The Scholarship on the Management of Cultural Heritage and the Transformation of Museums and Exhibition Centres supports cultural practitioners from countries on the DAC list who plan a professional stay with a host institution in Germany. Supported by the Alexander Rave Foundation of ifa, the scholarship focuses on cultural heritage, collections, archive records, and the transformation of museums and exhibition venues. The application deadline is 30 June 2026 for scholarships beginning after 1 February 2027.
Programme Snapshot
Programme: Scholarship on the Management of Cultural Heritage and the Transformation of Museums and Exhibition Centres
Category: Scholarship
Supported by: Alexander Rave Foundation of ifa
Country: Germany
Duration: 3 to 6 months for stays in Germany
Application Deadline: 30 June 2026
Earliest Start Date: 1 February 2027
Latest End Date: 31 December 2027
Eligible Applicants: Cultural practitioners with permanent residence in a country on the DAC list
About the Scholarship
The scholarship enables cultural practitioners to spend time with host institutions in Germany. Its purpose is to support professional development, transnational knowledge exchange, and long-term cooperation.
The programme focuses on transcultural dialogue and work with cultural heritage, collections, and archive records. It also supports knowledge transfer and the creation of sustainable professional networks.
The scholarship is connected to the transformation of museums and exhibition venues in line with the ICOM definition of museums.
You may like: University of Tokyo MEXT Scholarship 2027 for Graduate Study in Japan
Thematic Focal Areas
The scholarship focuses on the transformation of museums and exhibition venues. The official page lists four focal areas.
• Cultural participation
• Sustainability
• Non-discriminatory spaces
• Decolonial working methods
Applicants should connect their planned scholarship stay to cultural heritage, collections, and/or archive records in an institutional context.
Scholarship Benefits
The scholarship provides financial and practical support for selected scholarship holders.
✓ Net payment of EUR 1,500 per month
✓ Monthly family allowances for family members travelling with the scholarship holder
✓ EUR 250 for a spouse
✓ EUR 250 per child
✓ Visa costs
✓ Travel costs for outward and return journeys
✓ Health insurance, including family
✓ Monthly travel pass for public transport in the city of residence
✓ Up to EUR 500 for a language course
The programme awards a maximum of ten scholarships per year.
Types of Funding
The main scholarship route supports stays in Germany for cultural practitioners whose permanent residence is in a country on the DAC list.
This route provides a three- to six-month scholarship at a German host institution. The scholarship holder and the host institution jointly develop a project connected with a collection or an institutional transformation process.
The official page also lists an optional reciprocal stay. If synergies arise from a tandem project, funding may be provided for a two- to twelve-week supplementary stay in a country on the DAC list for a person from the German host institution.
For reciprocal stays, a joint application must be made for both travel lines, and both stays must take place in the same scholarship year.
Recommended: Singapore A*STAR ACIS Scholarship 2026 for PhD Study
Who Can Apply?
The scholarship is open to cultural practitioners working in specific professional fields.
Eligible applicants include:
• Curators
• Restorers
• Mediators
• Culture managers
Applicants must work with cultural heritage, collections, and/or archive records in institutional contexts.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must meet the requirements stated by the official scholarship page.
• Applicants must work with cultural heritage, collections, and/or archive records in institutional contexts.
• Applicants must name a non-commercial, physical host institution for each stay.
• Applicants must submit a specific concept note prepared jointly with the host institution.
• Applicants must have completed higher education or vocational training.
• Applicants must have a very good knowledge of English.
• German or the language of the host institution’s country is an advantage, but not mandatory.
• Applicants may not hold another scholarship or parallel residence during the funding period.
The scholarship is an on-site scholarship and requires regular attendance at the host institution. Scholarship holders must prepare a final report.
Host Institution Requirements
The host institution plays an important role in the application and scholarship stay. It must be involved in developing the project with the applicant.
Host institutions must:
• Be non-profit museums, galleries, or cultural/research institutes
• Have a physical location
• Have a collection or an archive
• Nominate a specialised contact person for the scholarship holder
• Draw up a specific project together with the applicant
ifa – Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen is not a host institution.
Discover: University of Melbourne Graduate Research Scholarship 2027 – Fully Funded
Required Documents
Applicants must prepare all documents before starting the online application, as temporary storage is not possible. The official application form states that uploaded documents must be submitted as PDF files in English or German.
Required documents include:
• Proof of the host institution’s non-profit status or status as a public corporation
• Invitation letter from the host institution for the planned scholarship stay
• Letter of reference, for example from a supervisor in the applicant’s home organisation or workplace
• Project outline or concept note developed jointly with the host institution
• Employment references confirming the applicant’s work experience
• Contact details of the host institution
• Personal information requested in the online application form
• Information on relevant CV stages and supporting evidence
The concept note must be completed, signed, and submitted by the applicant and the host institution.
Application Process
All applications must be submitted through the online form. Applications that are incomplete, late, or submitted by email will not be considered.
Applicants should follow these steps:
• Make arrangements with the host institution.
• Agree on the length and dates of the scholarship stay.
• Obtain proof of the host institution’s non-profit or public status.
• Jointly designate a contact person at the host institution.
• Prepare the concept note with the host institution.
• Compile the required documents in PDF format.
• Submit the complete application through the online form.
It is not necessary to send the documents by post.
Key Dates
• Application Deadline: 30 June 2026
• Earliest Scholarship Start Date: 1 February 2027
• Latest Scholarship End Date: 31 December 2027
• General Notification: By September 2026
Apply Here
Submit your application through the official application link below.
