Dan David Prize - Dan David Prize

What the Dan David Prize gives you

You will receive a one-off award of approximately 276,000 EUR (300,000 USD). This recognises your work on the history of humankind and provides financial support for your next project. There is no fixed funding period. The money is available to you for research projects, travel, taking sabbaticals, hiring research staff, purchasing equipment or covering your living costs. Up to nine prizes are awarded each year, bringing the total annual prize fund to approximately 2.5 million euros (2.7 million US dollars). The prize is awarded by the Dan David Foundation, an independent charitable foundation based in Liechtenstein, and is the world’s most highly endowed history prize.

Who can win

• Field: You are interested in the history of humankind, for example in history, archaeology, art history, digital humanities or palaeoanthropology.
• Career stage: You are at the start or in the middle of your career, i.e. no more than 15 years have passed since you completed your PhD. If you do not work in academia, count from your first major project instead. Career breaks such as parental leave, sick leave or a change of career will be taken into account.
• If you are an academic: You hold a doctoral degree and have published at least one significant work, such as a book or a series of articles arising from a major project.
• If you are not an academic: You do not need an academic qualification if you have completed a major project such as a book, an exhibition, a documentary film or a project in the field of public history. Independent researchers, public historians, museum curators and documentary filmmakers are all equally welcome to take part.
• Nationality and residence: Applicants of any nationality from all over the world are welcome to apply. There are no residency requirements.
• Age: There is no age limit. What matters is your career stage, not your age.
• Individuals only: Institutions and groups cannot win.

How to apply

You cannot nominate yourself. Someone else must nominate you via the online nomination form; self-nominations will not be accepted. The deadline for the 2027 Prize is 13 October 2026. An international committee will draw up a shortlist of finalists, the board will confirm the winners, and the results will be announced in the summer of 2027.

How realistic are your chances?

It is a single global prize open to anyone worldwide who engages with the past; as only nine awards are presented each year, competition is fierce. The award recognises an impressive track record that is already evident, as well as clear potential – not merely a promising plan. Furthermore, you must be nominated by someone else rather than applying yourself. If your published work is well-known within your field and a colleague nominates you, you stand a real chance. For most others, the odds are against them.