For graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and faculty around the world, academic travel is often essential, not incidental, to the work. Fieldwork, archival research, international conferences, and collaborative residencies all require time away from home, and that comes with a real cost. The good news is that there are more funding sources available than many scholars realize, and many of them are open to researchers regardless of nationality.
Whether you’re a doctoral candidate preparing for dissertation research abroad or a senior faculty member planning a sabbatical, this guide compiles major fellowships, scholarships, and grants to help offset the cost of academic travel — with a mix of U.S.-based, UK-based, European, and globally open programs.
Finding affordable housing during extended academic travel is another piece of the puzzle. SabbaticalHomes.com connects scholars with furnished rentals and home exchanges within the academic community, often at a fraction of standard short-term rental costs.
Related: Housing and Travel Resources
Funding Academic Travel for Graduate Students
American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS)
- One of the most respected funding sources in the humanities and interpretive social sciences
- Supports scholars at multiple career stages, with roughly half of all 2025–26 fellowship awards earmarked for early-career scholars
- The Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Innovation Fellowship provides awards of up to $52,000 for doctoral students, including funds for travel and professional development
- Open to scholars across a range of institutions; ACLS is committed to inclusive excellence and welcomes applications regardless of background
- Visit acls.org for current deadlines and program details
Chevening Scholarships
- The UK government’s global scholarship programme, funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and partner organizations, making awards to outstanding scholars with leadership potential from around the world to study postgraduate courses at universities in the UK
- Scholars come from over 116 countries worldwide, with the program supporting approximately 700 individuals per year
- Covers full tuition, a living allowance, and return airfare — making it one of the most comprehensive travel-inclusive funding packages available globally
- Visit chevening.org for country-specific eligibility and application details
Commonwealth Scholarships
- One of the most prestigious and impactful scholarship programs in the world, established to promote academic excellence, leadership, and development among talented individuals from Commonwealth nations
- Benefits include full tuition fees, a monthly living allowance, return airfare from the scholar’s home country to the UK, and thesis and research grants for fieldwork, conferences, and research materials
- Available at master’s and PhD levels across a range of disciplines
- Visit cscuk.fcdo.gov.uk for program types, eligible countries, and deadlines
DAAD Research Grants (German Academic Exchange Service)
- The world’s largest funding organization of its kind, supporting well over 100,000 German and international students and researchers annually
- The DAAD Research Grants program offers doctoral students the opportunity to pursue a 7–12 month research project at a university or research institute in Germany, in coordination with an academic adviser
- The grant includes a monthly stipend, payments toward health, accident, and personal liability insurance, a one-off research allowance, and a travel allowance
- Open to doctoral students from nearly all countries; German language skills are not required
- Visit daad.de for current programs and application deadlines
The Ford Foundation Fellowship Programs
- Administered by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
- Supports scholars from underrepresented groups pursuing academic careers, with predoctoral, dissertation, and postdoctoral fellowships available
- Visit fordfoundation.org for current programs
James Madison Fellowship Foundation
- Established by Congress to support the study of the U.S. Constitution in secondary education
- Junior Fellowships are awarded to students near the completion of undergraduate study who plan to pursue graduate work full-time, with two years to complete their degree
- Senior Fellowships support experienced teachers pursuing graduate degrees on a part-time basis, with up to five years to complete
- Visit jamesmadison.gov for eligibility details
National Science Foundation (NSF)
- Supports graduate research through the Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP), one of the most competitive and well-known awards in STEM fields
- Also funds international research collaborations and postdoctoral fellowships in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology
- Primarily for U.S. citizens and nationals, with some international collaboration programs open more broadly
- Visit nsf.gov for programs relevant to your field and career stage
Rhodes Scholarship
- Open to students of all disciplines with strong academic records, demonstrated leadership, and a commitment to service
- Tenable at the University of Oxford for up to three years
- Administered through country-specific selection committees across dozens of eligible countries worldwide
- Visit rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk for application information
Funding Academic Travel for Postdoctoral Researchers
DAAD PRIME (Postdoctoral Researchers International Mobility Experience)
- Supports international mobility in the postdoctoral phase through fixed-term positions at German universities, including a 12-month posting abroad and a six-month integration phase at a German university
- Designed to help postdocs build independent research careers with genuine international experience embedded in the program structure
- Visit daad.de/prime for program details and eligibility
Fulbright Scholar Program
- One of the most well-known and competitive sources of funding for international academic travel
- Offers more than 400 awards annually in over 135 countries to teach, conduct research, and carry out professional projects
- The Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program provides grants to approximately 850 foreign scholars from over 100 countries to conduct post-doctoral research at U.S. institutions, from an academic semester to a full academic year
