Royal Historical Society - Postgraduate Research Funding

What the RHS Postgraduate Research Funding offers

These are four separate funding schemes run by the Royal Historical Society (RHS) in London for history students at Master’s and PhD level. Each scheme has its own funding amount and its own rules:

• Master's Scholarships: around the EUR 5,900 (£5,000) as a one-off payment. You can use this amount towards tuition fees, living costs or other purposes. For students from under-represented groups in the field of history who are commencing a Master’s degree in history.
• PhD Fellowships: two research grants, each amounting to approximately 10,000 (£8,500) euros, for a period of 6 months, to enable you to complete your PhD. A scholarship of this kind is simply a grant to fund the final phase of your research. The programme is run in collaboration with the Institute of Historical Research in London.
• Postgraduate Research Support Grants:, for example, 590 EUR or 1,180 EUR (£500 or £1,000), depending on the activity. Covers travel, accommodation and subsistence costs, as well as archive and photocopying fees for archive visits, site visits or interviews. Not applicable to conferences or equipment.
• Martin Lynn Scholarship in African History: to 1,770 (£1,500) euros per year for a PhD student specialising in African history.

Who can apply

• Field of study: All four programmes relate to history. The Martin Lynn Scholarship is intended exclusively for African history.
• Level: Master’s scholarships are aimed at Master’s students. To be eligible for PhD scholarships, you must be in the third year of your PhD programme. The Martin Lynn Scholarship is intended exclusively for PhD students. The grants are open to both Master’s and PhD students.
• Where you study: Most programmes require applicants to be enrolled at a British university. However, the PhD scholarships are also open to students at universities outside the UK.
• Nationality: Any nationality can apply.
• RHS membership: Required for funding grants and the Martin Lynn Scholarship. You can join at any time. Not required for a Master’s scholarship.
• Background (Master's Scholarships only): You come from a group that is under-represented in academic history (e.g. Black people, Asians or other minorities). In addition, you received a non-repayable maintenance grant during your first degree. And you meet at least one of the following criteria: you are participating in a programme to promote access to education, you are eligible for free school meals, or you are the first person in your family to study at a higher education institution.

How to apply

Apply via the RHS online portal. Each funding programme runs once or twice a year and has its own application deadline. Please check the deadlines listed in the ‘Quick Facts’ section for your chosen funding programme. To apply for the grants, you will need to provide a brief project description and an academic letter of recommendation (a letter from a lecturer or supervisor supporting your application). Please have these documents ready and apply early in the relevant application round.

How realistic are your chances?

Each funding programme is narrowly defined in terms of subject area and level of study, meaning that the pool of applicants is significantly smaller than for open scholarships. Some programmes award just one or two scholarships, which makes competition even fiercer. If you clearly meet the criteria of a programme – particularly those of the highly targeted Martin-Lynn Scholarship or the Master’s scholarships based on social background – your chances are good. It is better to apply early in the application round rather than at the last minute.