These Fellowships support early career researchers with costs of up to $4,000 to undertake research overseas, including accessing archives and other research materials and connecting with international researchers and networks.

The Humanities Travelling Fellowships, awarded annually, are one of the Academy's longest standing awards and were first awarded in 1985.

Incorporated into the Humanities Travelling Fellowships is the David Philips Travelling Fellowship. Preference is given to proposals that contribute to the advancement of knowledge of racial, religious or ethnic prejudice. Offered biennially, this Fellowship is made possible thanks to a generous bequest from Mrs Joan Philips. This Fellowship is named after her late son, Dr David Philips, who was a historian and Associate Professor at the University of Melbourne. The David Philips Travelling Fellowship will be available next in 2026.

Criteria

• Applications will be assessed on the rigour and significance of the research, its likely impact within a specialist field, and its potential to engage and/or benefit the wider community.
• Applicants will also need to demonstrate the relevance of the project to their academic career development.

Who can apply:

• Applicants must be Citizens or Permanent Residents of Australia who are residing in Australia at the time of nomination.
• Applicants must be in the early stages of their careers, which will be determined, inter alia, by how recently a PhD was conferred. In normal circumstances it should have been conferred no more than five years prior to the closing date for applications.
• Applicants who have received their PhD more than five years ago but who can demonstrate a significant, commensurate period of career interruption (such as maternity or parental leave, carer’s responsibility, illness, unemployment, or non-research employment) may be considered eligible. This includes disruptions caused by COVID-19. A justification for the career interruption must be submitted as part of the proposal.
• Applicants must be working in the Humanities, defined as those discipline areas for which the Academy is responsible: Archaeology; Asian Studies; Classical Studies; English; European Languages and Cultures; History; Indigenous Studies; Linguistics; Philosophy and the History of Ideas; Religion; Cultural and Communication Studies; and The Arts.
• Interdisciplinary work is encouraged, provided it includes a substantial proportion of work in the Humanities.
• Applications will be accepted from independent scholars as well as those working in institutional settings.
• Applicants must be working on a project that requires work outside Australia for its completion or significant advancement.

• Phone: 02 6189 6982
• Email: grants@humanities.org.au