Best History Grants in Illinois

Doctoral candidates at Big Ten Academic Alliance universities conducting Smithsonian-based research in areas like American history or history of science can receive up to US $50,000, including a research allowance. Eligible students enrolled at member campuses in Illinois and other participating states may use this fellowship to support 3–12 months of dissertation research.

Illinois teachers in prekindergarten through 12th grade can receive up to US $500 to cover transportation for history-focused field trips to approved Illinois historic sites. Grants from Illinois Department of Natural Resources help Illinois history educators enrich curricula with on-site studies of Illinois’ past through reimbursed student travel costs to eligible destinations.

Doctoral students at U.S. universities working on 19th–early 21st century Russian/Soviet historical studies can receive up to US $28,000 for dissertation research or completion, including projects based in Illinois. With a mission to advance Slavic, East European, and Eurasian studies, ASEEES supports history and women’s and gender studies-focused dissertations through its Cohen-Tucker Fellowship Program.

Authors and publishers with distinguished history books on the United States, Latin America, or Canada from 1492 to the present can apply for the Beveridge Family Prize, awarding US $1,000. The American Historical Association honors 2025 English-language biographies, monographs, and interpretive works, which may include topics of interest to Illinois-based history scholars and writers.

Scholars with a PhD or equivalent terminal degree researching late medieval or early modern history and literature can receive US $20,000 - US $45,000 to pursue long-term projects at the Newberry in Illinois. The Newberry Library provides history researchers with four- to nine-month fellowships, with preference for colonial Americas and Romance cultures, including Portuguese, Spanish, and Latin American studies.

Doctoral candidates (ABD) and postdoctoral scholars in history and related fields can receive short-term fellowships to conduct primary-source research in North America. Focus areas include German and European history, German-American relations, and North American and Pan American history. Illinois-based researchers at North American or European institutions may be eligible.

Students pursuing history-related studies, including museum studies, archival management, library science, historic preservation, archaeology, anthropology, or traditional arts trades, can receive support for higher education; awards are US $1,000. Focused on history fields, Community Foundation of Carroll County invites applicants from Illinois and beyond preparing for college, undergraduate, postgraduate, or certification programs.

Illinois historians and researchers in fields like history, history of science, and natural history can access funding through Lloyd Library and Museum’s Curtis Gates Lloyd Research Fellowship, which supports on-site use of its collections. Individuals with at least a bachelor’s degree receive US $2,000 - US $3,000 monthly stipends for one- to three-month research residencies in the U.S.

Authors and publishers with scholarly books on the history of American law and society can apply for the Littleton-Griswold Prize, a US $1,000 award from the American Historical Association. Focused on American history, this national prize may benefit Illinois historians whose 2025 copyright books meet high scholarly and literary standards.

Postdoctoral scholars and ABD PhD candidates researching history, especially early modern, Renaissance, English, legal, or European history, can apply for the Charles Montgomery Gray Fellowship in Illinois and beyond. Offered by the Newberry Library, this short-term fellowship provides US $3,000 for one month of on-site research using Newberry collections.

Researchers, historians, physicians, and eligible 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(6) organizations in Illinois conducting oral history projects on U.S. family medicine can apply for grants up to US $3,000. Grants from American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation help cover travel, lodging, and research expenses to create English-language oral history interviews for archival collections.

Illinois history graduate researchers can access funding through Harvard University’s Charles Warren Center Summer Travel Grant for Dissertation Research. This program awards up to US $3,000 to Harvard Ph.D. candidates who have passed general exams and need summer travel support for dissertation projects using historical methodology in American history.

Ph.D. candidates in American history at Harvard seeking term-time support for dissertation research can receive one-semester funding to focus on historical projects. With a mission to advance scholarship, Harvard University provides graduate history researchers with a five-month stipend, freeing them from teaching duties while they work on U.S. history topics; eligibility is not limited to Illinois residents.

Harvard University American history PhD candidates completing dissertations can receive support to finish their projects without teaching duties. With a mission to advance historical scholarship, Harvard University provides a ten-month Dissertation Completion Grant covering a stipend, facilities fee, and health insurance for eligible students, including those researching topics connected to U.S. or Illinois history.

Illinois-based and international scholars with a PhD researching American history can access funding through the Newberry Library to pursue long-term fellowships using its collections. Awards of US $20,000 - US $45,000 support four- to nine-month projects in Chicago that advance historical scholarship and make substantial use of the Newberry’s American history resources.