- Awards typically cover round-trip international travel, a monthly stipend, and a professional allowance
- Visit fulbrightscholars.org to search awards by country and discipline
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) – European Union
- MSCA fellowships offer researchers the opportunity to enhance their careers through advanced training and cross-border and cross-sector mobility, open to all research and innovation areas with topics chosen by applicants in a fully bottom-up manner
- Provides well-paid opportunities at top research facilities across Europe, with a monthly living allowance of up to €4,880 and a mobility allowance of up to €600 per month for travel and related expenses
- Open to researchers of any nationality; both European and Global fellowship tracks are available
- Visit ec.europa.eu/research/mariecurieactions for current calls and deadlines
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- Offers a range of training and research opportunities including post-baccalaureate research programs, graduate training, and clinical research fellowships
- Many programs include funding for travel to research sites or conferences
- Visit training.nih.gov for current opportunities
School for Advanced Research (SAR)
- Offers competitive residential fellowships in Santa Fe, New Mexico for scholars in the social sciences and humanities
- Awards support extended periods of focused research and writing in residence
- Visit sarweb.org for fellowship details
Social Science Research Council (SSRC)
- Offers pre-dissertation and dissertation fellowships, postdoctoral fellowships, and advanced research grants across the social sciences and humanities
- Several programs specifically support international fieldwork and research travel
- Visit ssrc.org to browse current programs
Funding Academic Travel for Faculty & Senior Scholars
American Philosophical Society
- Supports research-focused grants and fellowships for scholars pursuing work in the humanities and sciences
- Awards are made to individuals only; applicants must be U.S. residents or American citizens residing abroad
- Grants are intended for active research, not conference attendance
- Visit amphilsoc.org for current programs and cycles
Chevening Fellowships
- Distinct from the Chevening Scholarship programme, Chevening Fellowships are aimed at mid-career professionals already in positions of leadership who want to further develop in their field of expertise
- Fellows spend time in the UK on a short course or self-directed professional or academic research, with the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues and peers — designed for those who cannot take a full year out of work
- Open to professionals from Chevening-eligible countries across a wide range of disciplines
- Visit chevening.org/fellowships for current offerings
The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
- Provides fellowships to scholars, artists, and scientists who have already demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship
- Supports research and creative work across disciplines at all career stages, though most recipients are mid-to-senior career academics
- Competitive, peer-reviewed selection process
- Visit gf.org to learn about eligibility and application timelines
MacArthur Fellows Program
- Provides five-year, unrestricted fellowships (commonly known as “genius grants”) to exceptionally creative individuals across a wide range of fields, including academia
- Selection is by nomination only — the program does not accept direct applications
- Fellows are free to use awards for research, travel, or any purpose that advances their work
- Visit macfound.org for more information
The NEA Foundation
- Supports professional development for educators through grants aimed at enhancing teaching and learning
- Funding has supported teacher-scholars pursuing professional enrichment opportunities, including travel
- Visit neafoundation.org for grant details
National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)
- Offers fellowships supporting six to twelve months of full-time research in the humanities, including history, philosophy, linguistics, literature, archaeology, comparative religion, and related fields
- Awards are intended for projects that make a significant contribution to humanistic knowledge, with travel and residency supported as part of the broader fellowship
- Visit neh.gov for current programs
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
- Offers fellowships designed to develop executive leadership skills in healthcare, structured to allow recipients to remain in their current positions
- Award includes an experiential component that may involve travel
- Visit rwjf.org for fellowship information
United States Institute of Peace (USIP)
- An independent, nonpartisan federal institution supporting research, education, and training on the peaceful resolution of international conflicts
- Fellowships and grants are available for scholars working on conflict resolution, diplomacy, and related subjects, including those requiring international travel
- Visit usip.org for grant and fellowship details
W.K. Kellogg Foundation
- Provides grant funding in areas including children’s education and health, family economic security, racial equity, and civic engagement
- While not exclusively focused on academic travel, Kellogg funding has supported researchers and educators working across these areas
- Visit wkkf.org for grant information
Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation
- Awards approximately 20 residential fellowships annually for scholars working on topics at the intersection of the social sciences, humanities, and public policy
- Open to both national and international research topics; awarded through international competition
- Visit wilsoncenter.org for current programs and deadlines
Plan Your Academic Housing Worldwide
Securing funding is only half the equation — finding the right place to stay while you’re in the field is the other. SabbaticalHomes.com features rentals and home exchanges in cities and university towns around the world, from Europe and North America to Asia, Australia, and beyond. Whether you’re headed to Berlin for a DAAD residency, Oxford for a Rhodes term, or a research site somewhere in between, browse our global listings to find furnished housing that fits your academic schedule and budget.
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