Dan David Prize - Dan David Prize

Dan David Prize

You will receive about 279,000 EUR (300,000 USD) as a one-off grant to support your work during the next phase of your career. Each year, up to nine people receive this amount, meaning that the Foundation pays out a total of around 2.6 million euros (3 million US dollars). You may spend the money as you see fit: towards living expenses so that you can focus on your research, on travel, to free yourself from teaching commitments, to hire assistants, or to purchase equipment. The prize is endowed by the Dan David Foundation, a charitable organisation based in Liechtenstein, and administered by Tel Aviv University.

Who can apply

• What you work on: Your research or projects focus on the history of humankind. This covers a broad spectrum: historiography, archaeology, the study of ancient artefacts and images, work with the remains of early humans, or the computer-assisted analysis of historical records.
• Academic or not: If you work at a university, you will need a completed doctoral degree and at least one significant published work, such as a book or a series of articles resulting from a major project. If you work outside academia, you do not need a doctoral degree, but you must be able to demonstrate a significant body of work, such as a book, an exhibition, a documentary film or a project in the field of public history.
• Career stage: You are at the start or in the middle of your career. This means that no more than 15 years have passed since you completed your PhD – or, if you do not work in academia, since your first major project. Any breaks in your career, such as parental leave, caring responsibilities, illness or a change of career, will work in your favour.
• Nationality: Applicants of all nationalities from all over the world are welcome to apply. You do not need to live in a specific country.
• Age: No age limit.
• How you enter: You cannot nominate yourself. You must be nominated by someone else.

How to apply

Anyone can nominate you via the online form. The nominator must submit your CV and a list of your works. The deadline for nominations for the 2027 Prize is 13 October 2026. An international committee will draw up a shortlist, and the prize committee will select the winners.

How realistic are your chances?

This is the world’s most prestigious history prize, open to interested parties from all over the world. The field of entrants is therefore large and the bar is set high: each year, only up to nine people are honoured. You cannot nominate yourself; so you will need a colleague or contact who is willing to put forward your name and document your achievements. Realistic candidates will already have a successfully published book or a significant, completed project to their name. If this applies to you, you are welcome to be nominated again in a future year.