Fellowships & Programs for Junior Scholars

The GHI supports the most promising junior scholars from Germany, Europe, and North America to help them pursue and develop their research projects and careers.

Supporting the careers of junior scholars (Nachwuchsförderung) is one of the institute's core missions. Our various fellowships provide critical funding for research in the United States as well as the chance to connect with scholars at the GHI and the larger research community in North America. Our seminars and programs for junior scholars have proven to be a successful format that provide networking opportunities and important introductions to research infrastructure on both sides of the Atlantic. Our internships help introduce promising students to our work and foster transatlantic exchange. And our prizes reward excellent research by historians of Germany in North America and historians of North America and transatlantic history in Germany; generating vital visibility for their research. 

Please visit our opportunities page for a list of current calls for papers and fellowship deadlines.

Fellowship Program


As part of the GHI Washington’s mission to promote junior scholars in both Europe and North America, the institute awards a number of fellowships each year to serve several different purposes and provide opportunities for different types of scholars. Through its home in Washington as well as its regional office in Berkeley, the GHI is well-positioned to connect scholars to major universities within the U.S as well as provide proximity to world-renowned research facilities. The fellowships are an important means for furthering international dialogue, particularly between European and North American academics. Below you'll find links and descriptions for all of our current offerings. 

Short-Term Fellowships


Doctoral and Postdoctoral Research Fellowships

The GHI awards short-term (1-5 Month) fellowships twice a year to European and North American doctoral students and postdoctoral scholars to pursue research projects that draw upon primary sources located in the United States. 


Fritz Thyssen Pre-Dissertation Fellowships for Students in German & European History at West Coast Universities

GHI PRO and the Department of History at UC Berkeley grant up to five summer fellowships to graduate students in German and European History to visit German archives and libraries to review material for their dissertation.


Gerald D. Feldman Travel Grants

Once a year, supported by the Peters Beer Foundation as well as the Marga und Kurt Möllgaard Foundation, the Max Weber Foundation (MWS) awards Gerald D. Feldman Travel Grants to young academics with an international focus.


GHI Fellowships at the Horner Library

Each summer the GHI and the German Society of Pennsylvania sponsor two to four fellowships of up to four weeks for research at the Joseph Horner Memorial Library in Philadelphia. 


Guest Scholars Program

The GHI guest scholar program is designed to give visiting doctoral and postdoctoral scholars who have their own funding a base for their independent research in either Washington, DC or at the GHI’s branch office at the University of California, Berkeley (GHI PRO). 

 

Long-term Fellowships


Binational Tandem Fellowship in the History of Migration at GHI PRO in Berkeley

GHI Pacific Office and IES at UC Berkeley offer German and North American postdoctoral scholars the opportunity to develop a binational research tandem in order to work on research projects in the field of the history of migration at GHI Pacific Office two years.


Gerda Henkel Fellowship in Digital History

The GHI and the Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media at the George Mason University offer a 12-month fellowship for postdoctoral scholars and advanced doctoral students based in Europe to develop and work on a research project at one of the leading centers for digital history in North America.


Long-term Visiting Fellowships at GHI Washington

The GHI offers long-term visiting fellowships for a period of 6 to 12 months to postdoctoral scholars and advanced doctoral students in a variety of thematic areas close to the GHI's research foci.

 

FAQ


GENERAL QUESTIONS


What types of fellowships does the GHI offer?

The GHI offers short-term and long-term research fellowships to support archival research in North America. Short-term fellowships are intended to support archival research anywhere in North America for 1 to 5 months. Fellows are also expected to present their research in the GHI colloquium sometime during their fellowship.

Long-term fellowships are in residence at the GHI. Fellows will be provided with workspace in the GHI library and integrated into the scholarly community at the GHI. They are expected to participate in colloquia, seminars, public events, and present their research in the research seminar. They will have the ability to visit the archives and libraries in the Washington metropolitan region as well make trips to archives further afield during their fellowship


What types of research does the GHI’s fellowship program support?

The GHI’s fellowship program is intended to support archival research for qualification projects – e.g. dissertation, habitation, or other tenure-related projects. The fellowships are not intended to solely support manuscript revision.


