The Royal Historical Society (RHS) today launches a new programme to actively address underrepresentation and encourage Black and Asian students to consider academic research in History.
The Society is making available four scholarships, each of £5000, for students who’ll begin either a full-time or part-time Masters’ degree in History at a UK university from autumn 2022.
Further details of eligibility for the programme and how to apply are available here.
The Scholarships continue and develop the Society’s commitment to tackling underrepresentation in academic History. By supporting Masters’ students the programme also focuses on a key early stage in the academic training of future researchers. With these Scholarships, the RHS seeks to support students who are without the financial means to study for a Masters’ in History. By doing so, we seek to improve the educational experience of four early career historians engaged in a further degree.
The Society intends that the Scholarships become an annual award and grow in number. We welcome enquiries from organisations interested in partnering with the Society—now or for future rounds from 2023. The Masters’ Scholarships add to the Society’s existing Research Support programme which each year provides a wide range of fellowships and grants to early career historians.
For 2022/23 the new Masters’ Scholarships will provide:
- four scholarships of £5000 each to support four students undertaking a Masters’ degree at a UK university in the academic year 2022/23; scholarships will support students studying for a Masters’ degree (taught or research-based) in History, or where History is the dominant component of the degree (e.g. History of Science)
- 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
Applications from Masters’ students, 2022/23, are now invited.
Further details of eligibility for the programme and how to apply are available here.
The closing date for the 2022 Scholarships is Friday 12 August, with recipients expected to be informed in late August / early September.
Continuing and developing the Royal Historical Society’s longstanding support of underrepresented groups, our new Masters’ Scholarships provide essential financial assistance for students undertaking postgraduate study in History.
The financial challenge that some students face in continuing their training is well known—especially when moving from undergraduate to postgraduate courses. The Society’s new Scholarships, offering direct and practical assistance, will support four students when taking this step in 2022-23. We hope the RHS Masters’ programme will run annually, enabling early career historians without financial means to consider a career in academic History.
As shown through the Society’s recent Ukraine ‘Scholars at Risk’ programme, schemes like this also have great potential to grow. We therefore welcome enquiries—from organisations and individuals—to partner with the Society to make more Masters’ Scholarships available from 2023.
Professor Emma Griffin, President, Royal Historical Society