The call for the Getty Foundation Pre- and Postdoctoral Fellowships 2026-27 is now open!!!
The Getty Pre- and Postdoctoral Fellowships are prestigious opportunities specifically designed for emerging researchers who wish to advance their work on significant projects aligned with the annual theme of the Getty Scholars Program. During their residency, fellows have the unique opportunity to engage in a variety of academic endeavors, including conducting extensive research, finalizing their dissertations, or refining their dissertations for potential publication in scholarly journals.
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In particular, the program offers targeted grants for fellows who are dedicated to expanding critical inquiry into African American art and its contextual frameworks, as part of the Getty’s African American Art History Initiative (AAAHI). All fellowship recipients are encouraged to fully utilize the vast collections available at the Getty Research Institute (GRI), attend weekly lectures featuring noted scholars, and immerse themselves in the vibrant intellectual community at Getty.
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Predoctoral Fellows generally reside at the Getty Center, which provides an inspiring environment for PhD candidates, while Postdoctoral Fellows may choose between living at the Getty Center or the Getty Villa, a historic site that enhances the scholarly experience with its art and architecture.
Annual Theme for 2026-2027: Provenance
The 2026–2027 Getty Scholars Program invites proposals centered on the theme of Provenance. As provenance research gains prominence within art history, it addresses urgent questions surrounding the ownership, transfer, and transformation of art objects across time and geography. This growing field addresses critical issues such as looting, illicit trade, restitution, and the ethical implications of collecting in contexts marked by conflict and power imbalances.
Applicants are encouraged to propose innovative individual or collaborative projects that examine provenance and its related domains, including the history of collecting, the art market, and evolving narratives of ownership. The program seeks to foster a scholarly community that interrogates and reimagines the future of provenance studies—bridging the perspectives of source communities, art historians, museums, and the art market.
During their residency, scholars will have the opportunity to engage with the Getty Research Institute’s extensive collections and benefit from access to the newly renovated Getty Provenance Index, which enables advanced research through both traditional and computational methods. The program is committed to supporting work that deepens our understanding of object histories and the broader cultural, political, and ethical contexts in which they reside.
About the Getty Scholars Program:
The Getty Scholars Program encompasses both the Pre- and Postdoctoral Fellowships, promoting a diverse cohort that includes both seasoned scholars and promising junior fellows. This diverse mix allows for a rich exchange of ideas and perspectives. Since the program’s establishment in 1985, it has welcomed approximately 1,300 scholars from over fifty countries, fostering a global dialogue about art history and visual studies. The range of research projects undertaken has been extensive, encompassing various geographical regions and spanning multiple time periods, from ancient civilizations to contemporary art movements.
The fellowship program features three main categories of grants:
- Scholar Grants are designated for established researchers and professionals who received their PhD before September 1, 2022, and possess a distinguished record of publication and ongoing professional activity. These grants are available at both the Getty Center and the Getty Villa.
- Postdoctoral Fellowships are specifically intended for individuals who have recently completed their PhD, providing them with the opportunity to further their research at the Getty Center or Getty Villa.
- Predoctoral Fellowships cater to PhD candidates, offering them the time and resources necessary to focus on their research at the Getty Center.
This fellowship program not only supports individual scholarly pursuits but also contributes to the broader understanding and appreciation of art and visual culture.
Location:
United StatesBenefits
Applicants will benefit from the following amounts:
- Stipend for Predoctoral Fellows: $30,000
- Stipend for Postdoctoral Fellows: $35,000
- Access to Getty Research Institute collections and resources
- Participation in weekly lectures and intellectual community activities
- Housing and healthcare benefits
- Global education opportunities
Scholar Grant recipients at the Getty Center may be in residence from three to nine months and receive varying stipends as detailed below:
- Three-month residency: September–December/January–March; $21,500 stipend
- Six-month residency: September–March/January–June; $43,000 stipend
- Nine-month residency: September–June; $65,000 stipend
- The grant also includes a workstation at the Getty Research Institute or the Getty Villa, research assistance, a travel stipend, an apartment in the Getty scholar housing complex, and access to available healthcare options. These terms take effect as of July 2024 and are subject to future revisions.
Eligibilities
- Applications are open to researchers of all nationalities in the arts, social sciences, or humanities
- Predoctoral Fellowship applicants must have advanced to candidacy in their doctoral program by the application deadline and should expect to complete their dissertations during the fellowship period.
- Applicants who received their doctoral degree within the past 5 years (after September 1, 2021) should apply for a Postdoctoral Fellowship.
- Applicants who received a PhD more than 5 years ago (before September 1, 2021) should apply for a Scholar Grant at the Getty Center or Getty Villa.
- After a waiting period of 6 years, previous Getty Residential Grant recipients in any category are eligible to reapply for another grant in whichever category they are eligible for and interested in.
- Current Getty staff and immediate family members are not eligible
Application Process
- Complete the online Pre- and Postdoctoral Fellowship application form.
- Attach the required documents such as:
- Project Proposal (maximum five pages, typed and double-spaced)
- Selected Bibliography
- Doctoral Dissertation Plan or Abstract
- Curriculum Vitae
- Writing Sample
- Confirmation letter of degree conferral or program standing
- Two Letters of Recommendation
- Request and ensure submission of two confidential Letters of Recommendation.
- Apply before the deadline: October 1, 2025
Selection Process and Criteria
The selection process and criteria are as follows:
- Review of submitted application materials by a selection committee
- Evaluation based on the project’s relevance to the annual theme, originality, and potential impact
- Consideration of the applicant’s qualifications and alignment with Getty resources
Application Deadline: October 1, 2025 (57 Days Remaining)
Apply nowOfficial link