Can I apply to for a GHI fellowship to research in Germany?

GHI Fellowships are almost exclusively intended to support archival research in North America. Fellows are obligated to remain in the country for the duration of their GHI fellowship unless otherwise approved. 


If unsuccessful, may I re-apply for the fellowship?

Yes, the GHI accepts re-applications. We often receive many more qualified applications than we can support in a given year. Therefore, we do accept applications from past unsuccessful applicants. 


Is there an age limit for GHI fellowships?

No, while the GHI fellowships in general are intended to support doctoral scholars and junior scholars working towards tenure or on a habilitation project, we do not have specific age requirements for the fellowships.


Are GHI fellowships restricted to citizens of Germany or the United States?

GHI fellowships are open to scholars based at North American and European universities and research institutes regardless of citizenship. Additionally, fellowships are open to German citizens based in countries outside of Europe or North America. 


Are tenured faculty and professors eligible to apply for GHI Fellowships?

In general, GHI Fellowships are intended to support doctoral students and junior scholars – that is scholars working toward tenure and on habilitation projects. Nevertheless, the GHI occasionally offers options for tenured faculty. If you are unsure, please inquire with the Fellowships Officer. 


Are independent scholars eligible to apply for GHI Fellowships?

Individuals qualify for fellowships if they fulfill the academic prerequisites. A current university or other research affiliation is not necessary in order to apply.


My doctoral degree has not been granted at the time of application. Am I still eligible to apply for a postdoctoral scholarship?

Yes, doctoral candidates who will submit and defend their dissertation after the deadline date, but before the start date for the fellowship are eligible to apply for postdoctoral fellowships.


Does the GHI provide funding for preliminary research?

No, GHI fellowships are not intended to support preliminary or exploratory research. For doctoral candidates, the expectation is for them to have ABD status or the equivalent and to have already written a dissertation proposal. For postdoctoral scholars, the expectation is for them to be working on fully fledged research projects or habilitation projects.


Can GHI fellowships be used for manuscript composition or revision?

No, GHI fellowships are intended to support archival research rather than serving as writing fellowships. While fellows are certainly able to work on their manuscripts the main intention is to support archival research. 


Does the fellowship include health insurance?

GHI fellowships do not include health insurance. Fellows coming from Germany are eligible for the DAAD’s partner rate for health insurance. Please inquire with the Fellowship Officer for more details.


Does the GHI Washington provide additional funding for travel costs?

The GHI can provide additional subsidies toward domestic, research-related travel costs during the fellowship. Please contact the Fellowship Officer to learn more.


QUESTIONS ABOUT APPLYING


Does the GHI Washington provide any additional funding for fellows that are accompanied by dependent children?

Currently, the GHI can offer a small subsidy for long-term fellows who are accompanied by children during their fellowship. Please inquire with the fellowship program officer about the latest amounts.


If granted, when do I need to start my fellowship? 

Short-term fellows are expected to take their fellowship within a year of notification. Long-term fellows are expected to begin their fellowship upon the advertised start date.


In what language should the application be written?

Applicants may write in either English or German; we recommend that they use the language in which they are most proficient.


Whom should I ask to write my letters of recommendation? How should the letters of recommendation be submitted? 

Advisors or scholarly colleagues who are familiar with the credentials and research of the applicant should send recommendation letters. Recommendation letters should ideally be sent separately from the application directly by the referee to maintain confidentiality.  


I do not have access to a copy of my last diploma. Does the GHI Washington accept other documents?

Yes, we will accept most recent transcripts as well as other documents that confirm your current academic status in place of diplomas.


When will I hear back about the decision?

The committee tries to review applications as quickly as possible to provide an answer to applicants. As a general rule of thumb applicants should expect and answer within two to three months of the deadline.


Does the GHI Washington provide feedback about the fellowship decisions?

As a policy, the GHI does not provide feedback to unsuccessful applicants in order to maintain the confidentiality of the review committee.


