The Enhancing Humanities Research in Africa (EHURA) Programme, an initiative of the African Humanities Association (AHA) and supported by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, has officially opened its call for the 2025/2026 Postdoctoral Fellowship Awards. This announcement is a significant milestone for early-career African scholars who are committed to advancing the humanities and related social sciences through high-quality, impactful research.
The EHURA programme was established to strengthen Africa’s intellectual ecosystem by empowering scholars who wish to explore, preserve, and expand African knowledge systems. It is designed to foster a new generation of thinkers who combine traditional scholarship with innovative methodologies. For the 2026 cycle, the program particularly encourages proposals that investigate the relationship between Artificial Intelligence (AI) and African narratives, or that creatively use emerging digital technologies to interpret, safeguard, and disseminate cultural and intellectual heritage across the continent.
About the Fellowship Programme
The EHURA Fellowship Awards represent more than just financial support — they are a mentorship-driven, research-oriented academic journey. The initiative seeks to strengthen networks among African scholars and promote regional and cross-disciplinary collaboration. Through its affiliation with AHA, the program connects fellows to a continental community of academics working toward transforming the humanities landscape in Africa.
By supporting early-career researchers, EHURA helps bridge the gap between doctoral training and independent scholarship. Many African scholars face challenges after completing their PhDs, such as limited research funding, lack of institutional mentorship, or barriers to publication. The EHURA programme addresses these gaps by providing a supportive platform that nurtures creativity, fosters collaboration, and encourages the development of Africa-centered scholarship that contributes meaningfully to global academic conversations.
Who Can Apply?
The EHURA Postdoctoral Fellowship Awards are open exclusively to early-career faculty members based in Africa. Eligible candidates must hold a PhD degree awarded within the last five years before the application deadline. The programme invites applications from scholars working in the humanities and related social sciences, including fields such as history, literature, linguistics, cultural studies, philosophy, and anthropology.
Applicants must show a demonstrated record of academic excellence, a commitment to advancing African scholarship, and a willingness to engage in intellectual exchange across disciplines and regions. The programme values originality and encourages applicants who are exploring unconventional or interdisciplinary research themes that have the potential to contribute to Africa’s growing body of scholarly work.
EHURA Fellowship Benefits
The EHURA Postdoctoral Fellowship is designed to support scholars both financially and intellectually. Selected fellows will receive a research grant of USD 12,000, which can be used to cover expenses such as fieldwork, data collection, and writing support. This grant allows scholars to focus fully on their research without the financial pressures that often accompany early-stage academic careers.
In addition to financial assistance, fellows will gain access to mentorship and professional development workshops organized by EHURA and AHA. These sessions are designed to help scholars strengthen their research methodologies, academic writing, and project management skills.
A key feature of the fellowship is the opportunity for collaborative engagement. Fellows will become part of the EHURA/AHA network, participating in conferences and seminars that bring together leading scholars from across Africa. Such gatherings foster intellectual exchange and help fellows develop partnerships that can lead to future publications or research collaborations.
The programme also provides a pathway for publication and dissemination of research findings. Fellows’ work may be featured in the AHA Book Series or the AHA Journal, ensuring that their contributions reach both regional and international audiences.
Fellowship Duration
The fellowship is structured to run for a nine-month period, beginning on March 1, 2026, and ending in November 2026. During this time, fellows are expected to work on their research projects full-time while engaging with mentors and participating in EHURA-organized academic activities.
The duration has been carefully chosen to allow sufficient time for conducting research, refining methodologies, and preparing final outputs suitable for publication.
Application Process and Required Documents
The application process for the EHURA Fellowship 2026 has been designed to ensure clarity, fairness, and accessibility. Interested applicants must prepare all required materials in a single PDF file and submit them electronically before the deadline.
Applications must include a cover letter of no more than 250–300 words introducing the applicant’s academic background, research interests, and reasons for applying to the fellowship. This should be followed by a detailed research proposal of up to 2,000 words that clearly outlines the project’s objectives, significance, methodology, expected outcomes, and timeline. The proposal should demonstrate how the research contributes to the humanities in Africa and highlight its originality or innovation.
Applicants should also include an updated curriculum vitae (CV) that lists relevant academic qualifications, teaching experience, and publications. Two academic reference letters are required, one of which must be written by the applicant’s PhD supervisor. These letters should speak to the candidate’s research potential, academic integrity, and ability to complete independent scholarly work.
Once you have all these documents ready then feel free to submit your EHURA fellowship application here.
Timeline to Remember
The EHURA Fellowship follows a structured timeline to allow applicants adequate preparation time and to maintain a transparent selection process.
- The call for applications opens on October 10, 2025.
- The deadline for submission is December 1, 2025.
- Successful candidates will be notified by January 19, 2026, giving them time to prepare for the program’s commencement.
- The fellowship officially begins on March 1, 2026, and will continue through November 2026.
Applicants are strongly advised to submit their materials well before the closing date to avoid technical delays or disqualification.
Why This Fellowship Matters for African Scholars?
The EHURA Postdoctoral Fellowship Awards 2026 represent a significant investment in Africa’s intellectual future. By funding research projects that explore both traditional and emerging themes within the humanities, the programme helps amplify African voices in global scholarship. It also plays a critical role in reimagining how research is conducted — encouraging the integration of digital tools and artificial intelligence to study culture, identity, and knowledge production.
For many early-career scholars, this fellowship offers more than funding — it provides academic visibility, mentorship, and long-term professional growth. It empowers researchers to take ownership of their ideas, publish their findings, and contribute to shaping the intellectual narrative of the continent.