The mission of the American Society of Overseas Research (ASOR) is to initiate, encourage, and support research and public understanding of the history and cultures of the Near East and wider Mediterranean world, from the earliest times. ASOR aims to achieve its mission in a manner that is apolitical and without any religious affiliation.
ASOR focuses on providing numerous scholarships and grants for individuals to participate in fieldwork related to the archaeology of Western Asia and the wider Mediterranean. The scholarships, including those funded by ASOR members, aim to support student and early-career members engaging in ASOR-affiliated archaeological projects. These scholarships, typically amounting to $2,000 each, are geared towards enabling participation in excavations, surveys, and other related archaeological activities. The overarching objective is to bolster research and educational opportunities in archaeology, as well as to support the projects themselves. Since 2007, ASOR has contributed over $1 million in excavation grants, dig and survey scholarships, travel scholarships, and other research fellowships to more than 900 researchers and students.