Gerda Henkel Research Scholarships

The Gerda Henkel Foundation offers General Research Funding Programme support focused on the Historical Humanities. Research Scholarships are one of the funding types within the programme and are intended for a personal scholarship to finance the recipient’s working hours. Travel and material expenses may be requested in addition.

Research Scholarships are aimed at postdoctoral researchers and scholars with Post Doctoral Lecture Qualification. Applications for research scholarships can be submitted directly by Postdocs or scholars with Post Doctoral Lecture Qualification. The scholarship is usually applied for by an individual scholar working on a specific project on their own, and no institutional affiliation is required. Applications for eligible fields include Archaeology, History of Art, Historical Islamic Studies, History, History of Science, History of Law, and Prehistory and Early History; neighbouring disciplines are possible if the core research question is historically oriented.

Selection is based on eligibility rules for the research scholarship. The Foundation requires a PhD that meets timing criteria and a published dissertation, the proposed research project to differ clearly from the PhD thesis, and additional constraints for applicants previously funded or previously rejected by the Foundation. The support period generally runs between one and 24 months; the Foundation assumes full-time work, part-time scholarships are not possible, and concurrent receipt of a salary or pension/retirement benefits is not permitted. The Foundation describes the scholarship as including fixed monthly rates, plus travel aid and material aid as required.

• Support does not depend on the applicant’s nationality or location.
• No institutional affiliation is necessary.
• The applicant must hold a PhD or a formal second academic qualification ("habilitation" or comparabl).
• Only full-time scholarships are available.
• A scholarship cannot be granted if the person is also receiving a salary or drawing a pension.
• Support period must be a minimum of one month and a maximum of 24 months.
• The PhD must have been awarded not more than ten earlier.
• The PhD thesis must already have been published.
• The research project must differ clearly from the topic of the PhD thesis.
• Any prior Gerda Henkel Foundation research scholarship must have been granted at least five earlier.
• The last rejected application must have been submitted at least three earlier.
• Projects already rejected by the Gerda Henkel Foundation may not be re-submitted.
• Doctoral candidates are not eligible to apply for research projects or research scholarships.
• Postdoctoral researchers must meet the same eligibility criteria to all scholarship holders, regardless of the funding type.
• In higher education systems where a second qualification is not part of the academic structure, the Foundation will as a rule regard a permanent (normally tenured) professorship or other permanent higher education teaching position at a mid-level or senior rank (e.g. Associate/Full/Distinguished Professor, Senior Lecturer, Reader, Professor) as equivalent to the habilitation.
• At the time of application, the dissertation must already have been published by a publishing house in print or digital form.
• A publishing contract alone is not sufficient.
• In the case of applications for research scholarships after Post Doctoral Lecture Qualification, the stated restrictions about the timing of the PhD and dissertation publishing do not apply.
• Applications for a “research scholarship for post-doctoral researchers” may only be made if the applicant received their PhD within the last ten; potential periods of absence such as parental leave or other caring responsibilities and periods of professional training are factored in on a general basis.
• For applicants previously funded by the Foundation: applications may only be made if applicants received a previous Gerda Henkel Foundation research scholarship more than five earlier.
• For applicants previously rejected by the Foundation: no renewed application for a project rejected by the Gerda Henkel Foundation may be made.
• For applicants previously rejected by the Foundation: a new project may be submitted if the last rejected application was made more than three earlier.

• Monthly scholarship award for Research Scholarships for Postdocs: 2,760 EUR.
• Additional family grant for one child under 18 (Research Scholarships for Postdocs): 480 EUR per month.
• Additional family grant for each further child (Research Scholarships for Postdocs): 120 EUR per month.
• Travel aid: as required.
• Material aid: as required.
• Monthly scholarship award for Research Scholarships after Post Doctoral Lecture Qualification: 3,720 EUR.

1. Apply electronically for the general research grants.
2. Use the electronic application form to upload the required application documents.
3. Prepare the required research proposal description and budget/cost plan in line with the stated format requirements (including euro costs and rules for scholarship allowances, travel and material costs).
4. Submit the application with one letter of recommendation uploaded via the online recommendation form signed by the author.
5. If needed, submit an additional letter of recommendation; the Foundation accepts a maximum of two letters of recommendation per research scholarship application.
6. Do not send application documents additionally by email or postal mail.

• Description of the research proposal (max. 8 pages)
• Plus bibliography if necessary (in addition to the max. 8 pages)
• Time schedule and working plan with information about the necessary travel to archives, libraries and museums or other destinations
• Detailed cost calculation, following the “Guidelines for Preparing the Budget”
• Tabular curriculum vitae with list of publications
• Copies of academic certificates (Masters, PhD, professorship, etc.; do not send Bachelor certificates)
• One letter of recommendation (signed by the author), uploaded via the online recommendation form
• An additional letter of recommendation is possible (maximum of two letters total per research scholarship application)
• In the application: specific funds being applied for must be precisely defined with all costs in euros; scholarships and possible allowances must be listed in the cost plan; travel (travel, local transportation and lodging) and material costs (e.g. photocopies or film versions of archive material, photographs, etc.) must be calculated (not a lump sum for books)