Allocation of research funding is central to the Society’s work of supporting historians and historical research.
In the financial year 2024/25, the Society awarded nearly £150,000 in small grant funding to historians through open competitions, generously assisted by partner organisations and donors. Details of current open calls for funding applications are provided below.
Funding is available to historians at three career stages. Please follow the links for further information on:
- Postgraduate Research Funding for historians studying for a History Masters degree or PhD
- Early Career Research Funding for historians within 5 years of completing a doctorate in History
- Open Research Funding for historians further on from PhD completion, or in mid / later career employed in Higher Education or in other sectors aligned to history
In 2025 the Society is running five additional funding programmes open to historians at all career stages. Please follow the links for more on our annual:
- David Berry Fellowship, to undertake work relating to the history of Scotland or the Scottish people worldwide
- Funded Book Workshops, supporting mid-career historians writing a second or third monograph
- Jinty Nelson Teaching Fellowships, to facilitate innovative and creative teaching practice
- Scouloudi Panel Grants, enabling historians to host conference panels
- Scouloudi Public History Grants, to support projects between academic historians and those working outside higher education
- Workshop Grants, enabling historians to come together to discuss projects in detail
Current calls for research funding
The following programmes currently invite applications before the deadlines:
- Postgraduate Research Support Grants provide funding of either £500 or £1000 to historians to undertake historical research. Activities include visiting archives and historical sites, and travel to academic conferences. These grants are available to members of the Royal Historical Society who are postgraduate students currently undertaking research for a Master’s or PhD degree). Next closing date: Friday 5 December 2025.
- Early Career Research Support Grants provide funding of either £500 or £1000 to historians to undertake historical research. Activities include visiting archives and historical sites, and travel to academic conferences. These grants are available to members of the Royal Historical Society who are within five years of completion of a PhD in history or a cognate subject. Next closing date: Friday 5 December 2025.
- David Berry Fellowship in the History of Scotland and the Scottish People provides an annual award of up to £2,500 to undertake research on the history of Scotland and the Scottish people worldwide. This grant is available to members of the Royal Historical Society at any career stage. Next closing date: Friday 6 March 2026.
Applicants for Royal Historical Society funding must be members of the Society, with exceptions for several Postgraduate grants. To find out how to become a Fellow, Associate Fellow, Member or Postgraduate Member, please see our Join Us page.
Details of current holders of Research Fellowships and recipients of Research Funding are available here.
All enquiries about Research Funding should be sent to the Society’s Membership and Grants Officer at: membership@royalhistsoc.org.
HEADER IMAGE: Bowl with a scholar, anon, c.1575-99, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, public domain.