General Funding: Research Fellowships (Gerda Henkel Foundation)

The Gerda Henkel Foundation supports doctoral or postdoctoral scholars in the historical humanities nationwide with personal research fellowships. In the disciplines of archaeology, history, historical Islamic studies, art history, legal history, prehistory and early history, as well as the history of science, full-time fellowships are granted for independent research projects without institutional affiliation. The funding includes a monthly base amount of €2,760 (doctoral graduates) or €3,720 (postdoctoral scholars), plus possible family and foreign allowances depending on the qualification level. Additionally, travel and material expenses for archive visits, procurement of materials, and similar costs may be applied for. The funding period is flexible, ranging from 1 to 24 months, during which fellows dedicate their working time entirely to the research project.

For the application, a doctoral degree or habilitation (not older than ten years for doctoral graduates), a previously published dissertation, and a research project clearly distinct from the doctoral topic must be demonstrated. Concurrent receipt of salary, old-age pension, or retirement pension is excluded. Applications must be submitted digitally by May 28, 2026 and include a project outline with timeline, detailed budget, curriculum vitae in tabular form, academic certificates, and at least one expert review. The evaluation focuses on the scientific quality of the project, the publication status of the dissertation, and thematic independence. A positive decision allows funding to commence from December 2026. These grants strengthen the research freedom of outstanding individual scholars and promote innovative contributions to historical research.