The Leakey Foundation is the leading nonprofit funder of research dedicated to understanding human origins, awarding about $1 million in grants each year. Its Research Grants support PhD dissertation fieldwork and post-PhD projects in human origins research — up to $20,000 for doctoral candidates, $30,000 for post-PhD researchers. The next deadline is 10 January 2027 (spring cycle); the foundation explicitly welcomes applicants at all career stages and has no citizenship requirements.
Why it is notable: a niche discipline funder that aggregator scholarship lists ignore entirely because it funds research projects, not degrees. For anthropology/paleontology PhD students who hit the aggregator wall of "no generic scholarships in my field," this is the single best-known named grant in human origins — and it is genuinely open worldwide.
Funding at a glance
What it covers
grants support PhD dissertation research and post-PhD research
priority to the exploratory phases of promising new research projects and innovative, multidisciplinary approaches. Roughly USD 1,000,000 awarded per year across all cycles
Eligibility criteria
Qualification Required
Masters/MPhilfor PhD
This scholarship is offered for PhD programs.
Who can apply
open to candidates from anywhere in the world — NO citizenship restrictions. Applicants must be advanced doctoral students (advanced to candidacy; those not yet advanced may still apply if they expect to advance before decisions are made — April for spring cycle) or post-PhD researchers. Applicants MUST be affiliated with an institution (university, museum, etc.) — the foundation does not give grants directly to unaffiliated individuals. Resubmissions welcome but: from the Fall 2026 cycle onward, proposals may be resubmitted only ONCE.
Experience
No experience required
Language Certificate
applications must be written in English
Other Certificates
Degree certificates & transcripts
Age Limit
No Age Limit
Check your eligibility
Run all three quick checks before reviewing your chosen course's full entry requirements.
1
Country checker
open to candidates from anywhere in the world — NO citizenship restrictions. Applicants must be advanced doctoral students (advanced to candidacy; those not…
2
Last degree checker
Choose your highest completed qualification to see which degree level may fit.
3
Course checker
Pick a course to see whether it falls inside this scholarship's scope.
Complete all three checks
Your combined result will appear here.
Based on published eligibility — always confirm on the official page before applying.
Application essentials
Requirements
Review each requirement before you begin the application.
01
Language
applications must be written in English
02
Qualification
open to candidates from anywhere in the world — NO citizenship restrictions
03
Documents
completed application form, CV, research proposal/project description, detailed budget plan, institutional affiliation confirmation, signed letters of support from host and home sponsors — confirm the
Document checklist
01completed application form, CV, research proposal/project description, detailed budget plan, institutional affiliation confirmation, signed letters of support from host and home sponsors — confirm the
Application fee
No fee — completely free
No separate scholarship application fee is published; confirm on the official page.
Visa, kept concise: Leakey-funded research usually means fieldwork in a third country (e.g., East Africa).
Application Procedure
5 steps — follow in order. Each stage prepares the next.
01
Confirm your project fits "relevant to human origins" —
if unsure, email the Grants Department a brief project description BEFORE applying (grants@leakeyfoundation.org).
→
02
Download the CURRENT instructions and materials packet
from the official page — the alert on the page says applicants must use the packet ending in 26.1 with the new application portal; older packets produce ineligible submissions.
→
03
Prepare: completed online application
research proposal following the packet instructions, detailed budget, CV, letters of support from host sponsor and home sponsor with signatures.
↓
05
Watch for the mid-May decision notification (spring cycle)
if you hear nothing by 1 June, contact grants@leakeyfoundation.org.
←
04
Submit the application ONLINE through the new
portal by the spring-cycle deadline.
Application milestones
10 Jan 2027
Application deadline
2027
Intake year
Ready to apply?
Continue on the official The Leakey Foundation, San Francisco, CA platform.
10 Jan 2027 — spring cycle (verified on the official page: "January 10 for the spring cycle; Jan applicants will be…
Who can apply?
open to candidates from anywhere in the world — NO citizenship restrictions. Applicants must be advanced doctoral students (advanced to candidacy; those not yet advanced may still apply if they expect to advance before decisions are made — April for spring cycle) or post-PhD researchers. Applicants MUST be affiliated with an institution (university, museum, etc.) — the foundation does not give grants directly to unaffiliated individuals. Resubmissions welcome but: from the Fall 2026 cycle onward, proposals may be resubmitted only ONCE.
What does the scholarship cover?
grants support PhD dissertation research and post-PhD research; priority to the exploratory phases of promising new research projects and innovative, multidisciplinary approaches. Roughly USD 1,000,000 awarded per year across all cycles
Where do I apply?
Through the official application portal linked in the Official links section on this page.
Need document or attestation help?
Detailed attestation guidance stays in Opplore's standalone Guides section, not inside this scholarship page.
United States · The Leakey Foundation, San Francisco, CA