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Getty: Postdoctoral Fellowship Grant

The J Paul Getty Trust

Funding Amount

US $35,000

Deadline

Rolling / Open

Grant Type

Foundation

Deadline history & next window

Cycle
Twice a year
Next expected
July 1, 2027
Tracked since
April 2026

Deadlines each year: July 1 · September 1

From the program guidelines: “…should be calculated based on the applicant’s status at the start of the fellowship period, or September 1, rather than the application date.For the Getty Scholars Program at the Villa, eligible applicants must have successfully completed all requirements for the degree,…”

Can we apply?

Check your organization against each line. Taken from the listing; confirm with the funder's guidelines.

Geography

  • Degree conferral should be calculated based on the applicant’s status at the start of the fellowship period, or September 1, rather than the application date.

Other requirements

  • Applications for Postdoctoral Fellowships are welcome from researchers of all nationalities who work in the arts, humanities, or social sciences.
  • For the Getty Scholars Program, eligible applicants must hold degrees that were conferred no more than five years before the start of the fellowship appointment.
  • For the Getty Scholars Program at the Villa, eligible applicants must have successfully completed all requirements for the degree, including the dissertation defense, by July 1, before the start of the fellowship appointment.
  • Applicants who received their doctoral degree before the specified date should apply for a Scholar Grant at the Getty Center or Getty Villa.

Not eligible / not funded

  • Not eligible: Current Getty staff and members of their immediate family are not eligible for Postdoctoral Fellowships

Overview

The Getty Postdoctoral Fellowship supports emerging scholars in art history, offering them the opportunity to engage in research projects linked to annual themes or the African American Art History Initiative. Fellows can reside at either the Getty Center or Getty Villa for nine months, receiving a stipend of $35,000. This prestigious program encourages diverse international applicants and fosters intellectual exchange through access to the Getty Research Institute's collections and participation in scholarly activities.

Supporting early-career scholars from around the world to make substantial and original contributions to the field of art history
Goal
Getty Pre- and Postdoctoral Fellowships are intended for emerging researchers to complete work on projects related to the Scholars Program’s annual theme or African American Art History Initiative (AAAHI). While in residence, fellows may pursue research projects, complete dissertations, or expand dissertations for publication. Recipients also make use of Getty Research Institute (GRI) collections, join in weekly lectures, and participate in intellectual life at Getty. Predoctoral fellows may be in residence at the Getty Center, while Postdoctoral fellows may be in residence at the Getty Center or Getty Villa.
Background
Getty Pre- and Postdoctoral Fellowships are part of the Getty Scholars Program so that a mix of senior scholars and junior fellows compose the cohort. The cohort's research projects are focused on an annual theme. Selected projects have spanned geographical regions and time periods, from ancient to contemporary eras. The three main categories of grants are:
Scholar Grants for established researchers and professionals who have held PhDs for at least 5 years and/or possess strong records of publication and professional activity, at the Getty Center or Getty Villa.
Postdoctoral Fellowships for recently granted PhDs at the Getty Center or Getty Villa
Predoctoral Fellowships for PhD candidates at the Getty Center
Annual Themes
Extinction (Getter Center)Anatolia: The Classical World in Context (Getty Villa)African American Art History Initiative (AAAHI) FellowshipIn addition to the annual theme, grants are available under the AAAHI Fellowship. This residential program provides financial support and housing to scholars who are expanding critical inquiry of African American art and its frameworks. As part of the larger scholar year cohort, AAAHI Fellows have opportunities to present their research and receive feedback from an interdisciplinary group of peers. While proposals do not have to address the concurrent annual theme, they may highlight any salient intersections with it.AAAHI will support two fellows to generate new knowledge in the expanding field of African American art history. Projects that propose engagement with Getty’s growing collections of archival and primary source material related to African American art history—particularly post-World War II—are welcome. However, relevance to Getty holdings is not a project requirement. We invite applications from scholars who focus on African American art and visual culture in all time periods and media and in a broad range of theoretical and methodological traditions. Applicants should indicate how their project would align with AAAHI's aim to make African American art history more visible to the public and accessible to the scholarly community worldwide.
Terms
Postdoctoral Fellows are in residence for nine months from late September to late June. Postdoctoral fellows may be in residence at the Getty Center or Getty Villa.
Amount
Getty Postdoctoral Fellowship recipients receive a stipend of $35,000.

Eligibility

Applications for Postdoctoral Fellowships are welcome from researchers of all nationalities who work in the arts, humanities, or social sciences. For the Getty Scholars Program, eligible applicants must hold degrees that were conferred no more than five years before the start of the fellowship appointment.Degree conferral should be calculated based on the applicant’s status at the start of the fellowship period, or September 1, rather than the application date.For the Getty Scholars Program at the Villa, eligible applicants must have successfully completed all requirements for the degree, including the dissertation defense, by July 1, before the start of the fellowship appointment.Applicants who received their doctoral degree before the specified date should apply for a Scholar Grant at the Getty Center or Getty Villa.After a waiting period of six years, previous Getty Residential Grant recipients in any category are eligible to reapply for another grant in whichever category they are eligible for and interested in.

Ineligibility

Current Getty staff and members of their immediate family are not eligible for Postdoctoral Fellowships

Past recipients of this program

Recent awards under this program (from The J Paul Getty Trust's IRS filings)

35 grants in The J Paul Getty Trust's 2020–2025 filings reference “Postdoctoral Fellowship Grant” in their stated purpose. Amounts and places as reported by the funder.

What The J Paul Getty Trust actually gave

Source: IRS Form 990-PF, 2025

Grants in 2025
492
Total given
$29.1M
Median grant
$7,900
Range
$50–$10.91M
  • By dollars: California 52%, New York 12%, District of Columbia 8%. Top recipient cities: Los Angeles, CA; New York, NY; Pasadena, CA.
  • 0% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
  • 28% of recipients were new grantees, not repeat recipients.

Example grants

  • The Center for Cultural Innovation · Los Angeles, CA

    Trust grants

    $10.91M

  • National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States · Washington, DC

    Keeping it modern

    $1.55M

  • Center for Curatorial Leadership · New York, NY

    Professional development

    $1M

  • Max-Planck-Gesellschaft ZUR Forderung Der Wissenschaften Ev

    Connecting art histories

    $846K

  • James Cook University

    Getty global art and sustainability fellowships

    $443K

IRS Form 990-PF, 2025. Amounts as reported by the funder. Full 990 history →

Focus Areas & Funding Uses

Fields of Work

  • Science research
  • Humanities

Categories

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