FellowshipFully Funded

African Humanities Program

Last verified 15 May 2026 by the Scholarships for Africans editorial team

Heads up — this listing may be outdated. The dates and details below reference a year that has already passed and our editorial team has not re-verified this scholarship is still open. Always confirm the current intake on the sponsor's official website via the button below before you invest time in an application.

The African Humanities Program (AHP) funded early-career scholars in the humanities in Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda. It supported research, knowledge production, and scholarly networks. The program is no longer active, but its successor, the African Humanities Association, continues its legacy.

Provider: African Humanities Program (AHP)
Host country: Multiple
Deadline: Closed for 2023
Region: Africa

Official source Track this application

Topics

Research grants

Applying from your country? See your edition: Kenya · Nigeria · Ghana · Ethiopia · Uganda · Tanzania · Rwanda · Angola · Mozambique · São Tomé & Príncipe · Senegal · Cameroon · Ivory Coast · Benin · Togo · DR Congo

Eligibility & requirements at a glance

Review the recorded eligibility, funding and deadline information below. Confirm the current award conditions on the provider's official source.

Who can apply: Early-career scholars in the humanities working and living in Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda.
Funding: Fully Funded
Study level: Fellowship
Deadline: Closed for 2023

Key eligibility criteria

Early-career scholars in the humanities working and living in Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Recorded funding information

Fully Funded

About the African Humanities Program (2026)

## Overview The African Humanities Program (AHP), established in 2008 with the support of the Carnegie Corporation of New York, aimed to revitalize the humanities in select African nations. The program provided fellowships to nearly 500 early-career scholars between 2009 and 2022, focusing on Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda. ACLS designed AHP to foster new knowledge, strengthen the capabilities of emerging academics at African universities, and build robust scholarly communication networks across Africa and with global Africanist communities. While the AHP itself concluded its operations with the last cohort of Fellows in 2023, its momentum and legacy are carried forward by the African Humanities Association (AHA). The AHA, founded by AHP Fellows, assessors, and advisors, was formally established in 2020. It envisions a future where humanities, social science, and arts scholars in Africa are confident, self-referring, and respected for their engagement with the continent's multifaceted challenges. ACLS continues to partner with AHA to support scholar development and capacity building in the region. ## Benefits The AHP provided a comprehensive suite of benefits designed to support and advance early-career humanities scholars: * **Financial Support:** Fully funded fellowships to enable dedicated research and knowledge production. * **Networking Opportunities:** Extensive opportunities to connect with scholars within their home countries, across Africa, and internationally. * **Research Residencies:** Access to affiliated African humanities centers and institutes for advanced study, allowing Fellows to conduct research outside their primary institutions. * **Manuscript Development Workshops:** Intensive, week-long retreats for Fellows to refine their manuscripts with mentors and peers after completing their fellowship tenures. * **Publication Support:** Subvention, developmental editing, and peer review services through the African Humanities Series, facilitating the publication of Fellows' monographs on African histories, languages, literatures, and cultures. * **Knowledge Exchange:** Participation in annual Regional Assemblies for sharing research, networking, and assessing humanities scholarship. * **International Exposure:** Opportunities for selected AHP Fellows to attend the African Studies Association (ASA) Annual Meeting in the United States as ASA Presidential Fellows. * **Visibility:** Features in the "African Humanities Voices" video series, showcasing the work and stories of African scholars. ## Eligibility The African Humanities Program was open to early-career scholars who were working and living in the following five African countries: * Ghana * Nigeria * South Africa * Tanzania * Uganda Applicants were expected to be engaged in humanities research and committed to contributing to scholarly discourse in Africa. The final competition for this program took place in 2021-2022, and the last cohort completed their fellowships in 2023. ## Required Documents The provided information does not detail the specific required documents for the African Humanities Program. However, typical requirements for similar academic fellowships often include: * Detailed research proposal * Curriculum Vitae (CV) * Academic transcripts * Letters of recommendation * Writing samples ## How to Apply The African Humanities Program is no longer accepting applications, as the final competition concluded in 2021-2022, and the program officially ended in 2023. Interested individuals are encouraged to explore opportunities with the successor organization, the African Humanities Association (AHA), for future scholarly support and development initiatives in the humanities across Africa. ## Key Dates * **Program Inception:** 2008 * **Fellowship Awards Began:** 2009 * **Last Competition:** 2021-2022 * **Program Concluded:** 2023 (last cohort completed tenures) * **African Humanities Association (AHA) Establishment:** February 2020 ## Selection Criteria Specific selection criteria for the AHP are not explicitly detailed on the provided page. However, based on the program's goals, it can be inferred that candidates were selected based on: * The quality and originality of their proposed humanities research projects. * Their potential to contribute new knowledge and innovative approaches to their fields. * Their commitment to scholarship and their academic background as early-career scholars. * The relevance of their work to the growth and reinvigoration of the humanities in Africa. * Their capacity to engage in and contribute to scholarly networks. ## Tips Although the AHP is no longer active, aspiring scholars in the humanities in Africa can draw insights from its legacy: * **Network Actively:** Engage with scholarly communities, participate in conferences, and build connections with established academics. * **Focus on Research Quality:** Develop original, well-researched, and impactful projects that contribute significantly to your field. * **Seek Mentorship:** Identify and connect with mentors who can guide your academic and professional development. * **Explore Publication Opportunities:** Aim to publish your research in reputable journals or as monographs. * **Stay Informed:** Follow the activities of organizations like the African Humanities Association (AHA) and the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) for new programs and opportunities. ## Official Source [https://www.acls.org/competitions/african-humanities-program/](https://www.acls.org/competitions/african-humanities-program/)

