Apply for the Gerda Henkel Foundation Research Scholarship 2026–2027: Funding for Historical Humanities Researchers Worldwide @2027: Funding for Historical Humanities Researchers Worldwide

Application Deadline: 20 November 2026

Researchers in the historical humanities are invited to apply for the prestigious Research Scholarship Programme offered by the Gerda Henkel Foundation.

Designed to support outstanding scholars pursuing independent research, the programme provides funding for postdoctoral and senior researchers working on historically oriented projects across a range of disciplines.

Open to applicants worldwide regardless of nationality or institutional affiliation, the scholarship enables researchers to dedicate themselves full-time to innovative projects that advance knowledge in the historical humanities.

About the Gerda Henkel Foundation Research Scholarship

The Gerda Henkel Foundation is one of Europe’s leading funding organizations supporting research in the historical humanities. Through its General Research Grants Programme, the Foundation supports scholars conducting research that deepens understanding of historical developments, societies, cultures, and ideas.

Funding is available for projects in:

• Archaeology
• History
• Art History
• Historical Islamic Studies
• History of Science
• History of Law
• Prehistory and Early History

Applications from related disciplines are also welcome, provided the research question has a strong historical focus.

Who Can Apply?

The Research Scholarship is intended for individual researchers seeking financial support for their own research activities.

Eligible applicants must:

• Hold a PhD degree.
• Have received their PhD within the last ten years.
• Have already published their doctoral dissertation.
• Propose a research project that is clearly distinct from their PhD research.
• Be able to commit to the project on a full-time basis.
• Not be receiving a salary or pension during the scholarship period.

The programme welcomes applications from researchers around the world and does not require applicants to be affiliated with a university or research institution.

Scholarship Benefits

The scholarship supports researchers for periods ranging from one month to 24 months.

Funding may include:

• Monthly research scholarship payments
• Family allowances where applicable
• Additional support for international research stays
• Funding for student assistants
• Travel grants
• Research-related material expenses

The scholarship allows researchers to focus entirely on their projects while benefiting from financial support tailored to their research needs.

Eligibility Conditions

Applicants should note the following requirements:

• Previous Gerda Henkel Foundation research scholarship recipients must wait at least five years before reapplying.
• Applicants whose previous proposal was rejected must wait three years before submitting a new application.
• Previously rejected projects cannot be resubmitted.
• Projects must demonstrate originality and scholarly significance within the historical humanities.

For senior scholars in academic systems where a habilitation is not available, holding a permanent senior academic appointment may be considered equivalent.

Why Apply?

The Gerda Henkel Foundation Research Scholarship is recognized internationally for supporting high-quality scholarship in the humanities. The programme provides researchers with the freedom, resources, and flexibility needed to undertake ambitious historical research projects with global relevance.

Whether investigating ancient civilizations, legal history, scientific developments, cultural heritage, or comparative historical processes, successful applicants gain valuable support to advance their academic careers and contribute to important scholarly debates.

Application Deadline

The next application deadline for the Research Scholarship Programme is:

20 November 2026

Researchers are encouraged to review the full application requirements and prepare their proposals well in advance of the deadline.

For scholars seeking dedicated funding to pursue innovative historical humanities research, the Gerda Henkel Foundation Research Scholarship offers an exceptional opportunity to focus on impactful and internationally relevant scholarship.

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Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) is not the organization offering this opportunity. For any inquiries, please contact the official organization directly. Please do not send your applications & CVs to GSO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails, we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding

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