Russell Fellowship. These are funded from ACOR’s own endowments, including some for US and Canadian undergraduate students attending field schools in Jordan.
Application deadline: February 1, 2022.
Fund for Education Abroad
Fund for Education Abroad (FEA) provides scholarships and ongoing support to students who are underrepresented among the U.S. study abroad population.
The Esherick-Ye Family Foundation
Application deadline: March 1, 2022.
The Classical Association of the Middle West and South Award
Application deadline: February 15, 2022.
The Leaky Foundation Grant
Deadline for new applicants: February 15, 2022
Deadline for returning applicants: March 1, 2022
Baldwin Fellowships for Students from Developing Countries
Deadline for new applicants: February 15, 2022
Deadline for returning applicants: March 1, 2022
SAA Native American Scholarships
Scholarships include:
- National Science Foundation Scholarship for Archaeological Training
- SAA Native American Undergraduate Archaeology Scholarship
- SAA Native American Graduate Archaeology Scholarship
- Bertha Parker Cody Award for Native American Women
Opens for applications on October 1, 2022.
Cheryl L. Wase Memorial Scholarship
Opens for applications on October 1, 2022.
Elizabeth Bartman Museum Internship Scholarship
Application deadline: April 1, 2022
The Sportula: Microgrants for Classics Students
Grants provided by The Sportula are created by classicists for classicists.