Residential Grants FAQs

What kinds of projects do Getty Residential Grants support?

Consistent with Getty’s overall mission, Getty Residential Grants support individuals to undertake research related to the history of art, archaeology, and conservation of cultural heritage from all times and places. The majority of Getty Residential Grants are awarded for art history through special initiatives focused on a specific issue, region, annual theme, or for dedicated research in conservation and conservation science. Getty Residential Grants also encourage projects that will particularly benefit from the intellectual life at Getty by engaging with its collections, libraries, and professional staff.

Does the program provide housing?

Yes. You may visit the Getty Scholar Housing page for further details.

Is transportation provided?

A shuttle runs between Scholar Housing and the Getty Center on weekdays during regular business hours; shuttles do not operate on weekends or holidays. There is no dedicated transportation available for the Getty Villa, although parking is available.

If I receive a residential grant, can I bring my family along?

Yes. Families are welcome.

May I bring my pet to Scholar Housing?

Yes. A limited number of units in Scholar Housing have been designated for residents with pets.

Does Getty offer remote fellowships for those who are unable to relocate to Los Angeles?

No. All appointed fellows are required to be in residence throughout the duration of their appointment.

Do applicants need to be US citizens or permanent residents to be eligible for a Getty Residential Grant?

No. Getty welcomes applications from scholars of any nationality or place of residence. Scholars who are citizens of countries other than the United States are especially encouraged to apply, as are scholars who have experience studying, teaching, and/or conducting art historical research in non-US contexts. Getty provides visa support for those who have accepted an offer to one of our residential programs.

May I apply for more than one grant that is offered by Getty in a given year?

Yes. You may apply for multiple grants for the same term. However, two Getty grants cannot be held at the same time.

I have previously held a Getty Residential Grant. Am I eligible to reapply?

Yes. After a waiting period of six years, previous Getty Residential Grant recipients in any category are eligible to reapply for another grant in whichever category they are eligible for and interested in.

What are the eligibility differences between Predoctoral Fellows and Postdoctoral Fellows?

Predoctoral Fellowships are offered only for the Getty Scholars Program, and applicants should expect to complete their doctoral dissertation during the fellowship period. Postdoctoral Fellowships are offered for the Getty Scholars Program and the Getty Scholars Program at the Villa. For the Getty Scholars Program, eligible applicants must hold degrees that were conferred no more than five years before the start of the fellowship appointment. Degree conferral should be calculated based on the applicant’s status at the start of the fellowship period, or September 1, rather than the application date. For the Getty Scholars Program at the Villa, eligible applicants must have successfully completed all requirements for the degree, including the dissertation defense, by July 1, before the start of the fellowship appointment.

I am a predoctoral student and would like to apply for the Getty Scholars Program at the Villa. Am I eligible?

At this time the Getty Scholars Program at the Villa offers only Postdoctoral Fellowships.

May I apply to be an Artist in Residence?

Artist in Residence appointments are usually made to established researchers and professionals by invitation. However, promising artist candidates who apply through the standard selection process may be placed in the pool for consideration.

How do I apply for a grant?

For information about grants for established researchers and professionals who have held PhDs for at least five years and/or possess strong records of publication and professional activity, consult the Getty Scholars Program, Getty Scholars Program at the Villa, and Conservation Guest Scholars pages. For information about fellowships for PhD candidates and recently granted PhDs, consult the Pre- and Postdoctoral Fellowships, Getty Villa Postdoctoral Fellowships, and Postdoctoral Fellowship in Conservation Science pages.

When is the deadline to apply?

Most applications are due in the fall, between early October and mid-November. For exact dates, please check the pages for each individual category.

I understand that the Getty Scholars Program, Getty Scholars Program at the Villa, and Pre- and Postdoctoral Fellowships have an annual theme that changes each year. When will the new scholar theme be posted?

The scholar theme is announced in the spring and the online application materials become available in the summer.

Do I need letters of reference?

Two letters of reference are required for predoctoral and postdoctoral applicants. Applicants for the Getty Scholars Program, Getty Scholars Program at the Villa, and for Conservation Guest Scholars are not required to submit letters of reference.

May I use Interfolio to submit reference letters?

Yes.

Are there any examples of successful Getty Residential Grant proposals available to reference?

While there is no single model to follow for a successful application, and Getty does not provide examples of proposals that have received funding in the past, applicants are invited to search Getty's grant database and view past scholars’ profiles to learn more about the projects Getty has funded over the last three decades.

How does Getty decide which applications to support?

Each application is evaluated in relation to the stated application criteria for that funding category. This work is done by reviewers who work at Getty or outside of Getty in the visual arts and cultural heritage conservation fields.

Who will review my application?

Applications undergo a rigorous screening process with at least one selection committee. Committees include past Getty scholars, current Getty staff members, and other experts with backgrounds in art history, archaeology, and adjacent fields of study from outside Getty.

When will I receive a notification about the status of my application?

Applicants will be notified of their application outcome by March or April.

My application was not selected. Can I receive feedback?

Due to the large volume of applications, Getty is unable to provide comments on individual applications.

I have read through all of the FAQs, and I still have questions about my application. Whom may I contact?

Inquiries about the Getty Scholar Program should be sent by email to researchgrants@getty.edu. Inquiries about the Getty Scholar Program at the Villa should be sent by email to villascholars@getty.edu. Inquiries about Conservation Guest Scholars should be sent by email to gcischolars@getty.edu.

How do I apply for a job at Getty?

Visit our job opportunities page for information about job positions at Getty.