LEIGH FERMOR HOUSE FELLOWHIPS PROGRAMME

For the Leigh Fermor House fellowships programme, the Benaki Museum collaborates with three universities: Freie Universität Berlin (Centrum Modernes Griechenland / Dahlem Humanities Center), Princeton University (Stanley J. Seeger ’52 Center for Hellenic Studies), and University of California Los Angeles (Stavros Niarchos Foundation Center for the Study of Hellenic Culture). Each one of these academic institutions chooses two fellows per academic year, in addition to the fellows chosen by the Benaki Museum, applying coordinated selection criteria and review processes. Fellows are in residence at the former home of Patrick and Joan Leigh Fermor in Kardamyli, Greece. The couple donated their beautiful house to the Benaki Museum in 1996, with the intention of keeping it open to the public and hosting researchers.

DESCRIPTION
Leigh Fermor House fellowships are offered twice annually and are awarded to academics whose research topics are related to the collections and archives of the Benaki Museum. The subject areas covered by the Benaki Museum span the entire length and breadth of Greek history and culture while also including several world cultures (Islamic, Chinese, African, Pre-Columbian American, Korean, et al.). Please check benaki.org and visit ‘Collections’.

Fellowships are available for the autumn or spring terms: autumn term appointments are from 10 November to 15 December 2026 and spring term appointments are from 15 February to 22 March 2027. Leigh Fermor House fellowships are residential, and fellows devote the majority of their time to research and writing.

Before departure from the Leigh Fermor House, fellows submit a written review on their activities while in residence as well as an evaluation of the fellowship. They may also be invited TO Athens to make a presentation of their research to the ‘Patrick & Joan Leigh Fermor House Fellowships Academic Committee’ (Academic Committee), which consists of the academic director and the curators of the Museum, and to Benaki Museum staff as well as to members of the public, invited by the Academic Committee. The Academic Committee reserves the right to select studies for publication to the Benaki Museum scholarly periodical, Mouseio Benaki.

LIVING ARRANGEMENTS
Fellows are provided with a room with one double bed, personal workspace, one meal per day and controlled access to the Leigh Fermor House library. The Benaki Museum Library and Archives in Athens are not accessible remotely and should be consulted, if necessary, outside the fellowship period. Τhe Benaki Museum will make arrangements and cover the cost of the fellows travelling from Athens to Kardamyli and from Kardamyli back to Athens after the completion of the fellowship.

Fellows may be accompanied by one family member (children over 16 years old only) or spouse, for a period of up to 10 days.

The Benaki Museum cannot provide a stipend to fellows; therefore they should cover their expenses during their stay at the Leigh Fermor House and make their own travel arrangements from the country of residence to Athens and back.

Early career researchers (postdocs) employed at Freie Universität Berlin are eligible to apply for financial assistance in the amount of up to max. 500 Euro to help cover travel costs to Athens and back. These travel funds are made available by the Dahlem Humanities Center.

Fellows are also responsible for arranging their own health insurance.

ELGIBILITY
Applications are invited by scholars in all disciplines covered by the Benaki Museum collections (see above), who are affiliated with Freie Universität Berlin as well as emeriti faculty members. Welcome to apply are scholars with a Ph.D., and a distinguished record of publications, or showing extraordinary research potential. Fellows are expected to be fluent in English.

We regret that due to the location and terrain of the property, the House is not wheelchair accessible. Please contact the Benaki Museum for more information on accessibility for people with restricted mobility.

CRITERIA
Applications are reviewed by an interdisciplinary group of reviewers, specialists in the candidate’s academic discipline, appointed by the Dahlem Humanities Center and the Centrum Modernes Griechenland.

The Academic Committee makes Leigh Fermor House Fellowship awards on the basis of several criteria:

• scholarly accomplishment, overall academic excellence and promise,
• significance and quality of the research proposal in definition, clarity, organisation and scope,
• potential future impact through teaching and writing,
• first-time applicants; (a period of at least five years must elapse between a successful fellowship award at the Leigh Fermor House and a new fellowship application from the same person).

HOW TO APPLY
For applications to be considered:
1. The application form must be completed in full and submitted along with the supporting materials.
2. Τhe following supporting material must be submitted as (preferably one) pdf, along with the application form, to geschaeftsfuehrung@dhc.fu-berlin.de:

• cover sheet with title and summary (200 words) of proposed research project and a brief bio (one paragraph),
• research proposal (3 pages, 1,000 words maximum), including description of project, timetable, explicit goals,
• a standard, detailed curriculum vitae including a list of publications,
• two samples of recent work (in the original language)

All supporting material (except from the sample of recent work) must be submitted in English or German.

DEADLINE
All materials submitted by applicants must be received by 2 March 2026. To ensure applications are received before the deadline, early submission is encouraged.

ANOUNCEMENT OF AWARDS
Awards will be announced in March 2026.

POSTPONEMENT DUE TO FORCE MAJEURE
By approval of its Board of Trustees, the Benaki Museum reserves the right to postpone the fellowships programme, due to force majeure (pandemic restrictions etc). In this case, the awarded fellowships will be moved.