RHS Masters’ Scholarships provide financial support to students from groups currently underrepresented in academic History. Each Scholarship is worth £5,000.
Applications for the 2025-26 round of Scholarships are now invited. The application process is in two stages.
Stage One gathers key information on applicants’ intended course of study and eligibility. To ensure that Scholarships go to those with the greatest need, successful applicants must meet clear eligibility requirements. Stage One opened on Monday 28 April 2025 and will close at 23.59 on Friday 6 June 2025.
Applications for Stage One should be made via the the Society’s applications portal >
Only applications successfully demonstrating eligibility will be moved on to:
Stage Two, which enables applicants to detail their reasons for applying and to elaborate on the impact an RHS Masters Scholarship will have upon their personal and professional aspirations. Stage Two opens on Monday 26 May 2025 and will close at 23.59 on Friday 27 June 2025.
About this programme
For the academic year 2025-26, the Society seeks to award four scholarships to students who will begin a Masters’ degree in History (full or part-time) at a UK university from the start of the next academic year.
The programme, established in 2022, seeks to actively address underrepresentation within the discipline, and enable Black and Asian students, along with those of other minorities, to consider academic research in History.
By supporting Masters’ students the programme focuses on a key early stage in the academic training of future researchers. With these Scholarships, we seek to support students who are without the financial means to study for a Masters’ in History. By doing so, we hope to improve the educational experience of early career historians engaged in a further degree.
There are no conditions on what the award may be spent and may be used to support fees, living expenses etc. during the degree course. Recipients also become Postgraduate Members of the Society.
Before beginning an application for the 2025 Scholarships, please read the following guide to ensure you meet the required eligibility requirements.
Applications for Stage One should be made via the the Society’s applications portal >
Scholarship holders for 2024-25
In autumn 2024, the Society was delighted to announce eight recipients of Masters’ Scholarships for the academic year 2024-25:
- Alana Assis, to study for an MPhil in African Studies at the University of Cambridge
- Megan Barber, to study for an MA in History at the University of Winchester
- Nicole Butler, to study for an MA in Social & Cultural History at the University of Leeds
- Peter Eakin, to study for an MA in Classics and Ancient History at the University of Manchester
- Darcy Gill, to study for an MA in History at Queen Mary University of London
- Avin Houro, to study for an MSt in Global and Imperial History at the University of Oxford
- Sophie Mattholie, to study for an MA in Public History at the University of York
- Lucas Radford, to study for an MA in Maritime History at the University of Plymouth
Supporting the Scholarships programme for the academic year 2025-26
In the first three years of the programme, the Society has awarded 18 Scholarships, thanks to the additional support of the Past & Present Society, the Scouloudi Foundation, the Thriplow Charitable Trust, and a generous donor. The RHS seeks to offer as many Scholarships as we can to talented eligible early career historians.
If you or your organisation would like to help support future rounds of this programme, please email president@royalhistsoc.org to discuss options with the Society’s President, Professor Lucy Noakes.
All other enquiries about the programme should be addressed to: administration@royalhistsoc.org.