Fellowship Conditions

Download Fellowships Conditions

Seminars for Junior Scholars


The GHI’s seminars for junior scholars pursue three main objectives: first, to provide a platform for doctoral students and recent PhDs – from North America and Europe, especially Germany – to present and discuss their research projects with colleagues and senior faculty; second, to allow these junior scholars to meet colleagues from the other side of the Atlantic and thus begin forming a transatlantic network of scholars working on related topics; third, to familiarize doctoral students and recent PhDs with the work of the German Historical Institute with a view to continued future cooperation. 

Below you'll find links and descriptions for all of our current offerings as well as information about past programs.

Seminars


Bucerius Young Scholars Forum at GHI PRO at UC Berkeley

The Bucerius Young Scholars Forum in Berkeley is designed to bring together a transatlantic group of ten junior scholars from Germany, Europe and North America to explore new research questions in the history of migration. 


Junior Scholars Conference in German-Jewish History

The Junior Scholars Conference in German-Jewish History brings together a small transatlantic group of junior scholars to discuss and explore new research and questions in German Jewish history and 19th and 20th history more broadly.


Medieval History Seminar

The Medieval History Seminar occurs every two years and brings together PhD candidates and recent PhD recipients from all areas of medieval history for three days of scholarly discussion and collaboration.


Transatlantic Doctoral Seminar (TDS)

The TDS is an annual seminar organized by the GHI and the BMW Center for German and European Studies at Georgetown University to bring together young scholars from Europe and North America who and are nearing completion of their doctoral degrees in nineteenth or the twentieth century German History.


Workshop on Early Modern German History

The biennial workshop takes place at GHI London and is the principal forum for cross-disciplinary discussion of new research on early modern German-speaking Central Europe. 


Archival Summer Schools


Archival Summer Seminar in Germany

The Archival Summer Seminar was offered from 1990 until 2016. The two-week program for advanced graduate students in German historical studies trained participants to read old German script, familiarized them with German research facilities (archives and libraries), provided a forum for discussing research methods, and helped prepare them for their prospective dissertation research trips to Germany.


Archival Summer School in the United States for Junior Historians

The Archival Summer School in the United States for Junior Historians was offered from 2004 until 2017. The program for doctoral students from Germany and the United States prepared students working in the field of American history for their prospective research trips. Participants learned how to contact archives, use finding aids, identify important reference tools, and become acquainted with miscellaneous American research facilities.


 

Internship Program


The GHI Internship Program gives students of history, political science, public relations, and public administration at German and U.S. universities an opportunity to gain experience at a scholarly research institute. The program is very flexible: the GHI will try to accommodate accepted interns’ interests, abilities, and goals. 

Below you'll find links and descriptions for all of our current offerings.

Internships


Research, Public Relations/Communications, and Public Administration Internships

Research internships give students in history and political science the opportunity to experience a research-oriented internship, in which they would assist with individual research projects and help with our publications and digital projects, including research activities. Public relations internships give students an opportunity to intern with our communications and press team. Public administration internships provide the opportunity for students in the fields of public administration or public management in Germany the opportunity to intern in the administration of the GHI to gain experience in different fields, such as finances and auditing, human resources (including related legal issues).


Prizes


The GHI offers several prizes to reward excellent research from two important constituent groups for the institute: historians of Germany in North America and historians of North America and Transatlantic History in Germany; and generates vital visibility for their research. 

Below you'll find links and descriptions for all of our current prizes as well as information about prizes we awarded in the past.

Prizes


Franz Steiner Prize

The Franz Steiner Verlag and the GHI award the Franz Steiner Prize in Transatlantic History every two years to an outstanding scholarly book manuscript in the field of North American studies or transatlantic relations from the early modern period to the present.


Fritz Stern Dissertation Prize

The Friends of the German Historical Institute award the Fritz Stern Dissertation Prize for the best doctoral dissertation on a topic in German history written at a North American university. 


Helmut Schmidt Prize in German-American Economic History

The Helmut Schmidt Prize, which was awarded by the German Historical Institute Washington from 2007 to 2015, paid tribute to the former German chancellor for his part in transforming the framework of transatlantic economic cooperation.