Scholars with a PhD or equivalent terminal degree pursuing American history projects can receive US $20,000 - US $45,000 to conduct long-term research in Illinois using the Newberry Library’s collections. The Lloyd Lewis Fellowships in American History support four- to nine-month residencies for historians whose work makes productive use of these archival resources.

Postdoctoral scholars and ABD PhD candidates researching American history and related founding-era topics can apply for Jack Miller Center Fellowships from the Newberry Library, receiving US $3,000 for a one-month residency. Open to scholars of any nationality, including those based in Illinois and the broader Chicago metropolitan area.

Postdoctoral scholars and ABD PhD candidates researching American history and needing the Newberry’s collections can receive short-term fellowship support in Illinois. The Newberry Library supports one-month residencies with a US $3,000 stipend for projects grounded in its holdings, open to scholars of any nationality, including eligible Chicago-area researchers.

Authors or publishers of distinguished books on European intellectual and cultural history since 1500 can receive US $1,000 for outstanding scholarly work, including those based in Illinois. The American Historical Association’s George L. Mosse Prize honors major works showing exceptional research accuracy, originality, and literary merit in this specialized area of historical study.

The Helen & Howard R. Marraro Prize in Italian History, awarded annually by the American Historical Association, honors exceptional works in Italian history, cultural history, or Italo-American relations. Established in 1897, this prestigious award recognizes books published in English by North American historians. Currently valued at $1,000, submissions for the 2025 award must have a copyright of 2024. Winners will be announced in October 2025, with a ceremony at the January 2026 AHA annual meeting in Chicago.

The Field Museum offers the Armour Graduate Fellowship for PhD students engaged in dissertation research related to the museum's vast collections. Annually, two fellowships of $32,000 each are awarded, covering stipends and research expenses for a one-year term. Eligible applicants must have completed qualifying exams, reside in the Chicagoland area, and have a Museum scientist as a committee member. This fellowship supports the development of future scholars while fostering research that enhances the museum's mission.

The John Ben Snow Prize, awarded by the North American Conference on British Studies, recognizes the best book by a North American scholar focusing on British Studies from the Middle Ages to the eighteenth century. This prestigious annual award includes a $500 prize and encourages authors who are U.S. or Canadian citizens or permanent residents to submit their works. Nominations can be made by authors or publishers, with discretion advised for multiple entries.

The Judith R. Walkowitz Article Prize, awarded annually by the North American Conference on British Studies, recognizes the best published article addressing gender and sexuality in British culture. This prize honors Professor Walkowitz’s significant contributions to the fields of gender and cultural studies. Open to scholars in North America, it encourages diverse perspectives across disciplines and time periods, with a cash award of $250 to support ongoing research and scholarship in British Studies.

The Field Museum offers the Brown Graduate Fellowship to support graduate students engaged in dissertation research related to the museum. This prestigious fellowship provides a stipend of $32,000 and limited funds for research and travel, with two fellowships awarded annually. It is open to students enrolled in the Committee on Evolutionary Biology at the University of Chicago, specifically for U.S. citizens who have completed their qualifying exams and are formally involved with the museum.

The M.A. Essay Prize, awarded by the North American Conference on British Studies (NACBS), recognizes exceptional original research by students in stand-alone M.A. programs in the U.S. and Canada. With a prize of $500, it encourages scholarly excellence and invites winners to submit their work for publication. Faculty nominations are required, ensuring deserving candidates receive recognition for their academic contributions, thereby fostering a vibrant academic community within British studies.

The NACBS Undergraduate Essay Prize, awarded by The North American Conference on British Studies, recognizes outstanding essays on British topics from undergraduates at U.S. and Canadian universities. Each year, up to eight prizes of $100 are given, encouraging submissions from diverse fields including History, English, and Cultural Studies. This initiative aims to promote scholarly engagement with British Studies, fostering a deeper understanding of its historical and cultural contexts during the 2023-24 academic year.

The American Institute of Physics offers Grants-in-Aid to support research in the history of the physical sciences. Aimed primarily at graduate students, the program also welcomes applications from undergraduates, postdoctoral researchers, and established scholars. Grants up to $2,500 are provided on a reimbursement basis for expenses such as travel and research assistance. Applications for research conducted globally are encouraged, including visits to the Niels Bohr Library & Archives.