Grant Types

The Grants Awards open on 2 January 2019

The Barakat Trust’s grant applications programme for 2019 will open on 2 January 2019 and will close at midnight GMT on 31 March 2019. No applications received after that date will be considered.

Applicants will be informed of the Barakat Trust’s decision shortly after the end of April 2019.

Scope of Awards

The Barakat Trust awards are open to applicants worldwide in the fields of:

• research into the history of the art and architecture, and the archaeology and material culture of Islamic societies, including archaeological and other fieldwork, and research trips;
• the conservation, preservation, restoration, and presentation to the public of artefacts, buildings and archaeological sites produced by Islamic societies.
• the work of libraries, museums and other public collections in the conservation, documentation, and presentation of artefacts and manuscripts produced by Islamic societies in their broadest sense, including the digitisation of archives and collections, and the training of conservation and curatorial staff;
• the organisation of events intended to further research in the history of the art, architecture, archaeology, and material culture of Islamic societies, including colloquia and conferences, lectures, seminars and workshops, exhibitions, and attendance at such events;
• The Barakat Trust does not offer awards intended to cover the fees and regular living expenses of students (except only under Categories A1  and B2, B3 and B4 below), but postgraduate students are encouraged to apply for small grants for travel (e.g. to attend conferences or conduct research) under Category A2 below

The Barakat Trust regrets that through this Awards Programme it is unable to make awards for any purpose except those set out above. Its focus is on the artistic and cultural heritage of the Islamic World. It does not make awards through this Awards Programme to support the creative work of artists, architects and craftspeople, and does not normally support the study of contemporary art, architecture or material culture unless strongly linked to the study of the history and heritage of the Islamic World.

From 2019 due to strict financial regulations, awards will no longer be paid directly to individuals and must instead be paid to either to the institution to which an applicant belongs, or to the institution at which an applicant is applying to conduct research or to study. The application form and procedure for 2019 reflects these changes.  This does not mean that individuals cannot apply, simply that payment is to be made to institutions on their behalf and for their benefit.

Categories of Awards

The Academic Advisory Committee annually defines the categories and values of awards within which applications may be made, and retains the right to adjust the number and value of awards, according to the funds available and the quality and quantity of applications received.

Please read carefully Section B. Scope of Awards above. Please do not apply unless your project falls into one of the fields listed under Paragraph 3 above.

To be kept informed of future grants as well as events, conferences and news then signup to our mailing list  here.

For grant related queries email: barakat.trust@orinst.ox.ac.uk

Only consider applying if you meet the criteria in the Scope of Awards.

A1. Barakat International Studentship

One scholarship of £15,000 to a Muslim student from the Islamic world who has already been accepted on one of the following taught Masters courses. Where a student has been accepted on a two-year course, the grant may be awarded or renewed for the second year of the course, on the condition that the student is able to demonstrate outstanding performance during the first year of the course. Applicants must supply evidence of acceptance before any award can be made.

• American University in Cairo, MA in Islamic Art and ArchaeologySchool of Oriental and African Studies, MA in History of Art and Architecture of the Islamic Middle East
• University College London, MA in Managing Archaeological Sites
• University College London, MA in Museum Studies
• University College London, MA in Principles of Conservation
• University College London, MSc in Conservation for Archaeology and Museums
• University of Durham, MA in Museum and Artefact Studies
• University of Durham, MA in Conservation of Archaeological and Museum Objects
• University of East Anglia, MA in Museum Studies
• University of Leicester, MA in Museum Studies
• University of Sussex, West Dean College, Graduate Diploma/Postgraduate Diploma/MA in Conservation Studies
• University of York, MA in Conservation Studies
• University of York, MSc in Digital Heritage
• Other one-year taught Masters courses in a subject relevant to the study of Islamic art, architecture, archaeology and material culture.

Note: Applicants are advised that awards may no longer be paid directly to individuals, and must instead be paid either to the institution to which an applicant belongs, or to the institution at which an applicant is applying to conduct research or to study. A representative of the institution to which payment will be made will be required to affirm the cooperation and support of the institution on the Application Form.

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A2. Barakat Postgraduate Student & Postdoctoral Scholar Grants 

Postgraduate students, and early career scholars who were awarded a doctorate after 30 June 2013, may apply for grants with an upper limit of £1,500 towards the costs of travel for fieldwork and study, attending conferences, and participating in educational and/or training programmes.

Note: Applicants are advised that awards may no longer be paid directly to individuals. Awards may be paid in one of two ways: (i) either to the institution to which an applicant belong or  at which an applicant is applying to conduct research or to study, in which case a representative of the institution to which payment will be made will be required to affirm the cooperation and support of the institution on the Application Form; (ii) or on the recipient’s behalf directly to the supplier of accommodation (e.g. the hotel) and travel (e.g. the airline).

