Gerda Henkel Foundation: Funding Opportunities for Scholars at Risk Grant

Gerda Henkel Foundation: Funding Opportunities for Scholars at Risk Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Gerda Henkel Foundation
Last Updated: March 04, 2026

Summary

The Gerda Henkel Foundation provides funding opportunities for scholars at risk, supporting researchers in historical humanities facing crises. The program includes subsistence scholarships for initial orientation, as well as doctoral and research scholarships for up to two years. Applications are accepted year-round, and eligibility extends to those with proof of threat and affiliation with institutions outside their home countries. This initiative aims to aid scholars from regions like Syria, Afghanistan, and Ukraine in their academic pursuits.

Overview

NOTE: Firstly, please send us an email with a brief description of your personal situation and the planned doctoral or research project. After a preliminary check by the office and feedback that an application can in principle be submitted, you will receive information on the application documents needed. The Foundation can be approached by both the academics concerned and by employees of potential host institutions.Applications can be submitted at any time. The processing time for a complete application is usually a maximum of four months. Background In its role as an internationally active institution in the field of science promotion, the Gerda Henkel Foundation supports scholars in the event of acute crisis to reorient themselves scientifically outside their home countries. In the past, the Foundation has developed a series of temporary programs in response to the situation in specific countries and regions: in 2015, a temporary funding initiative was established for threatened and refugee scholars from the Near and Middle East, in which doctoral and research scholarships for academics from Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Turkey were awarded. In 2021 and 2022, the Foundation developed corresponding programs for scholars from Afghanistan, Ethiopia and Ukraine. Since 2023, the Foundation has been offering a geographically open scholarship program for threatened and refugee scholars from crisis areas to supplement its regular funding programs. Types of Funding Awarded are: Subsistence scholarships (max. 6 months) for initial orientation in the respective host countries and for the development of academic or alternative career perspectivesDoctoral scholarships with a funding period of up to two yearsResearch scholarships with a funding period of up to one year

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Eligible to apply are researchers working in the disciplines supported by the Foundation in the field of historical humanities. The application can also be submitted by the supervising academic institution on behalf of the scholar.In addition, topics and disciplines from the Foundation’s current special programs and funding priorities will be considered.Prerequisites for funding are:Proof of threat (“statement of risk”)Having left home country no longer than approx. three years agoProof of affiliation with a university or another research institution outside the home country in form of a letter confirming supervisionApplications which the Foundation has turned down cannot be resubmitted, even for a different funding initiative or in a revised version.Candidates can apply regardless of their nationality and place of work.

Ineligibility

Support is not provided for:final projects of bachelor and master studentsstudies under PhD levelpositions (temporary or permanent)academic institutions by way of endowmentsfestschrifts or dictionariesannual meetings and academic anniversariespublications which are not related to projects already being supported by the Foundationexcursionsconferences that are not initiated by the Foundationindividual trips to attend scholarly conferences outside the scope of the projects receiving fundingexhibition projects which are not related to projects already supported by the FoundationIf not part of the thematic special funding programmes, support cannot be provided for projects and persons in the following fields:MedicineNatural and Engineering SciencesPsychologyLinguistics and Literature StudiesDrama or Film StudiesEconomicsFoundation does not cover overhead costs.Foundation does not cover college or tuition fees.