EHURA Postdoctoral Fellowship Awards 2025/2026
- Omran Aburayya
- Oct 22
- 4 min read
Updated: Nov 25
If you’re an early-career scholar based in Africa seeking cutting-edge support to advance your post-doctoral research in the humanities, the excellent news is that the EHURA Postdoctoral Fellowship Awards 2025/2026 — offered by the African Humanities Association (AHA) with support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York — is now open for applications. Whether you’re exploring African knowledge systems, the humanities, or the intersection of technology and culture, this fellowship offers an opportunity to build your research capacity, strengthen networks, and contribute to innovative humanities scholarship across the continent. Here's everything you need to know.
🎓 Fellowship Summary
Location: Africa (hosted by the African Humanities Association and linked networks)
Programme: EHURA (Enhancing Humanities Research in Africa) programme of the African Humanities Association (AHA), supported by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.
Study level: Postdoctoral research fellowship
Target group: Early-career faculty and scholars in Africa who hold a PhD awarded no more than five (5) years prior to the application deadline.
Fields of Focus: Humanities and related social sciences, especially qualitative research methodologies; proposals exploring the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and African narratives, or using emerging technologies for interpretation, preservation or dissemination of African knowledge systems are particularly encouraged.
Value & coverage: Research grant support of USD 12,000 to cover research expenses (data collection, fieldwork, writing support).
Duration: Nine (9) months (March to November 2026) for the 2025/2026 cycle.
Application deadline: December 1, 2025.
Start date: Fellowship commencement March 1, 2026.
📚 Fellowship Overview
The EHURA Postdoctoral Fellowship is designed to build capacity for humanities research across Africa by enabling promising scholars to engage in substantive postdoctoral work — with funding, mentorship, and institutional-network support. As the call states: the programme “aims to build research capacity, foster innovation, and strengthen networks of African scholars engaged in advancing the humanities and related disciplines across the continent.”
Unlike a traditional teaching fellowship, this award focuses on research, offering the time and resources for autonomous project work (data collection, fieldwork, writing) within a structured 9-month period. In addition to the grant, fellows will participate in mentorship and capacity-building workshops, join AHA/EHURA scholarly networks, and have dissemination opportunities (via publication in the AHA Book Series and Journal).
Key dates: Call opens October 10, 2025; deadline December 1, 2025; notification of results January 19, 2026; fellowship begins March 1, 2026.
💲 Fellowship Benefits
Selected fellows will receive:
A USD 12,000 research grant to cover project expenses such as data collection, fieldwork, and writing support.
Access to mentorship and capacity-building workshops organised by EHURA and AHA.
Participation in scholarly networks and conferences of AHA/EHURA, offering peer exchange and collaborative engagement.
Opportunities for publication and dissemination through the AHA Book Series and Journal, supporting visibility and impact of your research.
✅ Eligibility Criteria
You are eligible if you meet the following:
You are a faculty member or early-career scholar based in Africa.
You hold a PhD awarded not more than five (5) years before the application deadline (i.e., earned in or after ~2020 for the 2025/2026 cycle)
Your research is in the humanities or closely related social sciences.
You demonstrate strong academic potential, originality of research idea, and a clear commitment to contribute to knowledge production within Africa.
Your proposal aligns with priority themes (including S&T humanities, technology in humanities, African knowledge systems) as indicated by the call.
⚠️ Looking for an easy way to create research surveys or thesis questionnaires?
ℹ️ Earns Commission
📝 Application Procedure
Prepare your application ahead of time — the call opened on October 10, 2025.
Submit your application electronically by the deadline of December 1, 2025.
Use the subject line: EHURA Postdoctoral Fellowship Application – [Your Full Name] when submitting by email to: fellowships@africanhumanitiesassociation.org
Await notification of results (January 19, 2026).
If selected, your fellowship begins March 1, 2026 for the 9-month period.
🗂️ Documents Required (to be submitted as a single PDF):
Cover letter (maximum ~250-300 words) introducing yourself and your planned research.
Research proposal (maximum ~2,000 words) including objectives, methodology, expected outcomes, and timeline.
Updated Curriculum Vitae (CV) highlighting your publications, research experience, and academic background.
Two academic reference letters — one must be from your PhD supervisor.
ℹ️ Important tips:
Make sure your research proposal clearly indicates why your study fits within the humanities context and adds new insight into African knowledge systems or the intersection of technology and humanities.
Ensure your PhD award date falls within the five-year window.
Use the official email and subject line as specified to avoid disqualification.
Combine your documents into a single PDF and check that all elements are present and legible before sending.
Don’t wait until the last day — allow time for technical problems or clarifications.
💫 Extra Information & Useful Notes
The call emphasises that proposals exploring AI and African narratives, or using emerging technologies for cultural interpretation, preservation or dissemination, are especially encouraged.
The fellowship is part of a broader effort by AHA (successor to the earlier African Humanities Program) to strengthen humanities research across Africa, supported by Carnegie Corporation of New York.
As a nine-month fellowship, you’ll need to plan your timeline carefully: March to November 2026 is your active period. Expedite ethical clearances, data collection arrangements, fieldwork logistics from early on.
Because the fellowship emphasises network participation, think ahead about how you will engage with AHA networks, attend conferences, publish your work, and build partnerships that last beyond the fellowship year.
Keep in mind the strong competition: a clear, innovative, and well-justified proposal will help you stand out.
🚀 Conclusion
If you’re ready to advance your post-doctoral research in the humanities, engage with cutting-edge themes (such as technology, AI, African knowledge systems), and become part of a network of leading African scholars, the EHURA Postdoctoral Fellowship Awards 2025/2026 is an exceptional opportunity. With funding, mentorship, and publication pathways, it can significantly support your academic trajectory.
Remember: deadline December 1, 2025; prepare your materials well ahead, ensure you check all eligibility criteria, craft a compelling research proposal, and position yourself strategically for success.
