The Foundation for Humanity and Tolerance, in cooperation with the John F. Kennedy Institute at Freie Universität Berlin, annually awards the Ernst Fraenkel Dissertation Prize for outstanding doctoral dissertations in the social sciences and humanities. The prize recognizes theses that engage in an exemplary manner with questions of democracy in the transatlantic sphere or from a broader comparative perspective.

The Ernst Fraenkel Dissertation Prize carries a monetary award of 5,000 € and is conferred in the context of a formal award ceremony. Nominations must be submitted by the dissertation supervisor. The application deadline is 31 January 2026.