ifa Scholarship on the Management of Cultural Heritage & the Transformation of Museums and Exhibition Centres 2026

This ifa Scholarship is designed for cultural practitioners from countries on the DAC list, including Ethiopia. Its purpose is to enable scholarship holders to deepen their professional knowledge internationally, introduce new new perspectives, and build long-term cooperation through exchange. The program focuses on transcultural dialogue and engaging with cultural heritage, collections, and archive records, contributing to the transformation of museums and exhibition centers in line with the ICOM definition.

The scholarship is fully funded and includes: * A net payment of EUR 1,500 per month. * Monthly family allowances for family members traveling with you (EUR 250 for a spouse, EUR 250 per child). * Visa costs. * Travel costs for the outward and return journeys. * Health insurance (including family). * A monthly travel pass for public transport in the city of residence. * Up to EUR 500 for a language course.

* Nationality: Open to cultural practitioners from countries on the DAC list. Ethiopian citizens are eligible. * Profession: Applicants must be curators, restorers, mediators, or culture managers. * Experience: Must work with cultural heritage, collections, and/or archive records in institutional contexts. * Host Institution: Must name a non-commercial, physical host institution in Germany for each stay and submit a specific concept note drawn up jointly with the host institution. This joint concept note is decisive for the scholarship award. * Education: Must have completed their higher education or vocational training. * Language: A very good knowledge of English is required. Knowledge of German or the language of the host institution's country is an advantage but not mandatory.

Applicants must prepare a specific concept note in collaboration with their proposed host institution in Germany. All required documents for the online application form must be ready before submission.

Applications must be submitted online through the official application form on the ifa website. Incomplete applications, late submissions, or applications sent via e-mail will not be considered. The primary application form for DAC list residents applying for a stay in Germany should be used.

The scholarship primarily supports stays in Germany for cultural professionals from DAC list countries. There is also an option for a reciprocal stay in a DAC country for German residents, but this is a separate application path. The scholarship aims to foster international understanding and support democratic civil societies through cultural exchange.