Funding information

The funding information below is recorded in this listing; it does not establish additional covered components. Check amounts, caps, exclusions and conditions on the official source.

Fully Funded

African Humanities Program eligibility

Always cross-check eligibility against the sponsor's official site before applying — sponsor rules can change between intakes.

Early-career scholars in the humanities working and living in Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda.

African Humanities Program document information

No explicit document checklist is recorded here. If an application is required, prepare only the materials the provider requests.

How to apply for the African Humanities Program 2026

Follow the provider's stated process. The checks below are guidance, not additional application requirements. Any original editorial instructions remain in the description above.

1
Check the provider's process
Consult https://www.acls.org/competitions/african-humanities-program/ to confirm whether consideration is automatic or requires an application, and follow only the process stated there.
2
Check eligibility and any requested materials
Listed eligibility: Early-career scholars in the humanities working and living in Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda.. Confirm the current criteria and, if submission is required, use the provider's own checklist.
3
Check dates and next steps
Listed deadline information: Closed for 2023. Confirm any cutoff, time zone and follow-up process with the provider.

African Humanities Program deadline & application timeline

Provider deadline information: Closed for 2023. This text cannot be safely converted to a countdown; check the official source for its meaning. The earlier milestones are optional planning suggestions only.

Planning suggestion: 12 months out
Check the current call and decide whether this opportunity fits your plans.
Planning suggestion: 6 months out
If the provider requires tests or documents that take time, plan for them using its published instructions.
Planning suggestion: 3 months out
If an application is required, review the provider's process and prepare only the materials it requests.
Planning suggestion: 1 month out
If submission is required, allow time to check your materials and any stated cutoff.
Provider deadline
Closed for 2023
Provider deadline information: Closed for 2023. Confirm the current instructions and any cutoff or time zone on the official source; no additional time is assumed here.

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Frequently asked questions

Who can apply for the African Humanities Program?+

Early-career scholars in the humanities working and living in Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda.

What funding does the African Humanities Program offer?+

Listed funding: Fully Funded. Confirm amounts, exclusions and conditions on the official source. This label does not establish any additional benefit components.

When is the application deadline?+

Provider deadline information: Closed for 2023. Confirm the current cutoff and any time zone on the official source; no additional cutoff or late-submission policy is assumed here.

What documents do I need to apply?+

No explicit document checklist is recorded here. If an application is required, prepare only the documents requested by the provider; requirements may differ from admission requirements.

How do I check the application process?+

Consult https://www.acls.org/competitions/african-humanities-program/ to confirm whether consideration is automatic or requires an application, and follow only the process stated there. Listed eligibility: Early-career scholars in the humanities working and living in Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda.. Confirm the current criteria and, if submission is required, use the provider's own checklist. Listed deadline information: Closed for 2023. Confirm any cutoff, time zone and follow-up process with the provider.

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