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A3. Barakat Major Awards

Established scholars attached to research institutions, including but not restricted to universities, museums and libraries, may apply for awards with an upper limit of £10,000 for research, educational and/or training programmes, and other projects relating to the archaeology, the conservation and the history of the material and visual culture of Muslim societies.

Note: Applicants are advised that awards may no longer be paid directly to individuals, and must instead be paid either to the institution to which an applicant belongs, or to the institution at or through which an applicant is applying to conduct research or to study. A representative of the institution to which payment will be made will be required to affirm the cooperation and support of the institution on the Application Form.

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A4. Barakat Conservation Awards

Grants with an upper limit of £7,000 each towards a conservation project or the training of a conservator in the fields of Islamic art and architecture.

Note: Applicants are advised that awards may no longer be paid directly to individuals, and must instead be paid either to the institution to which an applicant belongs, or to the institution at or through which an applicant is applying to conduct research or to study. A representative of the institution to which payment will be made will be required to affirm the cooperation and support of the institution on the Application Form.

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A5. Barakat Publication Grants

Grants with an upper limit of £6,000 towards the costs of a major publication on Islamic art, architecture, archaeology etc.

Note: Applicants are advised that awards may no longer be paid directly to individuals, and must instead be paid either to the institution to which an applicant belongs, or to the publisher. A representative of the institution or publisher to which payment will be made will be required to affirm their cooperation and support on the Application Form.

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A6. Barakat Digitisation Grants

One grant of up to £50,000 per year, for a maximum of three years, towards the costs of making available online any major collection of Islamic art, architecture and archaeology. The grant is made from zakat, and therefore only Islamic institutions, libraries and museums in Islamic lands and Muslim principle applicants are eligible to apply. Institutions which can raise matching funds may receive priority. Successful applicants must undertake: (1) to adhere to the standards of digitisation agreed with The Barakat Trust; (2) to store all data with a cloud storage provider approved by The Barakat Trust; (3) to make the digitised data freely available over the web, save only that, with the agreement of The Barakat Trust, the institution shall be entitled to publish low resolution and/or watermarked images of artefacts, and to levy reasonable charges for the supply of high resolution images and for the reproduction of images.

Note: Applicants are advised that awards may no longer be paid directly to individuals, and must instead be paid either to the institution to which an applicant belongs, or to the institution at or through which an applicant is applying to conduct research or to study. A representative of the institution to which payment will be made will be required to affirm the cooperation and support of the institution on the Application Form.

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B) GRANTS FOR STUDY IN OXFORD

B1. Barakat Senior Scholar

One visiting scholarship of £10,000 to enable an established Muslim scholar to come to Oxford for three months to carry out a specific programme of research and to deliver a lecture on their research.

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B2. Barakat Postdoctoral Scholarship

One or more awards of £18,000 each to enable a Muslim post-doctoral scholar, who was awarded a doctorate after 30 June 2012, to spend nine months (normally October to June) in Oxford to carry out a specific programme of research or to prepare such research for publication. (Note to Trustees: The successful applicant will receive the award on arrival in England in nine monthly instalments, which are intended to cover all expenses, including travel, visas, health charges, health and travel insurance, accommodation and other living expenses. This will be explained in the offer letter.) Please read separate guidelines.

B3. Barakat Oxford Studentship

One studentship to cover one year’s fees for a Muslim student already accepted by the Faculty of Oriental Studies of the University of Oxford to read for an M. St or MPhil in Islamic Art and Archaeology. Renewal for the second year of the MPhil may be granted to candidates who perform well in the qualifying examination, but the grant may not be extended to cover doctoral studies. (Notes to Trustees. (1) The fees for 2019-20 are £25,387: if we don’t expect to have that money in April, we should either cancel this award or cap it at — say — £15,000 in line with A2 above. Living expenses amount to a further £13,000 which the BT does not cover. (2) The studentship will be paid directly to the successful applicant’s college. This will be explained in the offer letter.)

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B4. Barakat Oxford DPhil Bursary

One bursary is equivalent to one year’s Home/EU fees for a student already conducting research for a D.Phil. in Islamic Art and Archaeology at the Faculty of Oriental Studies of the University of Oxford, who will have completed the process of Transfer of Status by 1 October 2019. (Notes to Trustees. (1) This is the Bursary offered in return for the administrative and other services provided by Oxford for which we no longer charge. We haven’t listed it before, and have not until now asked students to apply for this grant on the application form, but we propose that they should in future do so. (2) The fees for 2019-20 are £7,730. We can either pay a Home/EU student the total fees, or contribute that amount towards the fees of an Overseas student. (3) The studentship will be paid directly to the successful applicant’s college. This will be explained in the offer letter.)

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Note: Apportionment of funds – Some of our donations are Zakat (alms traditionally given to support Muslim communities) while others are general charitable donations whose uses are unrestricted. The restrictions outlined in some of the grant categories above relate to the nature of the charitable donations we receive.