Early Career Research Support Grants provide funds to early career historians (historians who are within 5 years of submitting their corrected PhD in a historical subject) to undertake research. Applicants must also be members of the Royal Historical Society. If you wish to join the Society, please see here for details and the benefits of RHS membership. Applications are welcome at any time.
Supported activities include visiting archives or historic sites, and conducting interviews. Please note that this grant cannot be used to support attendance at, or the organisation of, conferences.
Key Dates and Application Timeline
In 2026, grants of either £500 or £1000 per grant (based on the research activity to be undertaken) will be awarded by the Society. The closing dates for applications in 2026 are as follows:
- Friday 5 June 2026 – CLOSED
- Friday 4 December 2026 – OPEN
Calls for this programme are made twice a year. The opening of the next call usually takes place about two months after the close of the previous application round.
Applications for the next round of Early Career Research Support Grants should be submitted via the Society’s application platform.
Applicants should ensure they read the full guidance below for this scheme before beginning their application. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Applicants will receive confirmation of submission by email.
All applications for this and other Research Support grant scheme are reviewed by the RHS Research Support Committee, formed of members of the Society’s Council. Review of applications will not take place until the deadline for submission has passed. An average timeline for review, ratification and notification of the outcome of an application is around six weeks after the deadline. Please note that all applications, successful or otherwise, will be directly notified of their outcome.
All enquiries about the Early Career Research Support Grant Scheme should be sent to the Society’s Membership and Grants Team at [email protected].
How to Apply
As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide:
1. Project Proposal
This should include a clear outline of your research activity (up to 500 words), including:
- The aims of the project.
- The significance of the research.
- Why the proposed activity (e.g. archive visit, interviews etc) is essential.
- Expected outcomes or progress.
2. Funding Request
This should include a detailed summary of the costs for which you are applying, showing:
- A breakdown of anticipated expenses.
- Justification for each cost.
- Confirmation that all items fall within the schemes eligible cost categories. For further information on eligible research support costs, please refer to the Eligible Research Support Costs section below.
3. CV
As part of the application process, we require applicants to upload a short CV in PDF format (normally 1-2 pages).
4. Academic Reference
An academic reference is required for this scheme and applicants must arrange for a referee to submit a supporting statement through the portal. Please note that:
- Applications will only be considered complete once the reference has been received. You will not be able to submit your application until your reference has been uploaded to your application.
- Please allow sufficient time for your referee to provide this before the deadline.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for an Early Career Research Support Grant, applicants must meet all of the following criteria:
- Membership: Early Career Research Support Grants are reserved for those who are current members of the Royal Historical Society, with the subscription fee for the current membership year fully paid at the time of application. To join the Society, please see here.
- Applicant Status: Applicants must be within five years of submitting their corrected doctoral thesis in a historical subject. For the purposes of this scheme, this is defined as within five years of PhD completion, excluding periods of parental leave, illness or caring responsibilities.
- The scheme is not open to: postgraduate research students or applicants who are more than five years beyond submission of their doctoral thesis in a historical subject.
- Research Focus: The proposed research must be historical in nature and have a clearly defined chronological remit.
- Stage of Research: Proposals should demonstrate sufficient preparation and capacity to carry out the proposed research.
- Previous Funding: Applicants who have previously been awarded an ‘Early Career Research Support Grant’ are not be eligible for further funding under the same scheme.
- Timing of Research: Retrospective applications for research that has already been undertaken are not eligible.
- Applicants must ensure that all proposed costs fall within the scheme’s eligible expenses and that any necessary ethical approvals, practical arrangements or access permissions are in place for the proposed research activity. For further details on eligible research support costs, please refer to the Eligible Research Support Costs section below.
Assessment Criteria (What We Look For)
When reviewing applications, we consider:
1. Clarity and Focus
- A clear explanation of the project and the purpose of the research trip/activity.
- Well defined research questions and (if relevant) emerging findings.
2. Scholarly Significance
- Evidence of the historical or disciplinary importance of the project.
- A convincing case for why the proposed activity (archive visit, interviews, conference etc) is essential.
3. Feasibility and Planning
- A realistic plan for the research activity, with appropriate preparation.
- A clear, reasonable budget that follows eligible cost guidelines.
4. Value of the Funding
- How the requested support will directly advance or enrich the project.
- Expected outputs or benefits (e.g. chapter progress, article development, conference presentation).
5. Applicant Circumstances
- Consideration will be given to financial need and access to other sources of support. This information may be used to prioritise applications for funding; however, access to other sources of funding alone will not invalidate an application.
Eligible Research Support Costs
1.Travel
- Standard Class transport
- Mileage at reasonable or institutional rates
- Local transport during the research trip
- Travel insurance where required or recommended for the trip
2. Accommodation & Subsistence
- Necessary overnight accommodation
- Meals and daily incidental expenses (within standard, reasonable rates)
3. Access & Reproduction Fees
- Archive/library access fees or reader cards
- Entry fees for historic sites
- Photocopying, scanning, digital reproduction charges
- Photography permits (where applicable)
4. Interview Costs
- Travel to conduct interviews
- Room hire
- Recording equipment
5. Post-Visit Collation
- Data collection or preparation services
- Short-term software licenses needed for analysis (e.g. transcription or qualitative analysis tools)
6. Accessibility-Related Costs
- Support required to enable researchers with disabilities to carry out fieldwork
Costs Not Covered
- Paying someone else to conduct research on the applicant’s behalf (e.g., hiring a research assistant, commissioning someone to visit an archive, or outsourcing research tasks)
- Equipment purchases (e.g., laptops, cameras, phones, long-term recording devices)
- Conference fees or travel not directly related to the funded research activity
- Salary, stipends, or payments for the applicant’s own time
- Long-term software subscriptions
- Regular living expenses (rent, utilities, everyday food not linked to travel)
- Personal or leisure costs (tourism, souvenirs, personal items)
- Retrospective claims for expenses made before the grant was awarded
- Unreasonable or premium travel/accommodation costs where cheaper alternatives are available
All enquiries about Research Funding should be sent to the Society’s Membership and Grants Team at: [email protected].
Early Career Research Support Grant recipients in 2026
- Basudhita Basu – awarded January 2026
- Gabriel Lawson – awarded January 2026
- Larissa Johanna Kraft – awarded January 2026
- Waliu Ismaila – awarded January 2026
- Nilakshi Das – awarded January 2026
HEADER IMAGE: Henry Heide Confectionary Co.- Seven Buildings Occupied by the Business, after 1882, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, public domain.